Notes Receivable and Allowances for Credit Losses

12 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2024

Notes Receivable and Allowances for Credit Losses


4. Notes Receivable and Allowances for Credit Losses

As of July 31, 2024, our notes receivable portfolio consisted of notes receivable held for investment, including term loans to small businesses and refund advance loans to consumers, and notes receivable held for sale, including term loans to small businesses. We classify loans as notes receivable held for investment when we have both the intent and ability to hold until maturity or payoff. We classify loans as notes receivable held for sale when we have the intent and ability to sell substantially all of our rights, title, and interests in these qualified loans to a third-party investor. A loan that is initially designated as held for sale or held for investment may be reclassified when our intent for that loan changes. When a loan held for investment is reclassified to held for sale and recorded at the lower of amortized cost or fair value, the related allowance for credit loss for that loan is released, and any adjustment to record the loan at the lower of amortized cost or fair value is recorded.


Notes Receivable Held for Investment

Term loans to small businesses. We provide financing to small businesses via term loans that we originate directly or through an originating bank partner. During the twelve months ended July 31, 2024 and 2023, we purchased term loans from our originating bank partner with principal balances in the amount of $1.8 billion and $144 million, respectively. As of July 31, 2024, we had commitments to purchase $16 million in term loans that were originated on or prior to July 31, 2024.

The term loans are not secured and are recorded at amortized cost, which includes unpaid principal balances, deferred origination costs, and any related discount or premium, net of allowances for credit losses. As of July 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, the net notes receivable balance for term loans to small businesses was $912 million and $757 million, respectively. The current portion is included in notes receivable held for investment and the long-term portion is included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets.

We maintain an allowance for credit losses on loans held for investment to reserve for lifetime expected credit losses in the loan portfolio. The allowance for credit losses is determined based on our current estimate of lifetime expected credit losses, historical credit losses, estimates of recoveries, and future expectations as of each balance sheet date. We evaluate the creditworthiness of our term loan portfolio on a pooled basis due to its composition of loans with similar general credit risk and characteristics. Expected credit losses are measured based on a loss forecasting model and calculated by applying loss curves derived from loan level risk segment and term mixes, aggregated at monthly loan vintages. Expected credit losses are continually updated with actualized charge-offs in each month as they occur. The allowance is inherently subjective and requires management estimates. The methodologies are updated periodically to reflect factors such as actual loan performance, changes to assumptions, portfolio growth, credit policies, changes to our applicant base, and macroeconomic conditions. Factors taken into consideration in the methodology include historical performance, customer creditworthiness, changes in the size and composition of the loan portfolio, and actual credit loss experience. We use empirical data and management judgment to estimate losses for new credit tests or products for which we do not have enough history. We make judgments about the known and inherent risks in the loan portfolio, adverse situations that may affect borrowers’ ability to repay, and current and future economic conditions. When available information confirms that the specific loans or portions thereof are uncollectible, identified amounts are charged off. Loans are charged off in accordance with our charge-off policy, as the contractual principal becomes 120 days past due or meets other charge-off policy requirements. Subsequent recoveries of the unpaid principal balance, if any, are subtracted from charge-offs to compute a net charge-off and are recorded to cost

of service revenue in our consolidated statements of operations. As of July 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, the allowances for credit losses, amount of charge-offs recorded, and amount of recoveries on term loans to small businesses were not material.

We consider a loan to be delinquent when the payments are one day past due. We place delinquent term loans on nonaccrual status and stop accruing interest revenue. Term loans are returned to accrual status if they are brought current or have performed in accordance with the contractual terms for a reasonable period of time and, in our judgment, will continue to make periodic principal and interest payments as per contractual terms. Past due amounts were not material for all periods presented.

Interest revenue is earned on term loans originated and purchased and held for investment in accordance with the specified period of time and defined interest rate noted in the loan contract. Interest revenue is recorded net of amortized direct origination costs and is included in service revenue in our consolidated statements of operations. Interest revenue was not material for all periods presented.

Refund Advance Loans. Refund advance loans are loans available to eligible TurboTax customers based on a customer's anticipated income tax refund, at no cost to the customer. The loans are repaid from the customer's income tax refund, which is generally received within three to four weeks after acceptance of the customer's income tax return by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We partner with a third-party issuing bank to originate the loans and subsequently purchase full participating interests in those loans. The refund advance loans are not secured and are recorded at amortized cost, net of an allowance for credit losses. As of July 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, the net notes receivable balance for refund advance loans were not material. We maintain an allowance for credit losses to reserve for potentially uncollectible loans. We estimate the allowance based on the expected funding of refunds by the IRS using historical trends. When we determine that any amounts are uncollectible, we write them off against the allowance. As of July 31, 2024 and July 31, 2023, the allowance for credit losses on refund advance loans was not material.


Notes Receivable Held for Sale

Term loans to small businesses. In August 2023, we entered into a forward flow arrangement with an institutional investor. Pursuant to this arrangement, we have a commitment to sell to the institutional investor a minimum of $250 million in participation interests in unsecured term loans purchased or made to small businesses over 18 months, subject to certain eligibility criteria. As of July 31, 2024, we have met the minimum commitment of the forward flow arrangement.

Notes receivable held for sale are recorded at the lower of amortized cost or fair value determined on an individual loan basis. To determine fair value, we utilize a cash flow methodology, taking into account estimated timing and expected selling prices. As of July 31, 2024, the balance of loans held for sale was $3 million and is included in notes receivable held for sale on our consolidated balance sheets. Total sales of term loans during the twelve months ended July 31, 2024 were $323 million. For the twelve months ended July 31, 2024, gains on sales of loans and servicing income were not material.