Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies basis of presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of General Electric Company (the Company) and all companies that we directly or indirectly control, either through majority ownership or otherwise. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in our Form 8-K filed on June 3, 2016 related to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 that discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. As used in this report on Form 10-Q (Report), “GE” represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except other than GE Capital (GE Capital or Financial Services), whose continuing operations are presented on a one-line basis; GE Capital consists of General Capital Global Holdings, LLC (GECGH) and all of its affiliates; and “Consolidated” represents the adding together of GE and GE Capital with the effects of transactions between the two eliminated. Unless otherwise indicated, we refer to the caption revenues and other income simply as “revenues” throughout this Form 10-Q. We have reclassified certain prior-period amounts to conform to the current-period presentation. Certain columns and rows may not add due to the use of rounded numbers. Percentages presented are calculated from the underlying numbers in millions. Unless otherwise indicated, information in these notes to the consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations. interim period presentation The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2015 consolidated financial statements of our Annual Report on Form 10-K. summary of significant accounting policies Please refer to Note 1, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements of our 2015 Form 10-K Report for the discussion of our significant accounting policies. ACCOUNTING CHANGES On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which eliminated the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. See Note 7 for further discussion of the purchase accounting effects of recent acquisitions. On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the debt liability, similar to the presentation of debt premiums and discounts. ASU 2015-03 applies retrospectively and does not change the recognition and measurement requirements for debt issuance costs. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 resulted in the reclassification of $674 million of unamortized debt issuance costs related to the Company's borrowings from all other assets to short-term and long-term borrowings within our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015. On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The ASU amended the consolidation guidance for VIEs and general partners' investment in limited partnerships and modified the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities. Upon adoption, we deconsolidated three investment funds managed by GE Asset Management (GEAM) that had been accounted for under the guidance prior to the issuance of ASU 2009-17, Improvements to Financial Reporting by Enterprises Involved with Variable Interest Entities, by virtue of the deferral provided by ASU 2010-10, Amendments for Certain Investment Funds. We concluded that GEAM’s management contracts were no longer variable interests in the three investment funds and therefore continued consolidation was not appropriate. We deconsolidated net assets and noncontrolling interests of $123 million, respectively. In addition, many of the limited partnerships in which EFS invests became VIEs because the limited partners have no participating rights or substantive removal rights over the general partners. The general partners continue to control these limited partnerships, however, our disclosed exposure to unconsolidated VIEs in Note 16 increased by $6,110 million as a result. ACCELERATED SHARE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS During 2016, we entered into accelerated share repurchase (ASR) agreements to repurchase shares of GE common stock. Under an ASR agreement, the Company pays a specified amount to a financial institution and receives an initial delivery of shares based on the terms of the agreement. Upon settlement of the agreement, the financial institution delivers additional shares, or the Company returns shares, with the final net number of shares calculated based on the volume-weighted average price of GE common stock over the term of the agreement, less an agreed upon discount. When certain conditions are met, the transaction is accounted for as an equity transaction and the shares are included in treasury stock when received, at which time there is an immediate reduction in the weighted- average number of common shares used in calculating earnings per share. See Note 12 for additional information.

basis of presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of General Electric Company (the Company) and all companies that we directly or indirectly control, either through majority ownership or otherwise. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in our Form 8-K filed on June 3, 2016 related to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 that discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. As used in this report on Form 10-Q (Report), “GE” represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except other than GE Capital (GE Capital or Financial Services), whose continuing operations are presented on a one-line basis; GE Capital consists of General Capital Global Holdings, LLC (GECGH) and all of its affiliates; and “Consolidated” represents the adding together of GE and GE Capital with the effects of transactions between the two eliminated. Unless otherwise indicated, we refer to the caption revenues and other income simply as “revenues” throughout this Form 10-Q.

We have reclassified certain prior-period amounts to conform to the current-period presentation. Certain columns and rows may not add due to the use of rounded numbers. Percentages presented are calculated from the underlying numbers in millions. Unless otherwise indicated, information in these notes to the consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations.

interim period presentation

The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2015 consolidated financial statements of our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

summary of significant accounting policies

Please refer to Note 1, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements of our 2015 Form 10-K Report for the discussion of our significant accounting policies.

ACCOUNTING CHANGES

On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which eliminated the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. See Note 7 for further discussion of the purchase accounting effects of recent acquisitions.

On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the debt liability, similar to the presentation of debt premiums and discounts. ASU 2015-03 applies retrospectively and does not change the recognition and measurement requirements for debt issuance costs. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 resulted in the reclassification of $674 million of unamortized debt issuance costs related to the Company's borrowings from all other assets to short-term and long-term borrowings within our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015.

On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The ASU amended the consolidation guidance for VIEs and general partners' investment in limited partnerships and modified the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities.

Upon adoption, we deconsolidated three investment funds managed by GE Asset Management (GEAM) that had been accounted for under the guidance prior to the issuance of ASU 2009-17, Improvements to Financial Reporting by Enterprises Involved with Variable Interest Entities, by virtue of the deferral provided by ASU 2010-10, Amendments for Certain Investment Funds. We concluded that GEAM’s management contracts were no longer variable interests in the three investment funds and therefore continued consolidation was not appropriate. We deconsolidated net assets and noncontrolling interests of $123 million, respectively.

In addition, many of the limited partnerships in which EFS invests became VIEs because the limited partners have no participating rights or substantive removal rights over the general partners. The general partners continue to control these limited partnerships, however, our disclosed exposure to unconsolidated VIEs in Note 16 increased by $6,110 million as a result.

ACCELERATED SHARE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS

During 2016, we entered into accelerated share repurchase (ASR) agreements to repurchase shares of GE common stock. Under an ASR agreement, the Company pays a specified amount to a financial institution and receives an initial delivery of shares based on the terms of the agreement. Upon settlement of the agreement, the financial institution delivers additional shares, or the Company returns shares, with the final net number of shares calculated based on the volume-weighted average price of GE common stock over the term of the agreement, less an agreed upon discount. When certain conditions are met, the transaction is accounted for as an equity transaction and the shares are included in treasury stock when received, at which time there is an immediate reduction in the weighted- average number of common shares used in calculating earnings per share. See Note 12 for additional information.