Lending in the age of COVID-19: Accounting for loan modifications

Description

Abstract: Loan modifications during the COVID-19 era create accounting challenges for banks, which must determine whether a particular modification constitutes a troubled debt restructuring (TDR). This article discusses the ins and outs of how a TDR is triggered and explains how the CARES Act provides temporary relief from the TDR accounting rules. It notes that, to enjoy that accounting relief, banks need to show that concessions were made as a result of the pandemic’s impact and not on account of financial difficulties caused by other factors.