1. Basis of presentation

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

In accordance with ASC 350, management evaluates the recoverability of goodwill by comparing the carrying value of the Company’s reporting units to their fair value. Fair value is determined using accepted valuation methods, including the use of discounted cash flows supplemented by market-based assessments of fair value. As a result of the significant decline in equity market valuations that occurred during the period between our acquisition of ICG in January 2020 and March 31, 2020, we determined that an event-driven goodwill impairment test was appropriate for the ICG goodwill, which resulted in an impairment totaling $20.2 million in the first quarter of 2020. This impairment was not the result of any unique factors specific to ICG's operations but, rather, reflected the broad-based declines in the market capitalizations of publicly-traded construction companies in the short period of time between the acquisition and the March 31, 2020 valuation date.

We recorded severance expense of $10.3 million during the three months ended June 30, 2020 as we took actions to reduce overhead expenses in response to lower demand in March through May resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are exposed to credit losses primarily through our vendors and insurance carriers. We assess and monitor each counterparty’s ability to pay amounts owed by considering contractual terms and conditions, the counterparty’s financial condition, macroeconomic factors, and business strategy.

On January 1, 2020, we adopted ASC 326, which changed the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments from an "incurred loss" approach to a new "expected credit loss" methodology. We adopted ASC 326 using the modified retrospective transition method. The amendment requires entities to consider a broader range of information to estimate expected credit losses, which may result in earlier recognition of losses. Our adoption of ASC 326 resulted in a $0.7 million decrease to retained earnings as of January 1, 2020.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Accounting for Goodwill Impairment", which removed the requirement to perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. Under the new standard, goodwill impairment is determined by evaluating the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. We adopted the standard for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2020, and the standard was followed in the previously mentioned assessment of the ICG goodwill.

2. Inventory

We enter into land option agreements in order to procure land for the construction of homes in the future. Pursuant to these land option agreements, we generally provide a deposit to the seller as consideration for the right to purchase land at different times in the future, usually at predetermined prices. Such contracts enable us to defer acquiring portions of properties owned by third parties or unconsolidated entities until we have determined whether and when to exercise our option, which reduces our financial risks associated with long-term land holdings. Option deposits and pre-acquisition costs (such as environmental testing, surveys, engineering, and entitlement costs) are capitalized if the costs are directly identifiable with the land under option, the costs would be capitalized if we owned the land, and acquisition of the property is probable. Such costs are reflected in other assets and are reclassified to inventory upon taking title to the land. We write off deposits and pre-acquisition costs when it becomes probable that we will not go forward with the project or recover the capitalized costs. Such decisions take into consideration changes in local market conditions, the timing of required land purchases, the availability and best use of necessary incremental capital, and other factors. We record any such write-offs of deposits and pre-acquisition costs within other expense, net.

If an entity holding the land under option is a variable interest entity ("VIE"), our deposit represents a variable interest in that entity. No VIEs required consolidation at either JuneSeptember 30, 2020 or December 31, 2019 because we determined that we were not the VIEs' primary beneficiary. Our maximum exposure to loss related to these VIEs is generally limited to our deposits and pre-acquisition costs under the land option agreements.

We recorded the following land-related charges ($000's omitted):

Our evaluations for land impairments, NRV adjustments, and write-offs of deposits and pre-acquisition costs are based on our best estimates of the future cash flows of our communities. Due to uncertainties in the estimation process, the significant volatility in demand for new housing, the long life cycles of certain of our communities, and potential changes in our strategy related to certain communities, actual results could differ significantly from such estimates.

3. Segment information

Our Homebuilding operations are engaged in the acquisition and development of land primarily for residential purposes within the U.S. and the construction of housing on such land. For reporting purposes, our Homebuilding operations are aggregated into 6 reportable segments: