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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
3 Months Ended
May 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
(12) FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
 
ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, addresses how companies should measure fair value when they are required to use a fair value measure for recognition or disclosure purposes under GAAP. ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.
 
We determined the fair values of our financial instruments based on the fair value hierarchy established in ASC 820, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The standard defines fair value, describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.
 
The term inputs refers to the assumptions that market participants use in pricing the asset or liability. ASC 820 distinguishes between observable inputs and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from independent sources. Unobservable inputs reflect an entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. ASC 820 indicates that valuation techniques should maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used in valuation techniques and creates the following three broad levels, with Level 1 being the highest priority:
 
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Level 1 inputs: Level 1 inputs are quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that are accessible at the measurement date (e.g., equity securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange).
 
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Level 2 inputs: Level 2 inputs are from other-than-quoted market prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly (e.g., quoted market prices of similar assets or liabilities in active markets, or quoted market prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active).
  
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Level 3 inputs: Level 3 inputs are unobservable (e.g., a company’s own data) and should be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available.
 
Our financial assets and liabilities are certificates of deposit, accounts receivable, note receivable, investments in policies, investment in life settlements trust, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The recorded values of certificates of deposit, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values based on their short-term nature and are discussed in Notes 4 and 5. The recorded value of the note receivable is the original note amount. The note’s fair value is not readily determinable; it is discussed in Note 6. The investment in the Trust is accounted for using the equity method of accounting and is recorded at our investment account balance. The investment’s fair value is not readily determinable; it is discussed in Note 9.
 
The carrying value of our investments in policies totaled $2,306,857, which includes $408,710 of capitalized premiums, and has an estimated fair value, net of the present value of estimated premiums, of $1,101,636. Fair value of the investments in policies was determined using unobservable Level 3 inputs and was calculated by performing a net present value calculation of the face amount of the life policies less premiums for the total portfolio. The unobservable Level 3 inputs use new or updated information that affects our assumptions about remaining life expectancy, credit worthiness of the policy issuer, funds needed to maintain the asset until maturity, and discount rates. The investments in policies are discussed more fully in Note 8. A progression of the Level 3 inputs is shown in the table below:
 
Balance at February 28, 2013
 
$
1,184,346
 
Sales of policies
 
 
(25,674)
 
Change in valuation
 
 
(57,036)
 
Estimated Fair Value at May 31, 2013
 
$
1,101,636