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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
A.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Realty Income and other subsidiaries for which we make operating and financial decisions (i.e., control), after elimination of all material intercompany balances and transactions.  We consolidate entities that we control and record a noncontrolling interest for the portion that we do not own. Noncontrolling interest that was created or assumed as part of a business combination was recognized at fair value as of the date of the transaction (see note 10).  We have no unconsolidated investments.
B.  We have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. We believe we have qualified and continue to qualify as a REIT. Under the REIT operating structure, we are permitted to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders in determining our taxable income.  Assuming our dividends equal or exceed our taxable net income, we generally will not be required to pay federal corporate income taxes on such income. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, except for federal income taxes of our taxable REIT subsidiaries. The income taxes recorded on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income represent amounts paid by Realty Income and its subsidiaries for city and state income and franchise taxes and for U.K. income taxes.
C.  We assign a portion of goodwill to our applicable property sales, which results in a reduction of the carrying amount of our goodwill. In order to allocate goodwill to the carrying amount of properties that we sell, we utilize a relative fair value approach based on the original methodology for assigning goodwill.  As we sell properties, our goodwill will likely continue to gradually decrease over time. Based on our analysis of goodwill during the second quarters of 2019 and 2018, respectively, we determined there was no impairment on our existing goodwill.
D.  In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 (Topic 842, Leases), which amended Topic 840, Leases. Under this amended topic, the accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under Topic 840, Leases. The large majority of our leases remain classified as operating leases, and we continue to recognize lease income on a generally straight-line basis over the lease term. Although primarily a lessor, we are also a lessee under several ground lease arrangements. We adopted this standard effective as of January 1, 2019 using the effective date method, and elected the practical expedients available for implementation under the standard. As a result, we recognize lease obligations for ground leases designated as operating and financing leases with corresponding right of use assets and liabilities (see note 3). Additionally, above-market rents on certain of our leases under which we are a lessor are accounted for as financing receivables amortizing over the lease term, and below-market rents on certain of our leases under which we are a lessor are accounted for as prepaid rent (see note 3). Also, as a result of the adoption of this standard, tenant reimbursable revenue and property expenses are now presented on a gross basis as both tenant reimbursement revenue included in rental revenue, and as a reimbursable expense included in property expenses, respectively, on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Property taxes and insurance paid directly by the lessee to a third party will continue to be presented on a net basis. These presentation changes had no impact on our results of operations. As a result, there was no restatement of prior issued financial statements and, similarly, no cumulative effect adjustment to opening
equity; however, we have elected to aggregate prior period tenant reimbursement revenue within rental revenue to be consistent with the current period presentation within the statements of income and comprehensive income.
E.  In connection with our acquisition of properties in the U.K. during the second quarter of 2019, we adopted accounting guidance applicable under Topic 830, Foreign Currency Matters. The functional currency of the U.K. subsidiary holding the acquired properties is the British pound sterling. Assets and liabilities from our foreign-owned subsidiary are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate in effect at the consolidated balance sheet date. Equity accounts are translated at historical rates, except for retained earnings, whereas the impact is calculated via the income statement translation process. Revenue and expense accounts are translated using the weighted average exchange rates during the period. The cumulative translation adjustments from our U.K. subsidiary are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income in the consolidated statements of equity. We have intercompany debt denominated in the British pound sterling, which is the same currency as the functional currency of our U.K. subsidiary. When this debt is remeasured against the functional currency of the Company, which is the U.S. dollar, a gain or loss can result. Such transaction gains or losses realized upon settlement of a foreign currency transaction, which may include intercompany transactions, are included in net income under the caption ‘Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net’.