Simon Property Group, Inc. Simon Property Group, L.P. Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Dollars in thousands, except share, per share, unit and per unit amounts and where indicated as in millions or billions)
applicable sales threshold. We amortize any tenant inducements as a reduction of lease income utilizing the straight-line method over the term of the related lease or occupancy term of the tenant, if shorter. We structure our leases to allow us to recover a significant portion of our property operating, real estate taxes, repairs and maintenance, and advertising and promotion expenses from our tenants. A substantial portion of our leases, other than those for anchor stores, require the tenant to reimburse us for a substantial portion of our operating expenses, including common area maintenance, or CAM, real estate taxes and insurance. Such property operating expenses typically include utility, insurance, security, janitorial, landscaping, food court and other administrative expenses. This significantly reduces our exposure to increases in costs and operating expenses resulting from inflation or otherwise. For substantially all of our leases in the U.S. mall portfolio, we receive a fixed payment from the tenant for the CAM component which is recognized as lease income on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease beginning with the adoption of ASC 842. When not reimbursed by the fixed CAM component, CAM expense reimbursements are based on the tenant’s proportionate share of the allocable operating expenses and CAM capital expenditures for the property. We accrue all variable reimbursements from tenants for recoverable portions of all of these expenses as variable lease consideration in the period the applicable expenditures are incurred. We recognize differences between estimated recoveries and the final billed amounts in the subsequent year. These differences were not material in any period presented. Our advertising and promotional costs are expensed as incurred. Provisions for credit losses that are not probable of collection are recognized as a reduction of lease income. In April 2020, the FASB staff released guidance focused on treatment of concessions related to the effects of COVID-19 on the application of lease modification guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 842, “Leases.” The guidance provides a practical expedient to forgo the associated reassessments required by ASC 842 when changes to a lease result in similar or lower future consideration. We have elected to generally account for rent abatements as negative variable lease consideration in the period granted, or in the period we determine we expect to grant an abatement. Further abatements granted in the future will reduce lease income in the period we grant, or determine we expect to grant, an abatement. We have agreed to deferral or abatement arrangements with a number of our tenants as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, uncollected rent due from certain of our tenants is subject to ongoing litigation, the outcome of which may affect our ability to collect in full the associated outstanding receivable balances. In connection with rent deferrals or other accruals of unpaid rent payments, if we determine that rent payments are probable of collection, we will continue to recognize lease income on a straight-line basis over the lease term along with associated tenant receivables. However, if we determine that such deferred rent payments or other accrued but unpaid rent payments are not probable of collection, lease income will be recorded on the cash basis, with the corresponding tenant receivable and deferred rent receivable balances charged as a direct write-off against lease income in the period of the change in our collectability determination. Additionally, our assessment of collectability incorporates information regarding a tenant’s financial condition that is obtained from available financial data, the expected outcome of contractual disputes and other matters, and our communications and negotiations with the tenant. When a tenant seeks to reorganize its operations through bankruptcy proceedings, we assess the collectability of receivable balances. Our ongoing assessment incorporates, among other things, the timing of a tenant’s bankruptcy filing and our expectations of the assumptions by the tenant in bankruptcy proceedings of leases at the Company’s properties on substantially similar terms. Refer to Note 9 for further disclosure of lease income. Management Fees and Other Revenues Management fees and other revenues are generally received from our unconsolidated joint venture properties as well as third parties. Management fee revenue is earned based on a contractual percentage of joint venture property revenue. Development fee revenue is earned on a contractual percentage of hard costs to develop a property. Leasing fee revenue is earned on a contractual per square foot charge based on the square footage of current year leasing activity. We recognize revenue for these services provided when earned based on the performance criteria.
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