(j) Finance and operating leases:
The determination of whether an arrangement is a lease, or it contains a lease, is based on the substance of the arrangement and requires an assessment of whether the fulfillment of the arrangement is dependent on the use of a specific asset or assets and the arrangement conveys a right to use the asset.
The Bank acting as lessor
Assets leased to customers under agreements which transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership, with or without ultimate legal title, are classified as finance leases. When assets held are subject to a finance lease, the leased assets are derecognized and a receivable is recognized which is equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments, discounted at the interest rate implicit in the lease. Initial direct costs incurred in negotiating and arranging a finance lease are incorporated into the receivable through the discount rate applied to the lease. Finance lease income is recognized over the lease term based on a pattern reflecting a constant periodic rate of return on the net investment in the finance lease.
Assets leased to customers under agreements which do not transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as operating leases. The leased assets are included within premises and equipment on the Group’s balance sheet and depreciation is provided on the depreciable amount of these assets on a systematic basis over their estimated useful economic lives. Rental income is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease. Initial direct costs incurred in negotiating and arranging an operating lease are added to the carrying amount of the leased asset and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
The Bank acting as lessee
Assets held under finance leases are initially recognized on the balance sheet at an amount equal to the fair value of the leased property or, if lower, the present value of the minimum lease payments. The corresponding liability to the lessor is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. The discount rate used in calculating the present value of the minimum lease payments is either the interest rate implicit in the lease, if it is practicable to determine, or the incremental borrowing rate. Contingent rentals are recognized as expense in the periods in which they are incurred. As of December 31, 2016 and 2017, the Bank and its subsidiaries have not signed contracts of this nature.
Operating leases payable are recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, which commences when the lessee controls the physical use of the property. Lease incentives are treated as a reduction of rental expense and are also recognized over the lease term on a straight-line basis. Contingent rentals arising under operating leases are recognized as an expense in the period in which they are incurred.