Administrative Expenses
Plan administrative expenses are paid by the Sponsor to the extent not paid or offset by the Plan, as provided in the Plan document. Participants are responsible for fees associated with certain transactions such as loan originations and maintenance.
Plan Amendment and Termination
The Sponsor has the right to amend or terminate the Plan. If the Plan is terminated, all account balances will be distributed in the form and manner determined by the Plan Administrator.
Risks and Uncertainties
The Plan utilizes various investment instruments, including common stock and mutual funds. Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate risk, credit risk, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, including systemic market disruptions and geopolitical events, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the financial statements.
Estimates and Assumptions
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 changes therein. Actual results and outcomes may differ from management’s estimates and assumptions due to risks and uncertainties. The Plan has no contingent assets or liabilities for any periods presented in these financial statements.
Valuation of Investments and Income (Loss) Recognition
Investments are recorded at fair value. Security transactions are accounted for as of the trade date. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date, and interest income is recorded as earned. Net increase in fair value of investments includes the Plan’s gains and losses on investments bought, sold, and held during the year.
Participant Loans
Participant loans are measured at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest, and participant loans deemed distributed due to default are included in benefits paid to participants on the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits.
NOTE 2 — FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Plan accounts for certain assets at fair value. The hierarchy below lists three levels of fair value based on the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market. The Plan categorizes each of its fair value measurements in one of these three levels based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. These levels are:
•Level 1 – inputs are based upon unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets. The Plan’s Level 1 investments primarily include mutual funds, Microsoft Common Stock, and money market funds.
•Level 2 – inputs are based upon quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-based valuation techniques (e.g. the Black-Scholes model) for which all significant inputs are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Where