v3.22.2.2
Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES  
Commitments and Contingencies

9. Commitments and Contingencies

 

COVID-19 Pandemic

 

The amount of revenue recognized and the pattern of revenue recognition may be impacted by COVID-19. In December 2019, a strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and has spread globally, and on March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. In an effort to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, many countries, including the United States, have imposed unprecedented restrictions on travel, quarantines, and other public health safety measures. Such government-imposed precautionary measures may have been relaxed in certain countries or states, but there is no assurance that more strict measures will be put in place again due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. In addition, the COVID-19 virus and other infectious diseases could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, resulting in an economic downturn that could impact the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations. The pattern of revenue recognition may change for delays in rendering services.

 

In periods ended subsequent to the outbreak of COVID-19, the impact on expected credit losses and future cash flow projections used in impairment testing will need to be considered.

 

The Partnership continues to evaluate whether adjustments to the financial statements are required or whether additional disclosures are necessary.  In its leasing business, the Partnership is always subject to credit losses as it relates to a customer’s ability to make timely rental payments.  The impact of COVID-19 may contribute to risk of non-performance, where a customer may experience financial difficulty and may delay in making timely payments.

 

The Partnership recognizes impairment of receivables and loans when losses are incurred, which is when it is probable that an entity will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the arrangement.  Impairment is measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at a receivable’s or a loan’s effective interest rate, except that, as a practical expedient, impairment can be measured based on a receivable’s or a loans’ observable market price or the fair value of the underlying collateral.

 

The Partnership believes its estimate of expected losses have been recognized based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable forecasts.  The impacts of COVID-19 may necessitate additional adjustments in future forecasts of expected losses.

 

Although the Partnership cannot estimate the length or gravity of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak at this time, if the pandemic continues, it may have a material adverse effect on the Partnership’s results of future operations, financial position, and liquidity in fiscal year 2022 and beyond.

 

FINRA

 

On May 3, 2013, the FINRA Department of Enforcement filed a complaint naming Commonwealth Capital Securities Corp. (“CCSC”) and the owner of the firm, Kimberly Springsteen-Abbott, as respondents; however, on October 22, 2013, FINRA filed an amended complaint that dropped the allegations against CCSC and reduced the scope of the allegations against Ms. Springsteen-Abbott.  The sole remaining charge was that Ms. Springsteen-Abbott had approved the misallocation of some expenses to certain Funds.  Management believes that the expenses at issue include amounts that were proper and that were properly allocated to Funds, and also identified a smaller number of expenses that had been allocated in error, but were adjusted and repaid to the affected Funds when they were identified in 2012.  During the period in question, Commonwealth Capital Corp. (“CCC”) and Ms. Springsteen-Abbott provided important financial support to the Funds, voluntarily absorbed expenses and voluntarily waived fees in amounts aggregating in excess of any questioned allocations.  A Hearing Panel ruled on March 30, 2015, that Ms. Springsteen-Abbott should be barred from the securities industry because the Panel concluded that she allegedly misallocated approximately $208,000 of expenses involving certain Funds over the course of three years.  As such, management had already at that time reallocated back approximately $151,225 of the $208,000 (in allegedly misallocated expenses) to the affected funds, which was fully documented, as good faith payments for the benefit of those Income Funds.

  

The decision of the Hearing Panel was stayed when it was appealed to FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council (the “NAC”) pursuant to FINRA Rule 9311.  The NAC issued a decision that upheld the lower panel’s ruling and the bar took effect on August 23, 2016.  Ms. Springsteen-Abbott appealed the NAC’s decision to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  On March 31, 2017, the SEC criticized that decision as so flawed that the SEC could not even review it, and remanded the matter back to FINRA for further consideration consistent with the SEC’s remand, but did not suggest any view as to a particular outcome.

 

On July 21, 2017, FINRA reduced the list of 1,840 items totaling $208,000 to a remaining list of 87 items totaling $36,226 (which includes approximately $30,000 of continuing education expenses for personnel providing services to the Funds), and reduced the proposed fine from $100,000 to $50,000, but reaffirmed its position on the bar from the securities industry.  Respondents promptly appealed FINRA’s revised ruling to the SEC.  All the requested or allowed briefs have been filed with the SEC.  Despite offering no additional evidence or legal reasoning from when SEC originally remanded this matter (for FINRA’s opinion being an unreviewably flawed opinion), the SEC upheld FINRA’s new order on February 7, 2020 as to the bar; however, FINRA’s fine was voided.  Ms. Springsteen-Abbott has filed a Petition for Review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review a final order entered against her by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  On February 26, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, made their ruling.  They dismissed in part and denied in part Ms. Springsteen-Abbott’s petition. This was regardless of CCC’s good faith reimbursements made many years ago of the questioned expense items of $208,000 (due to improper documentation), initially claimed misallocations by FINRA, even prior to FINRA’s reducing its final claim to $36,226. 

 

Prior to the original appeal to the SEC, Ms. Springsteen-Abbott discovered CCC’s required documentation of these items for FINRA review, which FINRA refused to consider, despite such efforts the District Court upheld the bar, despite admittingly not addressing her “due process” rights, for legal administrative procedural reasons.  However, given the SEC’s prior removal of FINRA’s fine and the District Court upholding that removal, the General Partner anticipates that this ruling will not result in any material financial impact to the Funds.