GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
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Mar. 31, 2014
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GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS |
4. GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Goodwill. Goodwill represents the cost in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis and on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. We perform our annual goodwill impairment tests as of September 30. Changes in the amount of goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2014, are as follows:
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets. Indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of indefinite-lived reacquired rights representing the value of rights which we had granted to various affiliate credit reporting agencies that were reacquired in the U.S. and Canada. At the time we acquired these agreements, they were considered perpetual in nature under the accounting guidance in place at that time and, therefore, the useful lives are considered indefinite. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized. We are required to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually and whenever events or circumstances indicate that there may be an impairment of the asset value. We perform our annual indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test as of September 30. Our indefinite-lived intangible asset carrying amounts did not change materially during the three months ended March 31, 2014. Purchased Intangible Assets. Purchased intangible assets represent the estimated acquisition date fair value of acquired intangible assets used in our business. Purchased data files represent the estimated acquisition date fair value of consumer credit files acquired primarily through the purchase of independent credit reporting agencies in the U.S. and Canada. We expense the cost of modifying and updating credit files in the period such costs are incurred. Our reacquired rights represent the value of rights which we had granted to Computer Sciences Corporation that were reacquired in connection with the acquisition of CSC Credit Services in the fourth quarter of 2012 based on accounting guidance in place at that time. These reacquired rights are being amortized over the remaining term of the affiliation agreement on a straight-line basis from December 28, 2012 to August 1, 2018. We amortize all of our purchased intangible assets on a straight-line basis. For additional information about the useful lives related to our purchased intangible assets, see Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2013 Form 10-K. Purchased intangible assets at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 consisted of the following:
Amortization expense from continuing operations related to purchased intangible assets was $32.7 million and $30.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. |