When are assets transferred without variance power recognized as liabilities by the recipient organization?

Assets transferred without variance power are recognized as liabilities by the recipient organization when there is no authority to redirect. This situation typically arises in cases of fiduciary responsibility, where the recipient holds the assets for the benefit of another party and cannot use them for their own purposes.

In this context, variance power refers to the ability of the entity in receipt of the assets to redirect the funds or assets for purposes other than those specified by the donor. When there is no variance power, the organization is essentially acting as a custodian and is obligated to return the assets or use them in accordance with the donor's instructions. Therefore, until the recipient organization meets its obligation to the party entitled to benefit from those assets, it must recognize a liability on its balance sheet.

This recognition reflects the nature of the transaction, establishing accountability and reflecting the recipient organization’s obligation to act in accordance with the stipulations set forth by the transferor or donor, thus ensuring accurate representation of its financial position.

The timing of recognition is critical — as long as the organization lacks the authority to redirect the use of the assets as it sees fit, it retains a liability to fulfill the original purpose of those assets, which is why the absence of variance power is the determining factor for recognition as