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Startup Accounting

Lease Accounting Under ASC 842

Written by Nirmala Murugesan

Curated by Rubric Financial

Last updated

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What Changed Under ASC 842

  • ASC 842 requires most leases longer than twelve months to appear on the balance sheet.
  • Under prior rules, operating leases like office space were often disclosed only in the footnotes.
  • The standard applies to real estate, servers, vehicles, and equipment leases that convey a right to use an asset.
  • The goal is to give financial statement users a clearer view of a company's lease obligations.

About the author

Nirmala MurugesanCA, CPA

Partner, Accounting

CA and CPA with 20+ years across U.S. GAAP, IFRS, and cross-border entity accounting. Leads accounting and controllership at StartupCFO: clean close, audit-ready books, and multi-entity structures for venture-backed startups.

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