How do you calculate the capital lease obligation?

When you book the capital lease, record the asset at its fair market value or the present value of minimum lease payments, whichever is less. The capital lease obligation is recorded at the same amount. Minimum lease payments include all rental payments required during the term of the lease plus any residual value guaranteed by the lessee. They also include any payment the lessee must make for not renewing or extending the lease, including a requirement to purchase the asset. They do not include any guarantee of the lessor's debt by the lessee, contingent rentals, or any penalty for which the term of the lease has been extended. They also do not include the portion of the rent payments which represent executory costs, such as insurance, taxes, and maintenance, and any related profit. The interest rate used to calculate the present value of the minimum lease payments is normally your incremental borrowing rate (the interest rate you would pay to borrow a similar amount of money for a similar length of time), unless you know the lessor's implicit interest rate for the lease and that is lower than your incremental borrowing rate. Sources: SFAS No. 13; RIA Checkpoint