ASC 360: A Framework for Impairment Accounting at Utilities & Cooperatives
Learn how to identify asset impairment triggers, apply the correct measurement methods under ASC 360, record the accounting entries, and use ASC 980 to recover impairment losses through customer rates.
- 14 lessons · self-paced video
- Downloadable PDF & Excel materials
- Real-life impairment examples & journal entries
- Review questions in each module
- NASBA-compliant final exam (5 questions)
- Certificate of completion (1.00 CPE)
Know How to Handle Asset Impairments Before They Happen
Asset impairments can arise from many directions — storm damage, technology changes, regulatory decisions, construction abandonments, or simply assets that no longer serve their intended purpose. For private-sector utilities and electric cooperatives, ASC 360 is the standard that governs how those impairments are identified, measured, and recorded.
This course provides a practical working knowledge of ASC 360, including how to identify impairment indicators, select the correct measurement method based on whether the asset will continue in service or be removed, calculate the impairment loss, prepare the journal entries, and present the impact in the financial statements.
Importantly, the course also covers how ASC 980 regulatory accounting can be used to defer impairment losses and recover them through customer rates — a connection that is financially significant for rate-regulated utilities and cooperatives.
- Private-sector utility and electric cooperative accountants
- Controllers and CFOs managing plant write-downs and retirements
- Finance staff involved in rate recovery of impairment losses
- Auditors reviewing utility impairment evaluations and disclosures
- Consultants advising on ASC 360 and ASC 980 application
Russ Hissom, CPA
Russ Hissom, CPA is a principal of UtilityEducation.com, providing on-demand professional education in FERC, RUS, FASB, and GASB accounting, finance, and ratemaking for electric utilities and cooperatives. With over 35 years of hands-on industry experience, he brings real-world expertise to a modern learning platform trusted by more than 1,000 professionals.
What You'll Be Able to Do After This Course
Inside the Course
Course orientation, learning objectives, and an introduction to the impairment accounting framework.
- 1. Impairment Accounting Using ASC 360 Free Preview
- Lesson Menu / Index
- 2. Course Overview
- 3. Learning Objectives
- 4. Course Materials Download
Identify the real-world events and conditions that trigger an impairment evaluation — and understand the ASC 360 background and rules that apply.
- 5. Factors That Drive Impairments
- 6. The Background and Rules for Using ASC 360
Calculate and record impairment losses, set up regulatory assets for rate recovery under ASC 980, and present the impact correctly in the financial statements.
- 7. Calculating, Recording Impairments & Regulatory Assets for Rate Recovery
- 8. Review Questions — Part 1
- 9. How an Impairment Is Shown in the Financial Statements
- 10. Review Questions — Part 2
Review key takeaways and pass the final exam to earn your 1.00 CPE certificate.
- 11. Course Wrap-Up
- 12. Course Evaluation
- 13. Final Exam
Trusted by Over 1,000 Utility Professionals
"We had a coal plant retirement coming and I needed to understand ASC 360 quickly. This course gave me the framework to evaluate the impairment and prepare the journal entries with confidence."
"The examples of real impairment triggers — storm damage, technology changes, regulatory decisions — made the abstract standard feel immediately practical."
"The section on assets that are or are not going to be used in the future was exactly the nuance I needed. The measurement methods are clearly explained."
"I appreciated how the course connects ASC 360 to ASC 980 for rate recovery. Understanding how impairment losses can be deferred in a regulatory environment changed how I think about these transactions."
"The financial statement presentation section tied everything together. Knowing what goes where and how to disclose it is just as important as the accounting entries."
"Very well organized. The journal entry walkthroughs are something I've bookmarked and return to regularly when we have unusual asset situations."
Frequently Asked Questions
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Take Care of Impairments the Right Way
Build a practical working knowledge of ASC 360 impairment accounting — and understand how to recover those losses through customer rates. Earn 1.00 NASBA CPE credit.
Utility Accounting and Rates Specialists, LLC is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: NASBAregistry.org.
Requests for refunds must be made in writing within 30 days of purchasing the course. No refunds will be granted after the qualified assessment has been completed. For any concerns, please contact us at 608-628-4020 or at russ.hissom@utilityeducation.com.
Course materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute legal, accounting, or professional advice. © 2026 Utility Accounting & Rates Specialists, LLC. All rights reserved.