10-Q 1 doc1.txt UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) [X] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 ----------------------- OR [ ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to . -------- Commission File No. 33-35148-01 AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ------------------------------------------------------------- (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Massachusetts 04-3097216 (State or other jurisdiction of (IRS Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 88 Broad Street, Boston, MA 02110 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code (617) 854-5800 ------------------- (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report.) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No ----- AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP FORM 10-Q INDEX

AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 AND DECEMBER 31, 2000 (UNAUDITED)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 AND 2000 (UNAUDITED)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 AND 2000 (UNAUDITED)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SEPTEMBER 30, 2001 (UNAUDITED) NOTE 1 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION ----------------------------------- The financial statements presented herein are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial reporting and the instructions for preparing Form 10-Q under Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission and are unaudited. As such, these financial statements do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and, accordingly, the accompanying financial statements should be read in conjunction with the footnotes presented in the 2000 Annual Report. Except as disclosed herein, there has been no material change to the information presented in the footnotes to the 2000 Annual Report. Subsequent to the issuance of the Partnership's financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2000, the Partnership determined that the loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings LLC ("Echelon Residential Holdings") should be accounted for consistent with its legal form and the Partnership should recognize the interest income, as calculated per the contractual terms of the loan agreement to the extent such interest income was evaluated as likely to be collected. Accordingly, the Partnership reversed the proportionate share of losses in Echelon Residential Holdings for the nine months ended September 30, 2000 of $37,329 previously recorded and recognized interest income of $137,491, resulting in a decrease in the net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2000 of $174,820, or $.58 per limited partnership unit. As a result, the accompanying financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2000 and as of December 31, 2000 have been restated from the amounts previously reported. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal and recurring adjustments) considered necessary to present fairly the financial position at September 30, 2001 and December 31, 2000 and results of operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2001 and 2000 have been made and are reflected. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2001 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year. NOTE 2 - CASH ---------------- At September 30, 2001, American Income Fund I-A, a Massachusetts Limited Partnership (the "Partnership") had $527,666 invested in federal agency discount notes, repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury Bills or interests in U.S. Government securities, or other highly liquid overnight investments. NOTE 3 - REVENUE RECOGNITION -------------------------------- Rents are payable to the Partnership monthly or quarterly and no significant amounts are calculated on factors other than the passage of time. The leases are accounted for as operating leases and are noncancellable. Rents received prior to their due dates are deferred. In certain instances, the Partnership may enter renewal or re-lease agreements which expire beyond the Partnership's anticipated dissolution date. This circumstance is not expected to prevent the orderly wind-up of the Partnership's business activities as the General Partner and Equis Financial Group Limited Partnership ("EFG") would seek to sell the then-remaining equipment assets either to the lessee or to a third party, taking into consideration the amount of future noncancellable rental payments associated with the attendant lease agreements. See also Note 7 regarding the Class Action Lawsuit. As of September 30, 2001, the Partnership has no future minimum rents due under contractual lease agreements, however all of the Partnership's equipment was being leased on a month-to-month basis. NOTE 4 - EQUIPMENT --------------------- The following is a summary of equipment owned by the Partnership at September 30, 2001. Remaining Lease Term (Months), as used below, represents the number of months remaining from September 30, 2001 under contracted lease terms. A Remaining Lease Term equal to zero reflects equipment either held for sale or re-lease or being leased on a month-to-month basis. In the opinion of EFG, the acquisition cost of the equipment did not exceed its fair market value.

At September 30, 2001, all of the Partnership's equipment was being leased on a month-to-month basis. NOTE 5 - LOAN RECEIVABLE ---------------------------- On March 8, 2000, the Partnership and 10 affiliated partnerships (the ''Exchange Partnerships'') collectively loaned $32 million to Echelon Residential Holdings LLC (''Echelon Residential Holdings''), a newly formed real estate company. Echelon Residential Holdings is owned by several investors, including James A. Coyne, Executive Vice President of EFG. In addition, certain affiliates of the General Partner made loans to Echelon Residential Holdings in their individual capacities. The Partnership's original loan was $1,650,000. Echelon Residential Holdings, through a wholly-owned subsidiary (Echelon Residential LLC), used the loan proceeds to acquire various real estate assets from Echelon International Corporation, a Florida-based real estate company. The loan has a term of 30 months, maturing on September 8, 2002, and an annual interest rate of 14% for the first 24 months and 18% for the final six months. Interest accrues and compounds monthly and is payable at maturity. In connection with the transaction, Echelon Residential Holdings has pledged a security interest in all of its right, title and interest in and to its membership interests in Echelon Residential LLC to the Exchange Partnerships as collateral. Echelon Residential Holdings has no material business interests other than those connected with the real estate properties owned by Echelon Residential LLC. The summarized financial information for Echelon Residential Holdings as of and for the periods ended September 30, 2001 and 2000, respectively, is as follows: (Unaudited) As of and for the periods ended September 30,

During the second quarter of 2001, the General Partner determined that recoverability of the loan receivable had been impaired and at June 30, 2001 recorded an impairment of $144,375, reflecting the General Partner's current assessment of the amount of loss that is likely to be incurred by the Partnership. In addition to the write-down recorded at June 30, 2001, the Partnership reserved all accrued interest of $267,795 recorded on the loan receivable from inception through March 31, 2001 and has ceased accruing interest on its loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings, effective April 1, 2001. The total impairment of $412,170 is recorded as write-down of impaired loan and interest receivable in the accompanying Statement of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2001. The write-down was precipitated principally by a slowing U.S. economy and its effects on the real estate development industry. The economic outlook for the properties that existed when the loan was funded has deteriorated and inhibited the ability of Echelon Residential Holdings' management to secure low-cost sources of development capital, including but not limited to joint-venture or equity partners. In response to these developments and lower risk tolerances in the credit markets, the management of Echelon Residential Holdings decided in the second quarter of 2001 to concentrate its prospective development activities within the southeastern United States and, therefore, to dispose of development sites located elsewhere. In May 2001, Echelon Residential Holdings closed its Texas-based development office; and since the beginning of 2001, the company has sold three of nine properties (two in July 2001 and one in October 2001). As of November 2001, one additional property is under contract to be sold, subject to due diligence that remains pending. As a result of these developments, the General Partner does not believe that Echelon Residential Holdings will realize the profit levels originally believed to be achievable from either selling these properties as a group or developing all of them as multi-family residential communities. NOTE 6 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS ---------------------------------------- All operating expenses incurred by the Partnership are paid by EFG on behalf of the Partnership and EFG is reimbursed at its actual cost for such expenditures. Fees and other costs incurred during the nine month periods ended September 30, 2001 and 2000, which were paid or accrued by the Partnership to EFG or its Affiliates, are as follows:

All rents and proceeds from the sale of equipment are paid directly to EFG. EFG temporarily deposits collected funds in a separate interest-bearing escrow account prior to remittance to the Partnership. At September 30, 2001, the Partnership was owed $3,754 by EFG for such funds and the interest thereon. These funds were remitted to the Partnership in October 2001. The discussion of the loan to Echelon Residential Holdings in Note 5 above is incorporated herein by reference. NOTE 7 - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS ------------------------------ As described more fully in the Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, the Partnership is a Nominal Defendant in a Class Action Lawsuit, the outcome of which could significantly alter the nature of the Partnership's organization and its future business operations. On March 12, 2001, after a status conference and hearing, the Court issued an order that required the parties, no later than May 15, 2001, to advise the Court on (a) whether the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") had completed its review of the solicitation statement and related materials submitted to the SEC in connection with the proposed settlement, and (b) whether the parties requested the Court to schedule a hearing for final approval of the proposed settlement or were withdrawing the proposed settlement from judicial consideration and resuming the litigation of the Plaintiffs' claims. On May 11, 2001, the general partners of the partnerships that are nominal defendants in the Class Action Lawsuit received a letter dated May 10, 2001 from the Associate Director and Chief Counsel of the Division of Investment Management of the SEC informing the general partners that the staff of the Division believes that American Income Partners V-A Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-B Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-C Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-D Limited Partnership, American Income Fund I-A, American Income Fund I-B, American Income Fund I-E and AIRFUND II International Limited Partnership (the "Designated Partnerships") are investment companies as defined in Section 3(a)(1)(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The SEC staff noted that Section 7 of the 1940 Act makes it unlawful for an unregistered investment company to offer or sell or purchase any security or engage in any business in interstate commerce. Accordingly, Section 7 would prohibit any partnership that is an unregistered investment company from engaging in any business in interstate commerce, except transactions that are merely incidental to its dissolution. The letter also stated that the Division is considering enforcement action with respect to this matter. Noting that the parties to the Class Action Lawsuit were scheduled to appear before the court in the near future to consider a proposed settlement, and that the SEC staff's views, as expressed in the letter, are relevant to the specific matters that will be considered by the court at the hearing, the SEC staff submitted the letter to the court for its consideration. On May 15, 2001, Defendants' Counsel filed with the court Defendants' Status Report pursuant to the court's March 12, 2001 Order. Defendants reported that, notwithstanding the parties' best efforts, the staff of the SEC has not completed its review of the solicitation statement in connection with the proposed settlement of the Class Action Lawsuit. Nonetheless, the Defendants stated their belief that the parties should continue to pursue the court's final approval of the proposed settlement. In this regard, the Defendants also have maintained, on the advice of special 1940 Act counsel that, even if the 1940 Act applies to the Designated Partnerships, the 1940 Act does not prohibit going forward with the proposed settlement, as that transaction is merely incidental to a dissolution of the Partnerships and therefore is not subject to the prohibitions of Section 7 of the 1940 Act. The Defendants also referred to the SEC staff's letter of May 10, 2001 asserting that certain of the partnerships are investment companies and to special 1940 Act counsel's submissions to the SEC staff setting forth the reasons why the 1940 Act does not apply to the Designated Partnerships, noting that counsel had informed the staff of the Division of Investment Management that, based upon counsel's understanding of the surrounding circumstances and after an in-depth analysis of the applicable law, if asked, counsel would be willing to issue an opinion of the firm that none of the partnerships is an investment company under the 1940 Act. The Defendants stated their belief that the proposed settlement is still viable and in the best interests of the parties and that final approval should be pursued. The Defendants advised the court that they believe that if the court were to address the issue of whether or not the 1940 Act applies to the partnerships and the proposed consolidation, it could remove the major obstacle to the settlement being finally consummated. The Defendants also requested that the court schedule a hearing to address on a preliminary basis the objection to the proposed settlement raised in the staff's May 10, 2001 letter. Plaintiffs' Counsel also submitted a Plaintiffs' Status Report to the court on May 15, 2001 in which they reported that the SEC review has not been concluded and that they notified the Defendants that they would not agree to continue to stay the further prosecution of the litigation in favor of the settlement and that they intend to seek court approval to immediately resume active prosecution of the claims of the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs' Counsel stated in the Report that the "[p]laintiffs continue to believe that the settlement is in the best interests of the Operating Partnership Sub-class. However, since the SEC has yet to complete its review of the proxy, the Plaintiffs do not believe that the litigation should continue to be stayed so that the SEC may continue its regulatory review for an indefinite period of time." Plaintiffs requested a pre-trial conference to schedule filing of Plaintiffs' motion for class certification on or before May 29, 2001 and resumption of merits discovery and discovery related to the class certification motion. Subsequently, after a status conference on May 31, 2001, the court issued an order on June 4, 2001 setting a trial date of March 4, 2002, referred the case to mediation and referred discovery to a magistrate judge. The Defendant's and Plaintiff's Counsel have continued to negotiate toward a settlement and have reached agreement as to its principal business terms. As part of the settlement, EFG has agreed to buy the loans made by the Exchange Partnerships to Echelon Residential Holdings for an aggregate of $32 million plus interest at 7.5% per annum, if they are not repaid prior to or at their scheduled maturity date. Upon completion of a stipulation of settlement, the parties will submit the settlement to the court for approval. There can be no assurance that a settlement of the sub-class involving the Exchange Partnerships will receive final Court approval and be effected. However, in the absence of a final settlement approved by the Court, the Defendants intend to defend vigorously against the claims asserted in the Class Action Lawsuit. Neither the General Partner nor its affiliates can predict with any degree of certainty the cost of continuing litigation to the Partnership or the ultimate outcome. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP FORM 10-Q PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- of Operations. --------------- Certain statements in this quarterly report of American Income Fund I-A, a Massachusetts Limited Partnership (the "Partnership") that are not historical fact constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made herein. These factors include, but are not limited to, the outcome of the Class Action Lawsuit described in Note 7 to the accompanying financial statements, the remarketing of the Partnership's equipment, and the performance of the Partnership's non-equipment assets. The Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") places restrictions on the capital structure and business activities of companies registered thereunder. The Partnership has active business operations in the financial services industry, including equipment leasing and the loan to Echelon Residential Holdings LLC ("Echelon Residential Holdings"). The Partnership does not intend to engage in investment activities in a manner or to an extent that would require the Partnership to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act. However, it is possible that the Partnership may unintentionally engage in an activity or activities that may be construed to fall within the scope of the 1940 Act. The General Partner is engaged in discussions with the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") regarding whether or not the Partnership may be an inadvertent investment company as a consequence of the above-referenced loan. If the Partnership were determined to be an unregistered investment company, its business would be adversely affected. The 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits an unregistered investment company from offering securities for sale or engaging in any business in interstate commerce and, consequently, leases and contracts entered into by partnerships that are unregistered investment companies may be voidable. The General Partner has consulted counsel and believes that it is not an investment company. The General Partner has determined to take action to resolve the Partnership's status under the 1940 Act by means that may include disposing or acquiring certain assets that it might not otherwise dispose or acquire. On May 11, 2001, the general partners of the partnerships that are nominal defendants in the Class Action Lawsuit received a letter dated May 10, 2001 from the Associate Director and Chief Counsel of the Division of Investment Management of the SEC informing the general partners that the staff of the Division believes that American Income Partners V-A Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-B Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-C Limited Partnership, American Income Partners V-D Limited Partnership, American Income Fund I-A, American Income Fund I-B, American Income Fund I-E and AIRFUND II International Limited Partnership (the "Designated Partnerships") are investment companies as defined in Section 3(a)(1)(c) of the 1940 Act. The letter also stated that the Division is considering enforcement action with respect to this matter. Noting that the parties to the Class Action Lawsuit were scheduled to appear before the court in the near future to consider a proposed settlement, and that the SEC staff's views, as expressed in the letter, are relevant to the specific matters that will be considered by the court at the hearing, the SEC staff submitted the letter to the court for its consideration. On May 15, 2001, Defendants' Counsel filed with the court Defendants' Status Report pursuant to the court's March 12, 2001 Order. Defendants reported that, notwithstanding the parties' best efforts, the staff of the SEC has not completed its review of the solicitation statement in connection with the proposed settlement of the Class Action Lawsuit. Nonetheless, the Defendants stated their belief that the parties should continue to pursue the court's final approval of the proposed settlement. In this regard, the Defendants also have maintained, on the advice of special 1940 Act counsel that, even if the 1940 Act applies to the Designated Partnerships, the 1940 Act does not prohibit going forward with the proposed settlement, as that transaction is merely incidental to a dissolution of the Partnerships and therefore is not subject to the prohibitions of Section 7 of the 1940 Act. The Defendants also referred to the SEC staff's letter of May 10, 2001 asserting that certain of the partnerships are investment companies and to special 1940 Act counsel's submissions to the SEC staff setting forth the reasons why the 1940 Act does not apply to the Designated Partnerships, noting that counsel had informed the staff of the Division of Investment Management that, based upon counsel's understanding of the surrounding circumstances and after an in-depth analysis of the applicable law, if asked, counsel would be willing to issue an opinion of the firm that none of the partnerships is an investment company under the 1940 Act. The Defendants stated their belief that the proposed settlement is still viable and in the best interests of the parties and that final approval should be pursued. The Defendants advised the court that they believe that if the court were to address the issue of whether or not the 1940 Act applies to the partnerships and the proposed consolidation, it could remove the major obstacle to the settlement being finally consummated. The Defendants also requested that the court schedule a hearing to address on a preliminary basis the objection to the proposed settlement raised in the staff's May 10, 2001 letter. Plaintiffs' Counsel also submitted a Plaintiffs' Status Report to the court on May 15, 2001 in which they reported that the SEC review has not been concluded and that they notified the Defendants that they would not agree to continue to stay the further prosecution of the litigation in favor of the settlement and that they intend to seek court approval to immediately resume active prosecution of the claims of the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs' Counsel stated in the Report that the "[p]laintiffs continue to believe that the settlement is in the best interests of the Operating Partnership Sub-class. However, since the SEC has yet to complete its review of the proxy, the Plaintiffs do not believe that the litigation should continue to be stayed so that the SEC may continue its regulatory review for an indefinite period of time." Plaintiffs requested a pre-trial conference to schedule filing of Plaintiffs' motion for class certification on or before May 29, 2001 and resumption of merits discovery and discovery related to the class certification motion. Subsequently, after a status conference on May 31, 2001, the court issued an order on June 4, 2001 setting a trial date of March 4, 2002, referred the case to mediation and referred discovery to a magistrate judge. The Defendant's and Plaintiff's Counsel have continued to negotiate toward a settlement and have reached agreement as to its principal business terms. As part of the settlement, EFG has agreed to buy the loans made by the Exchange Partnerships to Echelon Residential Holdings for an aggregate of $32 million plus interest at 7.5% per annum, if they are not repaid prior to or at their scheduled maturity date. Upon completion of a stipulation of settlement, the parties will submit the settlement to the court for approval. There can be no assurance that a settlement of the sub-class involving the Exchange Partnerships will receive final Court approval and be effected. However, in the absence of a final settlement approved by the Court, the Defendants intend to defend vigorously against the claims asserted in the Class Action Lawsuit. Neither the General Partner nor its affiliates can predict with any degree of certainty the cost of continuing litigation to the Partnership or the ultimate outcome. See Note 7 to the financial statements for additional discussion. Three and nine months ended September 30, 2001 compared to the three and nine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- months ended September 30, 2000: ------------------------------------ The Partnership was organized in 1990 as a direct-participation equipment leasing program to acquire a diversified portfolio of capital equipment subject to lease agreements with third parties. Presently, the Partnership is a Nominal Defendant in a Class Action Lawsuit, the outcome of which could significantly alter the nature of the Partnership's organization and its future business operations. (See Note 7 to the financial statements.) Pursuant to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership (the "Restated Agreement, as amended"), the Partnership is scheduled to be dissolved by December 31, 2001. However, the General Partner does not expect that the Partnership will be dissolved until such time that the Class Action Lawsuit is settled or adjudicated. The events of September 11, 2001 and the slowing U.S. economy could have an adverse effect on market values for the Partnership's assets and the Partnership's ability to negotiate future lease agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it currently is not possible for the General Partner to determine the long-term effects, if any, that these events may have on the economic performance of the Partnership's equipment portfolio. Results of Operations ----------------------- For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2001, the Partnership recognized lease revenue of $9,367 and $37,073, respectively, compared to $9,694 and $45,055, respectively, for the same periods in 2000. The decrease in lease revenue from 2000 to 2001 resulted primarily from lease term expirations and equipment sales. In the future, lease revenue will decline due to lease term expirations and the sale of equipment. Interest income for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2001 was $5,387 and $86,495, respectively, compared to $76,212 and $194,102, respectively, for the same periods in 2000. Interest income is typically generated from temporary investment of rental receipts and equipment sale proceeds in short-term instruments and included interest earned on the loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings. The amount of future interest income from short-term investments is expected to fluctuate as a result of changing interest rates and the amount of cash available for investment, among other factors. Interest income during the nine months ended September 30, 2001 included $65,586 earned on the loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings, compared to $62,457 and $137,491, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2000. During the second quarter of 2001, the General Partner determined that recoverability of the loan receivable had been impaired and at June 30, 2001 recorded an impairment of $144,375, reflecting the General Partner's current assessment of the amount of loss that is likely to be incurred by the Partnership. In addition to the write-down recorded at June 30, 2001, the Partnership reserved all accrued interest of $267,795 recorded on the loan receivable from inception through March 31, 2001 and has ceased accruing interest on its loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings, effective April 1, 2001. The total impairment of $412,170 is recorded as write-down of impaired loan and interest receivable in the accompanying Statement of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2001. During the nine months ended September 30, 2001 and the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2000, the Partnership sold fully depreciated equipment to existing lessees and third parties, resulting in net gains, for financial statement purposes, of $9,500, $1,500 and $8,800, respectively. There were no equipment sales in the three months ended September 30, 2001. The results of future sales of equipment will be dependent upon the condition and type of equipment being sold and its marketability at the time of sale. The ultimate realization of residual value for any type of equipment is dependent upon many factors, including EFG's ability to sell and re-lease equipment. Changing market conditions, industry trends, technological advances, and many other events can converge to enhance or detract from asset values at any given time. EFG attempts to monitor these changes in order to identify opportunities which may be advantageous to the Partnership and which will maximize total cash returns for each asset. The total economic value realized upon final disposition of each asset is comprised of all primary lease term revenue generated from that asset, together with its residual value. The latter consists of cash proceeds realized upon the asset's sale in addition to all other cash receipts obtained from renting the asset on a re-lease, renewal or month-to-month basis. The Partnership classifies such residual rental payments as lease revenue. Consequently, the amount of gain or loss reported in the financial statements is not necessarily indicative of the total residual value the Partnership achieved from leasing the equipment. Management fees were $186 and $1,571, respectively, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2001 compared to $485 and $2,253, respectively, for the same periods in 2000. Management fees are based on 5% of gross lease revenue generated by operating leases. Operating expenses were $78,871 and $266,579, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2001 compared to $87,955 and $152,031, respectively, for the same periods in 2000. In 2001, operating expenses included approximately $84,000 related to the Class Action Lawsuit discussed in Note 7 to the financial statements herein. Other operating expenses consist principally of administrative charges, professional service costs, such as audit and legal fees, as well as printing, distribution and other remarketing expenses. In certain cases, equipment storage or repairs and maintenance costs may be incurred in connection with equipment being remarketed. Liquidity and Capital Resources and Discussion of Cash Flows -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Partnership by its nature is a limited life entity. The Partnership's principal operating activities derive from asset rental transactions. The Partnership's principal source of cash from operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2001 and 2000 was provided by the collection of periodic rents and the receipt of interest income, respectively. Cash inflows are used to pay management fees and operating costs. Operating activities generated a net cash outflow of $210,778 and $44,515 during the nine months ended September 30, 2001 and 2000, respectively. The amount of future cash from interest income is expected to fluctuate as a result of changing interest rates and the level of cash available for investment, among other factors. The loan to Echelon Residential Holdings and accrued interest thereon is due in full at maturity on September 8, 2002. Future renewal, re-lease and equipment sale activities will cause a decline in the Partnership's lease revenues and corresponding sources of operating cash. Overall, expenses associated with rental activities, such as management fees, and net cash flow from operating activities will also continue to decline as the Partnership remarkets its equipment. Cash realized from asset disposal transactions is reported under investing activities on the accompanying Statement of Cash Flows. During the nine months ended September 30, 2001 and 2000, the Partnership realized equipment sale proceeds of $9,500 and $8,800, respectively. Future inflows of cash from asset disposals will vary in timing and amount and will be influenced by many factors including, but not limited to, the frequency and timing of lease expirations, the type of equipment being sold, its condition and age, and future market conditions. At September 30, 2001, no future minimum lease payments were due from contractual lease agreements however, all the Partnership's equipment was being leased on a month-to-month basis. At the expiration of the individual lease terms underlying the Partnership's future minimum lease payments, the Partnership will sell the equipment or enter re-lease or renewal agreements when considered advantageous by the General Partner and EFG. Such future remarketing activities will result in the realization of additional cash inflows in the form of equipment sale proceeds or rents from renewals and re-leases, the timing and extent of which cannot be predicted with certainty. This is because the timing and extent of remarketing events often is dependent upon the needs and interests of the existing lessees. Some lessees may choose to renew their lease contracts, while others may elect to return the equipment. In the latter instances, the equipment could be re-leased to another lessee or sold to a third party. In connection with a preliminary settlement agreement for the Class Action Lawsuit described in Note 7 to the accompanying financial statements, the court permitted the Partnership to invest in any new investment, including but not limited to new equipment or other business activities, subject to certain limitations. On March 8, 2000, the Partnership loaned $1,650,000 to a newly formed real estate company, Echelon Residential Holdings, to finance the acquisition of real estate assets by that company. Echelon Residential Holdings, through a wholly owned subsidiary (Echelon Residential LLC), used the loan proceeds, along with the loan proceeds from similar loans by ten affiliated partnerships, representing $32 million in the aggregate, to acquire various real estate assets from Echelon International Corporation, an unrelated Florida-based real estate company. Echelon Residential Holding's interest in Echelon Residential LLC is pledged pursuant to a pledge agreement to the partnerships as collateral for the loans. The loan has a term of 30 months, maturing on September 8, 2002, and an annual interest rate of 14% for the first 24 months and 18% for the final six months. Interest accrues and compounds monthly and is payable at maturity. The loan made by the Partnership to Echelon Residential Holdings is, and will continue to be, subject to various risks, including the risk of default by Echelon Residential Holdings, which could require the Partnership to foreclose under the pledge agreement on its interests in Echelon Residential LLC. The ability of Echelon Residential Holdings to make loan payments and the amount the Partnership may realize after a default would be dependent upon the risks generally associated with the real estate lending business including, without limitation, the existence of senior financing or other liens on the properties, general or local economic conditions, property values, the sale of properties, interest rates, real estate taxes, other operating expenses, the supply and demand for properties involved, zoning and environmental laws and regulations, rent control laws and other governmental rules. A default by Echelon Residential Holdings could have a material adverse effect on the future cash flow and operating results of the Partnership. During the second quarter of 2001 the General Partner determined that recoverability of the loan receivable had been impaired and at June 30, 2001 recorded an impairment of $144,375, reflecting the General Partner's current assessment of the amount of loss that is likely to be incurred by the Partnership. In addition to the write-down recorded at June 30, 2001, the Partnership reserved all accrued interest of $267,795 recorded on the loan receivable from inception through March 31, 2001 and has ceased accruing interest on its loan receivable from Echelon Residential Holdings, effective April 1, 2001. The total impairment of $412,170 is recorded as write-down of impaired loan and interest receivable in the accompanying Statement of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2001. The write-down was precipitated principally by a slowing U.S. economy and its effects on the real estate development industry. The economic outlook for the properties that existed when the loan was funded has deteriorated and inhibited the ability of Echelon Residential Holdings' management to secure low-cost sources of development capital, including but not limited to joint-venture or equity partners. In response to these developments and lower risk tolerances in the credit markets, the management of Echelon Residential Holdings decided in the second quarter of 2001 to concentrate its prospective development activities within the southeastern United States and, therefore, to dispose of development sites located elsewhere. In May 2001, Echelon Residential Holdings closed its Texas-based development office; and since the beginning of 2001, the company has sold three of nine properties (two in July 2001 and one in October 2001). As of November 2001, one additional property is under contract to be sold, subject to due diligence that remains pending. As a result of these developments, the General Partner does not believe that Echelon Residential Holdings will realize the profit levels originally believed to be achievable from either selling these properties as a group or developing all of them as multi-family residential communities. The Restated Agreement, as amended, prohibits the Partnership from making loans to the General Partner or its affiliates. Since the acquisition of the several parcels of real estate from the owner had to occur prior to the admission of certain independent third parties as equity owners, Echelon Residential Holdings and its wholly owned subsidiary, Echelon Residential LLC, were formed in anticipation of their admission. The General Partner agreed to an officer of the Manager serving as the initial equity holder of Echelon Residential Holdings and as an unpaid manager of Echelon Residential Holdings. The officer made a $185,465 equity investment in Echelon Residential Holdings. His return on his equity investment is restricted to the same rate of return as the partnerships realize on their loans. There is a risk that the court may object to the general partner's action in structuring the loan in this way since the officer may be deemed an affiliate and the loans in violation of the prohibition against loans to affiliates and the court's statement in its order permitting New Investments that all other provisions of the Partnership Agreements governing the investment objectives and policies of the Partnership shall remain in full force and effect. The court may require the partnerships to restructure or divest the loan. There are no formal restrictions under the Restated Agreement, as amended, that materially limit the Partnership's ability to pay cash distributions, except that the General Partner may suspend or limit cash distributions to ensure that the Partnership maintains sufficient working capital reserves to cover, among other things, operating costs and potential expenditures, such as refurbishment costs to remarket equipment upon lease expiration. In addition to the need for funds in connection with the Class Action Lawsuit, liquidity is especially important as the Partnership matures and sells equipment, because the remaining equipment base consists of fewer revenue-producing assets that are available to cover prospective cash disbursements. Insufficient liquidity could inhibit the Partnership's ability to sustain its operations or maximize the realization of proceeds from remarketing its remaining assets. Cash distributions to the General and Limited Partners had been declared and generally paid within fifteen days following the end of each calendar quarter. The payment of such distributions is reported under financing activities on the accompanying Statement of Cash Flows. No cash distributions were declared for either of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2001 or 2000. In any given year, it is possible that Limited Partners will be allocated taxable income in excess of distributed cash. This discrepancy between tax obligations and cash distributions may or may not continue in the future, and cash may or may not be available for distribution to the Limited Partners adequate to cover any tax obligation. Cash distributions when paid to the Limited Partners generally consist of both a return of and a return on capital. Cash distributions do not represent and are not indicative of yield on investment. Actual yield on investment cannot be determined with any certainty until conclusion of the Partnership and will be dependent upon the collection of all future rents, the generation of renewal and/or re-lease rents, the residual value realized for each asset at its disposal date and the performance of the Partnership's non-equipment assets. The Partnership's capital account balances for federal income tax and for financial reporting purposes are different primarily due to differing treatments of income and expense items for income tax purposes in comparison to financial reporting purposes (generally referred to as permanent or timing differences; see Note 6 to the financial statements presented in the Partnership's 2000 Annual Report). For instance, selling commissions and organization and offering costs pertaining to syndication of the Partnership's limited partnership units are not deductible for federal income tax purposes, but are recorded as a reduction of partners' capital for financial reporting purposes. Therefore, such differences are permanent differences between capital accounts for financial reporting and federal income tax purposes. Other differences between the bases of capital accounts for federal income tax and financial reporting purposes occur due to timing differences. Such items consist of the cumulative difference between income or loss for tax purposes and financial statement income or loss. The principal component of the cumulative difference between financial statement income or loss and tax income or loss results from different depreciation policies for book and tax purposes. For financial reporting purposes, the General Partner has accumulated a capital deficit at September 30, 2001. This is the result of aggregate cash distributions to the General Partner being in excess of its capital contribution of $1,000 and its allocation of financial statement net income or loss. Ultimately, the existence of a capital deficit for the General Partner for financial reporting purposes is not indicative of any further capital obligations to the Partnership by the General Partner. The Restated Agreement, as amended, requires that upon the dissolution of the Partnership, the General Partner will be required to contribute to the Partnership an amount equal to any negative balance, which may exist in the General Partner's tax capital account. At December 31, 2000, the General Partner had a positive tax capital account balance. The outcome of the Class Action Lawsuit described in Note 7 to the accompanying financial statements, will be the principal factor in determining the future of the Partnership's operations. Commencing with the first quarter of 2000, the General Partner suspended the payment of quarterly cash distributions pending final resolution of the Class Action Lawsuit. Accordingly, future cash distributions are not expected to be paid until the Class Action Lawsuit is settled or adjudicated. Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Partnership's financial statements include financial instruments that are exposed to interest rate risks. The Partnership's loan to Echelon Residential Holdings matures on September 8, 2002 and earns interest at a fixed annual rate of 14% for the first 24 months and a fixed annual rate of 18% for the last 6 months of the loan, with interest due at maturity. The effect of interest rate fluctuations on the Partnership for the nine months ended September 30, 2001 was not material. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, A MASSACHUSETTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP FORM 10-Q PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

SIGNATURE PAGE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A, a Massachusetts Limited Partnership By: AFG Leasing VI Incorporated, a Massachusetts corporation and the General Partner of the Registrant. By: /s/ Michael J. Butterfield ----------------------------- Michael J. Butterfield Treasurer of AFG Leasing VI Incorporated (Duly Authorized Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) Date: November 14, 2001 -------------------

AMERICAN INCOME FUND I-A LTD PARTNERSHIP 10-Q