Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Credit Loss [Abstract]

Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

Credit Losses on Financial InstrumentsTo assess our expected credit losses on financial instruments, we aggregate financial assets with similar risk characteristics to monitor their credit quality or deterioration over the life of such assets. We periodically monitor certain risk characteristics within our aggregated financial assets and revise their composition accordingly, to the extent internal and external risk factors change. We separately evaluate financial assets that do not share risk characteristics with other financial assets. Our financial assets measured at amortized cost primarily consist of accounts receivable.

We use a loss rate method to estimate our allowance for credit losses. Our determination of the current expected credit loss rate begins with our review of historical loss experience as a percentage of accounts receivable. We measure our historical loss period based on the average days to recognize accounts receivable as credit losses. When asset specific characteristics and current conditions change from those in the historical period, due to changes in our credit and collections strategy, certain classes of aged balances, or credit loss and recovery policies, we perform a qualitative and quantitative assessment to adjust our historical loss rate. We use regression analysis to develop an expected loss rate using historical experience and economic data over a forecast period. We measure our forecast period based on the average days to collect payment on billed accounts receivable. To determine our current allowance for credit losses, we combine the historical and expected credit loss rates and apply them to our period end accounts receivable.

If there is an unexpected deterioration of a customer's financial condition or an unexpected change in economic conditions, including macroeconomic events, we assess the need to adjust the allowance for credit losses. Any such resulting adjustments would affect earnings in the period that adjustments are made.

The assessment of the correlation between historical observed default rates, current conditions and forecasted economic conditions requires judgment. Alternative interpretations of these factors could have resulted in different conclusions regarding our allowance for credit losses. The amount of credit loss is sensitive to changes in circumstances and forecasted economic conditions. Our historical credit loss experience, current conditions and forecast of economic conditions may also not be representative of the customers' actual default experience in the future, and we may use methodologies that differ from those used by other companies.

The following table presents the activity of our allowance for credit losses by accounts receivable portfolio for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021:

	Business		Mass Markets	Total
	(Dollars in millions)
Balance at January 1, 2021(1)	$	109	82	191
Provision for expected losses	50		55	105
Write-offs charged against the allowance	(76)		(101)	(177)
Recoveries collected	13		6	19
Classified as assets held for sale(2)	(8)		(16)	(24)
Balance at December 31, 2021	$	88	26	114
Provision for expected losses	25		108	133
Write-offs charged against the allowance	(61)		(114)	(175)
Recoveries collected	10		6	16
Change in allowance in assets held for sale(3)	(5)		2	(3)
Balance at December 31, 2022	$	57	28	85

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(1)We completed an internal reorganization in January 2021. As a result of this change, the allowance for credit losses previously included in the Consumer and Business portfolio of $70 million related to consumer and $12 million related to our small business group, respectively, were reclassified to the Mass Markets allowance for credit losses on January 1, 2021.

(2)Represents the amounts classified as held for sale related to the divestitures of our Latin American and ILEC businesses on August 1, 2022 and October 3, 2022, respectively. See Note 2—Divestitures of the Latin American and ILEC Businesses and Planned Divestiture of the EMEA Business.

(3)Represents changes in amounts classified as held for sale related to the divestitures of our Latin American and ILEC businesses on August 1, 2022 and October 3, 2022, respectively, and the inclusion of a $5 million allowance for credit losses classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2022 related to the planned divestiture of the EMEA business. See Note 2—Divestitures of the Latin American and ILEC Businesses and Planned Divestiture of the EMEA Business.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we decreased our allowance for credit losses for our business and mass markets accounts receivable portfolios primarily due to releasing COVID-19 related reserves during 2022.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, we decreased our allowance for credit losses for our business and mass markets accounts receivable portfolios primarily due to higher write-off activity during 2021, along with the easing of prior delays due to COVID-19 related restrictions from 2020 and lower receivable balances.