A conditional asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation to perform asset retirement activities in which the timing and/or method of settlement are conditional on a future event that may or may not be in the company’s control (e.g., a legal requirement surrounding asbestos handling and disposal that is triggered by demolishing or renovating a facility). FASB Interpretation No. 47 (FIN 47), Accounting for Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations , clarifies that companies are required to recognize a liability for the fair value of a conditional asset retirement obligation when the obligation is incurred, if the liability’s fair value can be reasonably estimated. It is important to note the following: