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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies
2. Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies described below were implemented by Nationstar and applied to the Predecessor’s financial statements, unless otherwise noted. Upon the consummation of the Merger, the Company adopted these significant accounting policies, which are applicable to the Successor’s financial statements.

Restricted Cash
With respect to the Servicing segment, restricted cash includes recoveries received from borrowers or investors on advances pledged to advance facilities and to advance facilities structured as special purposes entities that require certain level of restricted cash. With respect to the Originations segment, restricted cash includes (i) principal received from borrowers on originated loans pledged to a warehouse facility and (ii) guarantee fees collected on behalf and payable to either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on a monthly basis.

Advances and Other Receivables, Net
The Company advances funds to or on behalf of the investors when the borrower fails to meet contractual payments (e.g., principal, interest, property taxes, insurance) in accordance with terms of its servicing agreements. Other receivables consist of advances funded to maintain and market underlying loan collateral through foreclosure and ultimate liquidation on behalf of the investors. Advances are recovered from borrowers for performing loans and from the investors and loan proceeds for non-performing loans.

The Company may also acquire servicer advances in connection with the acquisition of mortgage servicing rights (“MSR”). These advances are recorded at their relative fair value amounts upon acquisition. The Company records receivables upon determining that collection of amounts due from loan proceeds, investors, mortgage insurers, or prior servicers is probable. Reserves related to recoverability of advances and other receivables are discussed below in Reserves for Forward Servicing Activity.

As a result of the Merger, the Advances and Other Receivables assets were recorded at their estimated fair value as of the acquisition date. Recording the estimated fair value resulted in a discount within Advances and Other Receivables. Subsequently, this discount will be adjusted as the advance balances associated with the discount are utilized through recoveries or write-offs.

Mortgage Loans Held for Sale
The Company originates prime residential mortgage loans with the intention of selling such loans on a servicing-retained basis in the secondary market. As these loans are originated with intent to sell, the loans are classified as held for sale and the Company has elected to measure these loans held for sale at fair value. The Company estimates fair value of mortgage loans held for sale by using a market approach by utilizing either: (i) the fair value of securities backed by similar mortgage loans, adjusted for certain factors to approximate the fair value of a whole mortgage loan, including the value attributable to mortgage servicing and credit risk, (ii) current commitments to purchase loans or (iii) recent observable market trades for similar loans, adjusted for credit risk and other individual loan characteristics. In connection with the Company’s election to measure originated mortgage loans held for sale at fair value, the Company records the loan originations fees when earned, net of direct loan originations costs associated with these loans. Loan origination fees, gains or losses recognized upon sale of loans, and fair value adjustments are recorded in net gain on sale of mortgage loans held for sale in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company may repurchase loans that were previously transferred to Ginnie Mae (“GNMA”) if those loans meet certain criteria, including being delinquent greater than 90 days. It is the Company’s intention to sell such loans; therefore, the Company classifies such loans as loans held for sale and has elected to measure these repurchased loans at fair value.

Mortgage Loans Held for Investment
Mortgage loans held for investment primarily consist of nonconforming or subprime mortgage loans that were transferred in 2009 from mortgage loans held for sale at fair value. In connection with the Merger, the Company elected the fair value option for mortgage loans held for investment effective August 1, 2018. The Company determines the fair value of loans held for investment, on a recurring basis, based on various underlying attributes such as market participants’ views, loan delinquency, recent observable loan pricing and sales for similar loans, individual loan characteristics and internal market evaluation. These internal market evaluations require the use of judgment by the Company and can have a significant impact on the determination of the loan’s fair value. The Predecessor recorded mortgage loans held for investment at amortized cost.

Reverse Mortgage Interests, Net
Reverse mortgage interests are comprised of the Company’s interest in reverse mortgage loans that consists of participating interests in Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (“HECMs”) mortgage-backed securities (“HMBS”), other interests securitized and unsecuritized interests, as well as related claims receivables and real estate owned (“REO”) related receivables. The Company primarily acquires and services interests in reverse mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) known as HECMs. HECMs provide seniors aged 62 and older with a loan secured by their home which can be taken as a lump sum, line of credit, or scheduled payments. HECM loan balances grow over the loan term through borrower draws of scheduled payments or line of credit draws, funded by the Company, as well as through the accrual of interest, servicing fees and FHA mortgage insurance premiums. Growth in the loan balances are capitalized and recorded as reverse mortgage interests within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, loan balances including borrower draws, mortgage insurance premiums and servicing fees are eligible for securitization through Ginnie Mae’s HMBS program. In accordance with FHA guidelines, HECMs are designed to repay through foreclosure and subsequent liquidation of loan collateral after the loan becomes due and payable. Shortfalls experienced by the servicer of the HECM through the foreclosure and liquidation process can be claimed to FHA in accordance with applicable guidelines. Other interests securitized consist of reverse mortgage interests that no longer meet HMBS program eligibility criteria and have been repurchased out of HMBS. These reverse mortgage interests have subsequently been transferred to private securitization trusts and are accounted for as a secured borrowing. Unsecuritized interests include repurchased HECM loans for which the Company is required to repurchase from the HMBS pool when the outstanding principal balance of the HECM loan is equal to or greater than 98% of the maximum claim amount (“MCA”) established at origination in accordance with HMBS program guidelines.

As the HECM loan moves through the foreclosure and claims process, the Company classifies reverse mortgage interests as REO related receivables and HECM related receivables, respectively. Interest income is accrued monthly within the consolidated statements of operations based upon the borrower interest rates. The Company includes the cash outflow from funding these amounts as operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flow as a component of reverse mortgage interests.

The Company is an authorized GNMA HMBS program issuer and servicer. In accordance with GNMA HMBS program guidelines, borrower draws of scheduled payments or line of credit draws, servicing fee and interest accruals and mortgage insurance premium accruals are eligible for HMBS participation securitizations as each of these items increases underlying HECM loan balances. The Company pools and securitizes such eligible items into GNMA HMBS as issuer and servicer. In accordance with the HMBS program, issuers are responsible for purchasing HECM loans out of the HMBS pool when the outstanding principal balance of the related HECM loan is equal or greater than 98% of the maximum claim amount at which point the HECM loans are no longer eligible to remain in the HMBS pool. Upon purchase from the HMBS pool, the Company will assign active HECM loans to FHA or a prior servicer (as applicable and permitted by acquisition agreements) or service inactive HECM loans through foreclosure and liquidation. Based upon the structure of the GNMA HMBS program, the Company has determined that the securitizations of the HECM loans into HMBS pools do not meet all requirements for sale accounting. Accordingly, these transactions are accounted for as secured borrowings.

If the Company has repurchased an inactive HECM loan that cannot be assigned to FHA, the Company may pool and securitize these loans into a private HECM securitization. These securitizations are also recorded as secured borrowings in the consolidated balance sheets. Interest expense on the participating interest financing is accrued monthly based upon the underlying HMBS rates and is recorded to interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations. Both the acquisition and assumption of HECM loans and related GNMA HMBS debt are presented as investing and financing activities, respectively, in the consolidated statements of cash flows. Subsequent proceeds received from securitizations, and subsequent repayments on the securitized debt are presented as financing activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows. Reserves related to recoverability of reverse mortgage interests are discussed below in Reserves for Reverse Mortgage Interests.

As a result of the Merger, the reverse mortgage interest assets were recorded at their estimated fair value as of the acquisition date. Recording the estimated fair value resulted in a premium on the participating interests in HMBS loans and a discount on the unsecuritized interests and other interests securitized within reverse mortgage interests. Subsequently, the premium and the discount will be amortized and accreted, respectively, to other income, based on the effective yield method whereby the Company will update its prepayment assumptions for actual prepayments on a quarterly basis. In addition, the discount will be adjusted as the reverse mortgage interest balances associated with the discount are utilized through recoveries or write-offs.

Mortgage Servicing Rights
The Company recognizes the rights to service mortgage loans for others, or MSRs, whether acquired or as a result of the sale of loans the Company originates with servicing retained, as assets. The Company initially records all MSRs at fair value. MSRs related to reverse mortgages are subsequently recorded at amortized cost. The Company has elected to subsequently measure forward MSRs at fair value.

For MSRs initially recorded and subsequently measured at fair value, the fair value of the MSRs is based upon the present value of the expected future net cash flows related to servicing the underlying loans. The Company determines the fair value of the MSRs by the use of a discounted cash flow model which incorporates prepayment speeds, delinquencies, discount rate, ancillary revenues, float earnings and other assumptions (including costs to service) that management believes are consistent with the assumptions that other similar market participants use in valuing the MSRs. The credit quality and stated interest rates of the forward loans underlying the MSRs affects the assumptions used in the cash flow models. The Company obtains third-party valuations quarterly to assess the reasonableness of the fair value calculated by the cash flow model. The Company receives a base servicing fee annually on the outstanding principal balances of the loans, which is collected from investors.

Additionally, the Company owns servicing rights for certain reverse mortgage loans. For this separate class of servicing rights, the Company initially records a MSR or mortgage servicing liability (“MSL”) on the acquisition date based on the fair value of the future cash flows associated with the pool and whether adequate compensation is to be received for servicing. The Company applies the amortized cost method for subsequent measurement of the loan pools with the capitalized cost of the MSRs amortized in proportion and over the period of the estimated net future servicing income and the MSL accreted ratably over the expected life of the portfolio. The expected period of the estimated net servicing income is based, in part, on the expected prepayment period of the underlying mortgages. The Company adjusts MSR amortization and MSL accretion prospectively in response to changes in estimated projections of future cash flows. Reverse MSRs and MSLs are stratified and evaluated each reporting period for impairment or increased obligation, as applicable, based on predominant risk characteristics of the underlying serviced loans. These stratification characteristics include investor, loan type (fixed or adjustable rate), term and interest rate. Impairment of the MSR or additional obligation associated with the MSL are recorded through a valuation allowance, unless considered other-than-temporary, and are recognized as a charge to general and administrative expense. Amounts amortized or accreted are recognized as an adjustment to service related revenue, net, along with monthly servicing fees received, generally stated at a fixed rate per loan.

MSR Related Liabilities - Nonrecourse
Excess Spread Financing
In conjunction with the acquisition of certain MSRs on various pools of residential mortgage loans (the “Portfolios”), the Company has entered into sale and assignment agreements related to its right to servicing fees, under which the Company sells to third parties the right to receive a portion of the excess cash flow generated from the Portfolios after receipt of a fixed base servicing fee per loan. The agreements consist of two components - current excess spread, or remittance of a percentage of excess spread on currently serviced loans, and future excess spread, or the obligation to transfer currently serviced loans that have been refinanced into current excess spread or a replacement loan of similar economic characteristics into the portfolios. The new or replacement loan will be governed by the same terms set forth in the sale and assignment agreement described above. The sale of these rights is accounted for as secured borrowings, with the total proceeds received being recorded as a component of MSR related liabilities - nonrecourse at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company determines the effective interest rate on these liabilities and allocates total repayments between interest expense and the outstanding liability.

The Company has elected to measure the outstanding financings related to the excess spread financing agreements at fair value with all changes in fair value recorded as a charge or credit to service related revenue, net in the consolidated statements of operations. The fair value on excess spread financing is based on the present value of future expected discounted cash flows with the discount rate approximating current market value.

Mortgage Servicing Rights Financing
The Company has entered into certain transactions with third parties to sell a contractually specified base fee component of certain MSRs and servicer advances under specified terms. The Company evaluates these transactions to determine if they are sales or secured borrowings. When these transfers qualify for sale treatment, the Company derecognizes the transferred assets in its consolidated balance sheets. The Company has determined that for a portion of these transactions, the related MSRs sales are contingent on the receipt of consents from various third parties. Until these required consents are obtained, for accounting purposes, legal ownership of the MSR’s continues to reside with the Company. The Company continues to account for the MSRs in its consolidated balance sheets. In addition, the Company records a mortgage servicing rights financing liability associated with this financing transaction. Counterparty payments related to this financing arrangement are recorded as an adjustment to the Company’s service related revenues.

The Company has elected to measure the mortgage servicing rights financing liabilities at fair value with all changes in fair value recorded as a charge or credit to service related revenue, net, in the consolidated statements of operations. The fair value on mortgage servicing right financings is based on the present value of future expected discounted cash flows with the discount rate approximating current market value for similar financial instruments.

Revenues
ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from the entity's contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The core principle requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. The majority of Company’s revenue-generating transactions are not subject to ASC 606, including revenue generated from financial instruments, such as Company’s loans and derivatives, as well as revenue related to Company’s mortgage servicing activities, as these activities are subject to other GAAP discussed elsewhere within Company’s disclosures. All revenues from Xome fall within the scope of ASC 606. Xome’s operations are comprised of Exchange, Services and Data/Technology, as follows:

Exchange is a national technology-enabled platform that manages and sells residential properties through its Xome.com platform. Revenue-generating activities include commission and buyer’s premium of winning bids on auctioned real estate owned (“REO”) and short sale properties. Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is completed, which is at the closing of real estate transactions and there is transfer of ownership to the buyer.

Services connects the major touch points of the real estate transactions process by providing title, escrow and collateral valuation services for purchase, refinance and default transactions. Major revenue-generating activities include title and escrow services and valuation services. Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is completed, which is when services are rendered to customers.

Data/Technology includes the Company’s software as a service platform which provides integrated technology, media and data solutions to mortgage servicers, originators and multiple listing service (“MLS”) organizations and associations. Revenue-generating activities include software and platform system access and use, system implementation, software maintenance and support, data services and any additional customized enhancement. Revenue is recognized when the performance obligation is completed, which is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the contractual terms. Additionally, any additional fees owed due to usage metrics in excess of the monthly minimum will be recognized each month under the usage-based royalties guidance of ASC 606.

Revenues from Forward Servicing Activities
Service related revenues primarily include contractually specified servicing fees, late charges, prepayment penalties and other ancillary revenues. The servicing fees are based on a contractual percentage of the outstanding principal balance and recognized as revenue as earned, which is generally upon collection of the payments from the borrower. Corresponding loan servicing costs are charged to expense as incurred. The Company recognizes ancillary revenues and earnings on float as they are earned, which is generally upon collection of the payments from the borrower.

In addition, the Company receives various fees in the course of providing servicing on its various portfolios. These fees include modification fees for modifications performed outside of government programs, modification fees for modifications pursuant to various government programs, and incentive fees for servicing performance on specific government-sponsored entities (“GSE”) portfolios. Fees recorded on modifications of mortgage loans serviced by the Company for others are recognized on collection and are recorded as a component of service related revenues. Fees recorded on modifications pursuant to various government programs are recognized based upon completion of all necessary steps by the Company and the minimum loan performance time frame to establish eligibility for the fee. Revenue earned on modifications pursuant to various government programs is included as a component of service related revenues. Incentive fees for servicing performance on specific GSE portfolios are recognized as various incentive standards are achieved and are recorded as a component of service related revenues.

The Company also acts as a subservicer for certain parties that own the underlying servicing rights and receives subservicing fees, which are typically a stated monthly fee per loan that varies based on types of loans. Fees related to the subserviced portfolio are accrued in the period the services are performed.

Revenues from Origination Activities
Loan origination and other loan fees generally represent flat, per-loan fee amounts and are recognized as revenue, net of loan origination costs, at the time the loans are funded.

Revenues from Reverse Mortgage Servicing and Reverse Mortgage Interests
The Company performs servicing of reverse mortgage loans, similar to its forward servicing business, and receives servicing fees from investors, which is recorded in service related revenues. For reverse mortgage interests, where the Company records entire participating interest in HECM loans, the Company accrues interest in accordance with FHA guidelines and records interest income on the consolidated statements of operations.

Net Gain on Mortgage Loans Held for Sale
Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales when control over the assets has been surrendered. Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when (i) the assets have been legally isolated from the Company, (ii) the transferee has the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and (iii) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through either (a) an agreement that entitles and obligates the Company to repurchase or redeem them before their maturity or (b) the ability to unilaterally cause the holder to return specific assets.

Loan securitizations structured as sales, as well as whole loan sales and the resulting gains on such sales, net of any accrual for recourse obligations, are reported in operating results during the period in which the securitization closes or the sale occurs.

Reserves for Origination Activity
The Company provides for reserves, included within payables and accrued liabilities, in connection with loan origination activities. Reserves on loan origination activities primarily include reserves for the repurchase of loans from GSEs, GNMA, and third-party investors primarily due to delinquency or foreclosure and are initially recorded upon sale of the loan to a third party with subsequent reserves recorded based on repurchase demands. The provision for reserves associated with loan origination activities is a component of net gain on mortgage loans held for sale.

The Company utilizes internal models to estimate reserves for loan origination activities based upon its expectation of future defaults and the historical defect rate for government insured loans and is based upon judgments and assumptions which can be influenced by many factors and may change over the life of the underlying loans, including: (i) historical loss rate, (ii) secondary market pricing of loans; (iii) home prices and the levels of home equity; (iv) the quality of Company’s underwriting procedures; (v) borrower delinquency and default patterns; and (vi) other Company-specific and macro-economic factors. On a quarterly basis, management corroborates these assumptions using third-party data, where applicable.

Reserves for Forward Servicing Activity
In connection with forward loan servicing activities, the Company records reserves primarily for the recoverability of advances, interest claims, and mortgage insurance claims. Reserves for advances and other receivables associated with loans in the MSR portfolio are considered within the MSR valuation, and the provision expense for such advances is recorded in the mark-to-market adjustment in service related revenue. Such valuation gives consideration to the expected cash outflows and inflows for advances and other receivables in accordance with the fair value framework. Reserves for advances and other receivables on loans transferred out of the MSR portfolio are established within advances and other receivables, net. As loans serviced transfer out of the MSR portfolio, any negative MSR value associated with the loans transferred is reclassified from the MSR to the reserve within advances and other receivables, net, to the extent such reserves continue to be required for balances remaining on the consolidated balance sheets. Management evaluates reserves for sufficiency each reporting period and any additional reserve requirements are recorded as a provision in general and administrative expense, as needed.

The Company records reserves for advances and other receivables and evaluates the sufficiency of such reserves through internal models considering both historical and expected recovery rates on claims filed with government agencies, government sponsored enterprises, vendors, prior servicer and other counterparties. Key assumptions used in the model include but are not limited to expected recovery rates by loan types and aging of the receivable. Recovery of advances and other receivables is subject to significant judgment and estimates based on the Company’s assessment of its compliance with servicing guidelines, its ability to produce the necessary documentation to support claims, its ability to support amounts from prior servicers and to effectively negotiate settlements, as needed. Management reviews recorded advances and other receivables and upon determination that no further recourse for recovery is available from all means known to management, the recorded balances associated with these receivables are written-off against the reserve.

Reserves for Reverse Mortgage Interests
The Company records a reserve for reverse mortgage interests based on unrecoverable costs and estimates of probable loss exposures. The Company estimates reserve requirements upon the realization of a triggering event indicating a probable loss exposure. Internal models are utilized to estimate loss exposures at the loan level associated with the Company’s ability to meet servicing guidelines set forth by regulatory agencies and GSEs. Key assumptions within the models include but are not limited to expected recovery rates by loan and borrower characteristics, foreclosure timelines, value of underlying collateral, future carrying and foreclosure costs, and other macro-economic factors. If the calculated reserve requirements exceed the recorded allowance for reserves and discounts, a provision is recorded to general and administrative expense, as needed. Releases to reserves are also recorded against provision in general and administrative expenses. Reserve requirements are subject to significant judgment and estimates based on the Company’s assessment of its compliance with servicing guidelines, its ability to produce the necessary documentation to support claims, its ability to support amounts from prior servicers and to effectively negotiate settlements, as needed. Each period, management reviews recorded reverse mortgage interests and upon determination that no further recourse for recovery is available from all means known to management, the recorded balances associated with these receivables are written-off against the reserve at the loan level.

Amounts Due from Prior Servicers
The Company services its loan portfolios under guidelines set forth by regulatory agencies and investor guidelines. Losses can be incurred if the underlying loans are not serviced in accordance with established guidelines, resulting in the assessment of fines and the inability to recover interest and costs incurred. Prior servicers associated with the underlying loans may have contributed to the losses if their prior servicing practices did not allow for timely compliance with servicing guidelines set forth. To mitigate the risk of loss to the Company, indemnification provisions are incorporated into the executed acquisition and servicing agreements that allow for the recovery of realized losses which can be attributed to prior servicers. As part of its servicing operations, the Company estimates and records an asset in advances and other receivables on the consolidated balance sheet for probable recoveries from prior servicers for their respective portion of these losses. Estimated recoveries from prior servicers are based on management’s best estimate of allocated losses among servicing parties, terms of the indemnification provisions, prior recovery experience, current negotiations and the servicer’s ability to pay requested amounts. The Company updates its estimate of recovery each reporting period based on the facts and circumstances known at the time. Recovery of amounts due from prior servicers is subject to significant judgment based on the Company’s assessment of the prior servicer’s responsibility for losses incurred, its ability to provide related support for such amounts and its ability to effectively negotiate settlement of amounts due from prior servicers if needed.

Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net is comprised of land, building, furniture, fixtures, leasehold improvements, computer software, and computer hardware. These assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred which is included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Depreciation, which includes depreciation and amortization on capital leases, is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Cost and accumulated depreciation applicable to assets retired or sold are eliminated from the accounts, and any resulting gains or losses are recognized at such time through a charge or credit to general and administrative expenses. Costs to internally develop computer software are capitalized during the development stage and include external direct costs of materials and services as well as employee costs related to time spent on the project.

The Company periodically reviews its property and equipment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of its property and equipment might not be recoverable under the recoverability test, whereby the expected future undiscounted cash flows from the assets are estimated and compared with the carrying amount of the assets. If the sum of the estimated undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the assets, an impairment loss is recorded to general and administrative expense, as needed. The impairment loss is measured by comparing the fair value of the assets with their carrying amounts. Fair value is determined based on discounted cash flow.

The Company evaluates all leases at inception to determine if they meet the criteria for a capital lease. A capital lease is recorded as an acquisition of property or equipment at an amount equal to the present value of minimum lease payments at the date of inception. Assets acquired under a capital lease are depreciated on a straight-line basis in accordance with the Company’s normal depreciation policy over the lease term and are included in property and equipment, net, on the consolidated balance sheets. A corresponding liability is recorded representing an obligation to make lease payments which is included in payables and accrued liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. Lease payments are allocated between interest expense and reduction of obligation.

Leases that do not meet the capital lease criteria are accounted for as operating leases. Rental expense on operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term which is included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease terms of the respective leases or the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

Variable Interest Entities
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into various types of on- and off-balance sheet transactions with special purpose entities (“SPEs”), which primarily consist of securitization trusts established for a limited purpose. Generally, these SPEs are formed for the purpose of securitization transactions in which the Company transfers assets to an SPE, which then issues to investors various forms of debt obligations supported by those assets. In these securitization transactions, the Company typically receives cash and/or other interests in the SPE as proceeds for the transferred assets. The Company will typically retain the right to service the transferred receivables and to repurchase the transferred receivables from the SPE if the outstanding balance of the receivables falls to a level where the cost exceeds the benefits of servicing the transferred receivables.

The Company evaluates its interests in each SPE for classification as a Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”). When an SPE meets the definition of a VIE and the Company determines that the Company is the primary beneficiary, the Company includes the SPE in its consolidated financial statements.
 
The Company consolidates SPEs connected with both forward and reverse mortgage activities. See Note 13, Securitizations and Financings for more information on Company SPEs and Note 11, Indebtedness for certain debt activity connected with SPEs.

Securitizations and Asset-Backed Financing Arrangements
The Company and its subsidiaries have been a transferor in connection with a number of securitizations and asset-backed financing arrangements. The Company has continuing involvement with the financial assets of the securitizations and the asset-backed financing arrangements. The Company has aggregated these transactions into two groups: (1) securitizations of residential mortgage loans accounted for as sales and (2) financings of advances on loans serviced for others accounted for as secured borrowings.
 
Securitizations Treated as Sales
The Company’s continuing involvement typically includes acting as servicer for the mortgage loans held by the trust and holding beneficial interests in the trust. The Company’s responsibilities as servicer include, among other things, collecting monthly payments, maintaining escrow accounts, providing periodic reports and managing insurance in exchange for a contractually specified servicing fee. The beneficial interests held consist of both subordinate and residual securities that were retained at the time of securitization. These securitizations generally do not result in consolidation of the VIE as the beneficial interests that are held in the unconsolidated securitization trusts have no value and no potential for significant cash flows in the future. In addition, at December 31, 2018, the Company had no other significant assets in its consolidated financial statements related to these trusts. The Company has no obligation to provide financial support to unconsolidated securitization trusts and has provided no such support. The creditors of the trusts can look only to the assets of the trusts themselves for satisfaction of the debt issued by the trusts and have no recourse against the assets of the Company. The general creditors of the Company have no claim on the assets of the trusts. The Company’s exposure to loss as a result of its continuing involvement with the trusts is limited to the carrying values, if any, of its investments in the residual and subordinate securities of the trusts, the MSRs that are related to the trusts and the advances to the trusts. The Company considers the probability of loss arising from its advances to be remote because of their position ahead of most of the other liabilities of the trusts. See Note 5, Advances and Other Receivables, Net and Note 4, Mortgage Servicing Rights and Related Liabilities, for additional information regarding advances and MSRs.
 
Financings
The Company transfers advances on loans serviced for others to SPEs in exchange for cash. The Company consolidates these SPEs because the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE.
 
These VIEs issue debt supported by collections on the transferred advances. The Company made these transfers under the terms of its advance facility agreements. The Company classifies the transferred advances on its consolidated balance sheets as advances and classifies the related liabilities as advance facilities and other nonrecourse debt. The SPEs use collections of the pledged advances to repay principal and interest and to pay the expenses of the entity. Holders of the debt issued by these entities can look only to the assets of the entities themselves for satisfaction of the debt and have no recourse against the Company.

Financings include the HMBS and private securitization trusts as previously discussed.

Derivative Financial Instruments
Derivative instruments are used as part of the overall strategy to manage exposure to market risks primarily associated with fluctuations in interest rates related to originations. The Company recognizes all derivatives on its consolidated balance sheets at fair value on a recurring basis. The Company treats all of its derivative instruments as economic hedges, therefore none of its derivative instruments are designated as accounting hedges.

Derivative instruments utilized by the Company primarily include interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”), loan purchase commitments (“LPCs”), forward Mortgage Backed Securities (“MBS”) purchase commitments, Eurodollar futures, Treasury futures, interest rate swap agreements and interest rate caps.

IRLCs represent an agreement to extend credit to a mortgage loan applicant, or an agreement to purchase a loan from a third-party originator, whereby the interest rate on the loan is set prior to funding. The fair values of mortgage loans held for sale, which are held in inventory awaiting sale into the secondary market, and interest rate lock commitments, are subject to changes in mortgage interest rates from the date of the commitment through the sale of the loan into the secondary market. As a result, the Company is exposed to interest rate risk during the period from the date of the lock commitment through (i) the lock commitment cancellation or expiration date; or (ii) the date of sale into the secondary mortgage market. IRLCs are considered freestanding derivatives and are recorded at fair value at inception. Loan commitments generally range between 30 and 90 days; and the Company typically sells mortgage loans within 30 days of origination. Changes in fair value subsequent to inception are based on changes in the fair value of the underlying loan, and changes in the probability that the loan will fund within the terms of the commitment. Any changes in fair value are recorded in earnings as a component of net gain on mortgage loans held for sale.

The Company uses other derivative financial instruments, primarily forward sales commitments, to manage exposure to interest rate risk and changes in the fair value of IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale. These commitments are recorded at fair value based on the dealer’s market. The forward sales commitments fix the forward sales price that will be realized in the secondary market and thereby reduce the interest rate and price risk to the Company. The Company’s expectation of the amount of its interest rate lock commitments that will ultimately close is a key factor in determining the notional amount of derivatives used in economically hedging the position. The Company may also enter into commitments to purchase MBS as part of its overall hedging strategy. The estimated fair values of forward MBS are based on the exchange prices. The changes in value on the forward sales commitments and forward sales of MBS are recorded as a charge or credit to net gain on mortgage loans held for sale.

The Company also purchases interest rate swaps, Eurodollar futures and Treasury futures to mitigate exposure to interest rate risk related to cash flows on securitized mortgage borrowings.

Intangible Assets
Intangible assets primarily consist of trade name, customer relationships and technology acquired through the acquisition of Nationstar and the acquisition of Assurant Mortgage Solutions (“AMS”). Those intangible assets are deemed to have finite useful lives and are amortized either on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives (trade name, technology and internally developed software), or on a basis more representative of the time pattern over which the benefit is derived (customer relationships).

Intangible assets with finite useful lives are tested for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. If the carrying value of the asset cannot be recovered from estimated future undiscounted cash flows, the fair value of the asset is calculated using the present value of net future cash flows. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment is recorded.

Goodwill
Goodwill is initially recorded as the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination and is subsequently evaluated for impairment at least annually or when events or circumstances make it more likely than not that an impairment may have occurred. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level, equivalent to a business segment or one level below. The Company has determined that each of its operating segments (the Servicing, Originations and Xome segments) represents a reporting unit, resulting in three total reporting units.

The Company early adopted ASU 2017-04 in the fourth quarter of 2018. The Company performs its annual goodwill impairment test as of October 1 and monitors for interim triggering events on an ongoing basis. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment utilizing either a qualitative assessment or a quantitative goodwill impairment test. If the Company chooses to perform a qualitative assessment and determines the fair value more likely than not exceeds the carrying value, no further evaluation is necessary.  For reporting units where the Company performs the quantitative goodwill impairment test, the Company compares the fair value of each reporting unit, which the Company primarily determines using an income approach based on the present value of discounted cash flows, to the respective carrying value, which includes goodwill.  If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, the goodwill is not considered impaired.  If the carrying value is higher than the fair value, the difference would be recognized as an impairment loss.

Loans Subject to Repurchase Rights from Ginnie Mae
For certain forward loans sold to GNMA, the Company as the issuer has the unilateral right to repurchase, without GNMA’s prior authorization, any individual loan in a GNMA securitization pool if that loan meets certain criteria, including being delinquent greater than 90 days. Once the Company has the unilateral right to repurchase a delinquent loan, the Company has effectively regained control over the loan, and under GAAP, must recognize the right to the loan in its consolidated balance sheets and establish a corresponding repurchase liability regardless of the Company’s intention to repurchase the loan. The Company recognizes the right to purchase these mortgage loans in other assets at their unpaid principal balances and records a corresponding liability in payables and accrued liability for mortgage loans eligible for repurchase in its consolidated balance sheets.

Interest Income
Interest income is recognized on loans held for sale for the period from loan funding to sale, which is typically within 30 days. Loans are placed on non-accrual status when any portion of the principal or interest is 90 days past due. Loans return to accrual status when the principal and interest become current and it is probable that the amounts are fully collectible. For individual loans that have been modified, a period of six timely payments is required before the loan is returned to an accrual basis.

Interest income also includes interest earned on custodial cash deposits associated with the mortgage loans serviced, and interest earned on reverse mortgage interests. Reverse mortgage interests accrue interest income in accordance with FHA guidelines.

Share-Based Compensation
Share-based compensation is measured at the grant date, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the requisite employee service period (generally the vesting period of the grant) on a straight-line basis in salaries, wages and benefits within the consolidated statements of operations.

Advertising Costs
Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and are included as part of general and administrative expenses. The Company incurred advertising costs of $17 for the five months ended December 31, 2018. The Predecessor incurred advertising costs of $33 for the seven months ended July 31, 2018, and $57 and $58 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Income Taxes
The Company is subject to the income tax laws of the U.S., its states and municipalities. These tax laws are complex and subject to different interpretations by the taxpayer and the relevant governmental taxing authorities.

Deferred income taxes are determined using the balance sheet method. Deferred taxes are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates that will apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized as income or expense in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company regularly reviews the carrying amount of its deferred tax assets to determine if the establishment of a valuation allowance is necessary. If based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the Company’s deferred tax assets will not be realized in future periods, a deferred tax valuation allowance is established. Consideration is given to various positive and negative factors that could affect the realization of the deferred tax assets. In evaluating this available evidence, management considers, among other things, historical financial performance, expectation of future earnings, length of statutory carryforward periods, experience with operating tax loss and tax credit carryforwards which may expire unused, tax planning strategies and timing of reversals of temporary differences. The Company’s evaluation is based on current tax laws as well as management’s expectations of future performance.

The Company initially recognizes tax positions in the consolidated financial statements when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities. Such tax positions are initially and subsequently measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the tax authority assuming full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts. In establishing a provision for income tax expense, the Company makes judgments and interpretations about the application of these inherently complex tax laws within the framework of existing GAAP. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of provision for income taxes.

Earnings Per Share
The Company computes earnings per share using the two-class method, which is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for common stock and any participating securities according to dividends declared (whether paid or unpaid) and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The Series A Preferred Stock is considered participating securities because it has dividend rights determined on an as-converted basis in the event of Company’s declaration of a dividend or distribution for common shares.

Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income per common share is computed by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the sum of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and any dilutive securities for the period.