2. Summary of significant accounting policies:

Basis of presentation:

The accompanying balance sheets as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, and the related statements of income, changes in partners’ capital, and cash flows for the years then ended, have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no significant effect on the reported financial position or results from operations.

Footnote and tabular amounts are presented in thousands, except as to Units and per Unit data.

In preparing the accompanying financial statements, the Partnership has reviewed, as determined necessary by the General Partner, events that have occurred after December 31, 2011, up until the issuance of the financial statements. No events were noted which would require disclosure in the footnotes to the financial statements.

Use of estimates:

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Such estimates primarily relate to the determination of residual values at the end of the lease term and expected future cash flows used for impairment analysis purposes and determination of the allowance for doubtful accounts.

Cash and cash equivalents:

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in banks and cash equivalent investments such as U.S. Treasury instruments with original and/or purchased maturities of ninety days or less.

Credit risk:

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Partnership to concentrations of credit risk include cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Partnership places the majority of its cash deposits in noninterest-bearing transaction accounts which are fully insured, without limit, through December 31, 2012 under the Dodd-Frank amendment to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. This unlimited coverage is separate from, and in addition to, the coverage provided to depositors with other accounts held at a depository institution insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The remainder of the Funds’ cash is temporarily invested in U.S. Treasury denominated instruments. The concentration of such deposits and temporary cash investments is not deemed to create a significant risk to the Partnership. Accounts receivable represent amounts due from lessees in various industries related to equipment on operating or direct financing leases.

Accounts receivable:

Accounts receivable represent the amounts billed under operating and direct financing lease contracts which are currently due to the Partnership. Allowances for doubtful accounts are typically established based on historical charge-off and collection experience and the collectability of specifically identified lessees and invoiced amounts. Accounts receivable deemed uncollectible are charged-off on a specific identification basis by AFS. Amounts recovered that were previously written-off are recorded as other income in the period received.

Equipment subject to operating leases is stated at cost. Depreciation is recognized on a straight-line method over the terms of the related leases to the equipment’s estimated residual values. Maintenance costs associated with the Fund’s portfolio of leased assets are expensed as incurred. Major additions and betterments are capitalized.

Operating lease revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the underlying leases. The initial lease terms vary as to the type of equipment subject to the leases, the needs of the lessees and the terms negotiated, but initial leases were generally from 36 to 120 months. The difference between rent received and rental revenue recognized is recorded as unearned operating lease income on the balance sheet.

Operating leases are generally placed in a non-accrual status (i.e., no revenue is recognized) when payments are more than 90 days past due. Additionally, management considers the equipment underlying the lease contracts for impairment and periodically reviews the credit worthiness of all operating lessees with payments outstanding less than 90 days. Based upon management’s judgment, the related operating leases may be placed on non-accrual status. Leases placed on non-accrual status are only returned to an accrual status when the account has been brought current and management believes recovery of the remaining unpaid lease payments is probable. Until such time, revenues are recognized on a cash basis.

The Partnership earns revenues from certain lease assets based on utilization of such assets. Such contingent rentals and the associated expenses are recorded when earned and/or incurred.

Income from direct financing lease transactions is reported using the financing method of accounting, in which the Partnership’s investment in the leased property is reported as a receivable from the lessee to be recovered through future rentals. The income portion of each rental payment is calculated so as to generate a constant rate of return on the net receivable outstanding.

Allowances for losses on direct financing leases are typically established based on historical charge-off and collection experience and the collectability of specifically identified lessees and billed and unbilled receivables. Direct financing leases are written-off as they are deemed uncollectible.

Direct financing leases are generally placed in a non-accrual status (i.e., no revenue is recognized) and deemed impaired when payments are more than 90 days past due. Additionally, management periodically reviews the creditworthiness of all direct finance lessees with payments outstanding less than 90 days. Based upon management’s judgment, the related direct financing leases may be placed on non-accrual status. Leases placed on non-accrual status are only returned to an accrual status when the account has been brought current and management believes recovery of the remaining unpaid lease payments is probable. Until such time, all payments received are applied only against outstanding principal balances.

Asset valuation:

Recorded values of the Partnership’s asset portfolio are periodically reviewed for impairment. An impairment loss is measured and recognized only if the estimated undiscounted future cash flows of the asset are less than their net book value. The estimated undiscounted future cash flows are the sum of the estimated residual value of the asset at the end of the asset’s expected holding period and estimates of undiscounted future rents. The residual value assumes, among other things, that the asset is utilized normally in an open, unrestricted and stable market. Short-term fluctuations in the market place are disregarded and it is assumed that there is no necessity either to dispose of a significant number of the assets, if held in quantity, simultaneously or to dispose of the asset quickly. Impairment is measured as the difference between the fair value (as determined by a valuation method using discounted estimated future cash flows, third party appraisals or comparable sales of similar assets as applicable based on asset type) of the assets and its carrying value on the measurement date.

Segment reporting:

The Partnership is not organized by multiple operating segments for the purpose of making operating decisions or assessing performance. Accordingly, the Partnership operates in one reportable operating segment in the United States.

The Partnership’s principal decision makers are the General Partner’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. The Partnership believes that its equipment leasing business operates as one reportable segment because: a) the Partnership measures profit and loss at the equipment portfolio level as a whole; b) the principal decision makers do not review information based on any operating segment other than the equipment leasing transaction portfolio; c) the Partnership does not maintain discrete financial information on any specific segment other than its equipment financing operations; d) the Partnership has not chosen to organize its business around different products and services other than equipment lease financing; and e) the Partnership has not chosen to organize its business around geographic areas.

However, certain of the Partnership’s lessee customers may have international operations. In these instances, the Partnership is aware that certain equipment, primarily rail and transportation, may periodically exit the country. However, these lessee customers are US-based, and it is impractical for the Partnership to track, on an asset-by-asset, day-by-day basis, where these assets are deployed.

The primary geographic regions in which the Partnership sought leasing opportunities were North America and Europe. Currently, 100% of the Partnership’s operating revenues are from customers domiciled in North America.

Unearned operating lease income:

The Partnership records prepayments on operating leases as a liability, unearned operating lease income. The liability is recorded when the prepayments are received and recognized as operating lease revenue ratably over the period to which the prepayments relate.

Income taxes:

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 701 of the Internal Revenue Code, a partnership is not subject to federal income taxes. All income and losses of the Partnership are the liability of the individual partners and are allocated to the partners for inclusion in their individual tax returns. Accordingly, the Partnership has provided current income and franchise taxes for only those states which levy taxes on partnerships. Interest and penalties on such taxes are considered to be insignificant. For the year ended December 31, 2010, the Partnership recorded an income and franchise tax benefit of $10 thousand. Such benefit was utilized during 2011 to offset related income and franchise taxes. The net tax expense recorded for the year ended December 31, 2011 was $3 thousand. The Partnership does not have any entity level uncertain tax positions. The Partnership files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions and is generally subject to examination by U.S. federal (or state and local) income tax authorities for three years from the filing of a tax return.

The tax bases of the Partnership’s net assets and liabilities vary from the amounts presented in these financial statements as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 as follows (in thousands):


	2011			2010
Financial statement basis of net assets	$	3,845		$	4,829
Tax basis of net assets (unaudited)		13,369			13,586
Difference (unaudited)	$	(9,524	)	$	(8,757	)

The primary differences between the tax bases of net assets and the amounts recorded in the financial statements are the result of differences in accounting for impairment losses, syndication costs and differences between the depreciation methods used in the financial statements and the Partnership’s tax returns.

The following reconciles the net income reported in these financial statements to the income reported on the Partnership’s federal tax return (unaudited) for each of the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 (in thousands):


	2011			2010
Net income per financial statements	$	717		$	473
Tax adjustments (unaudited):
Adjustment to depreciation expense		682			892
Provision for losses and doubtful accounts		—			—
Adjustments to gain on sales of assets		113			225
Adjustments to revenues and other items		(27	)		(88	)
Income per federal tax return (unaudited)	$	1,485		$	1,502

Per unit data:

Net income and distributions per unit are based upon the weighted average number of units outstanding during the year.

Recent accounting pronouncements:

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-02, “A Creditor’s Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring.” ASU 2011-02 clarifies guidance on a creditor’s evaluation of whether it has granted a concession to a borrower and a creditor’s evaluation of whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendments in this update are effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and should be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. As a result of applying these amendments, an entity may identify receivables that are newly considered impaired. For purposes of measuring impairment of those receivables, an entity should apply the amendments prospectively for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011. In addition, an entity should disclose the information required by Accounting Standards Codification paragraphs 310-10-50-33 through 50-34, which was deferred by ASU 2011-01, for interim and annual periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011. The amendments in this update were adopted by the Partnership on July 1, 2011, and for purposes of measuring impairment, were applied retrospectively to January 1, 2011. The Partnership evaluated the guidance included in 2011-02 and has determined that it does not result in any new troubled debt restructurings that should be reported.

In January 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-01, “Deferral of the Effective Date of Disclosures about Troubled Debt Restructurings in Update No. 2010-20.” ASU 2011-01 temporarily delays the effective date of the disclosures about troubled debt restructurings in Update 2010-20 for public entities. The delay is intended to allow the Board time to complete its deliberations on what constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. The effective date of the new disclosures about troubled debt restructurings for public entities and the guidance for determining what constitutes a troubled debt restructuring will then be coordinated. The guidance became effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and was applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The adoption of this update did not have a material effect on the Partnership’s financial position or results of operations.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity.

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ATEL CASH DISTRIBUTION FUND VI LP 10-K