Verizon Communications (VZ)

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value of financial and non-financial assets and liabilities is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The three-tier hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value, which prioritizes the inputs used in the methodologies of measuring fair value for assets and liabilities, is as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities

Level 3 - No observable pricing inputs in the market

Financial assets and financial liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurements requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of the assets and liabilities being measured and their placement within the fair value hierarchy.

See Note 10 for further details on our fair value measurements.

Fair Value Measurements

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157). SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and establishes a hierarchy that categorizes and prioritizes the sources to be used to estimate fair value. SFAS No. 157 also expands financial statement disclosures about fair value measurements. Under SFAS No. 157, fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. SFAS No. 157 also establishes a three-tier hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities

Level 3 - No observable pricing inputs in the market

Financial assets and financial liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurements requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of the assets and liabilities being measured and their placement within the fair value hierarchy.

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On February 12, 2008, FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157 (FSP 157-2), which delays the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. We elected a partial deferral of SFAS No. 157 under the provisions of FSP 157-2 related to the measurement of fair value used when evaluating goodwill, other intangible assets, wireless licenses and other long-lived assets for impairment and valuing asset retirement obligations and liabilities for exit or disposal activities. On October 10, 2008, the FASB issued FSP 157-3, Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active, (FSP 157-3), which clarifies application of SFAS No. 157 in a market that is not active. FSP 157-3 was effective upon issuance, including prior periods for which financial statements have not been issued. The impact of partially adopting SFAS No. 157 on January 1, 2008 and the related FSPs 157-2 and 157-3 was not material to our financial statements.

SFAS No. 159

SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities - Including an Amendment of SFAS No. 115 (SFAS No. 159), permits but does not require us to measure financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. As we did not elect to fair value any of our financial instruments under the provisions of SFAS No. 159, our adoption of this statement effective January 1, 2008 did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157). SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and establishes a hierarchy that categorizes and prioritizes the sources to be used to estimate fair value. SFAS No. 157 also expands financial statement disclosures about fair value measurements. Under SFAS No. 157, fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. SFAS 157 also establishes a three-tier hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities

Level 3 - No observable pricing inputs in the market

Financial assets and financial liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurements requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of the assets and liabilities being measured and their placement within the fair value hierarchy.

On February 12, 2008, FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157 (FSP 157-2), which delays the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. We elected a partial deferral of SFAS No. 157 under the provisions of FSP 157-2 related to the measurement of fair value used when evaluating goodwill, other intangible assets, wireless licenses and other long-lived assets for impairment and valuing asset retirement obligations and liabilities for exit or disposal activities. On October 10, 2008, the FASB issued FSP 157-3, Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active, (FSP 157-3), which clarifies application of SFAS No. 157 in a market that is not active. FSP 157-3 was effective upon issuance, including prior periods for which financial statements have not been issued. The impact of partially adopting SFAS No. 157 on January 1, 2008 and the related FSPs 157-2 and 157-3 was not material to our financial statements.

SFAS No. 159

SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities – Including an Amendment of SFAS No. 115 (SFAS No. 159), permits but does not require us to measure financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. As we did not elect to fair value any of our financial instruments under the provisions of SFAS No. 159, our adoption of this statement effective January 1, 2008 did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements

SIZE="2">In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157). SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and establishes a hierarchy that categorizes and
prioritizes the sources to be used to estimate fair value. SFAS No. 157 also expands financial statement disclosures about fair value measurements. Under SFAS No. 157, fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that
would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. SFAS 157 also establishes a three-tier hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value, which prioritizes the inputs used in
the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities

Fair Value Measurements

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities—Including an Amendment of SFAS 115 (SFAS No. 159), which permits but does not require us to measure financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. This statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. As we will not elect to fair value any of our financial instruments under the provisions of SFAS No. 159, the adoption of this statement effective January 1, 2008 will not have an impact on our financial statements.

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurement (SFAS No. 157). SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in GAAP and establishes a hierarchy that categorizes and prioritizes the sources to be used to estimate fair value. SFAS No. 157 also expands financial statement disclosures about fair value measurements. On February 12, 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) 157-2 which delays the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for one year, for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). SFAS No. 157 and FSP 157-2 are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We will elect a partial deferral of SFAS No. 157 under the provisions of FSP 157-2 related to the measurement of fair value used when evaluating goodwill, other intangible assets, wireless licenses and other long-lived assets for impairment and valuing asset retirement obligations and liabilities for exit or disposal activities. The impact of partially adopting SFAS No. 157 effective January 1, 2008 will not be material to our financial statements.

Refer to Note 1 in the consolidated financial statements for a discussion of the accounting pronouncements adopted during 2007.