SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

NOTE 2 - SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

Basis of Accounting

Gateway utilizes the accrual basis of accounting whereby revenues are recognized as earned and expenses are recognized as obligations are incurred.

Gateway accounts for its investments as the limited partner in Project Partnerships ("Investments in Project Partnerships") using the equity method of accounting, because management believes that Gateway does not have a majority control of the major operating and financial policies of the Project Partnerships in which it invests, and reports the equity in loss of the Project Partnerships on a 3-month lag in the Statements of Operations. Under the equity method, the Investments in Project Partnerships initially include:

Gateway's capital contribution,

Acquisition fees paid to the General Partner for services rendered in selecting properties for acquisition,

Acquisition expenses including legal fees, travel and other miscellaneous costs relating to acquiring properties.

Quarterly the Investments in Project Partnerships are increased or decreased as follows:

Increased for equity in income or decreased for equity in loss of the Project Partnerships,

Decreased for cash distributions received from the Project Partnerships,

Decreased for the amortization of the acquisition fees and expenses,

Increased for loans or advances made to the Project Partnerships by Gateway,

Decreased, where appropriate, for impairment.

Pursuant to the limited partnership agreements for the Project Partnerships, cash losses generated by the Project Partnerships are allocated to the general partners of those partnerships. In subsequent years, cash profits, if any, are first allocated to the general partners to the extent of the allocation of prior cash losses.

Since Gateway invests as a limited partner, and therefore is not obligated to fund losses or make additional capital contributions, it does not recognize losses from individual Project Partnerships to the extent that these losses would reduce the investment in those Project Partnerships below zero. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), once the net investment in a Project Partnership is reduced to zero, receivables due from the Project Partnership are decreased by Gateway's share of Project Partnership losses. The suspended losses will be used to offset future income from the individual Project Partnerships. Any cash distributions received from Project Partnerships which have a zero investment balance are accounted for as distribution income in the period the cash distribution is received by Gateway.

Gateway reviews its investments in Project Partnerships to determine if there has been any permanent impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the investment may not be recoverable. If the sum of the expected remaining low-income housing tax credits and other tax benefits is less than the carrying amount of the investment, Gateway recognizes an impairment loss. No impairment expense was recognized for the years ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011. Impairment expense for the year ended March 31, 2010 totaled $28,099, comprised of $8,681 in Series 8 and $19,418 in Series 11. Refer to Note 4 - Investments in Project Partnerships for further details regarding the components of the Investments in Project Partnerships balance. Gateway is continuing to execute its process of disposition of its interest in Project Partnerships that have reached the end of their Tax Credit compliance period, refer to Note 5 - Summary of Disposition Activities for the most recent update of those on-going activities.

Gateway, as a limited partner in the Project Partnerships, is subject to risks inherent in the ownership of property which are beyond its control, such as fluctuations in occupancy rates and operating expenses, variations in rental schedules, proper maintenance and continued eligibility for Tax Credits. If the cost of operating a property exceeds the rental income earned thereon, Gateway may deem it in its best interest to voluntarily provide funds in order to protect its investment. However, Gateway does not guarantee any of the mortgages or other debt of the Project Partnerships. No such funding to Project Partnerships occurred during fiscal years 2012, 2011, or 2010.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Gateway's policy is to include short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less in Cash and Cash Equivalents. Short-term investments are comprised of money market mutual funds.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments which potentially subject Gateway to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash investments in a money market mutual fund.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures. These estimates are based on management's knowledge and experience. Accordingly, actual results could differ from these estimates.

Income Taxes

No provision for income taxes has been made in these financial statements, as income taxes are a liability of the partners rather than of Gateway. Gateway files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions. Gateway is no longer subject to U.S. federal examination by tax authorities for years prior to calendar year 2009. The income tax returns subject to state examination by tax authorities are generally consistent with the federal period.

Distribution Payable

Distribution payable consists of amounts received as net sales proceeds. These amounts, net of the applicable state tax withholding, are due and payable to the Assignees and will be distributed at such time that state tax withholding liabilities have been settled.

State Tax Withholding

Certain state tax jurisdictions impose a capital gains tax on the taxable gains associated with the sale of investments in partnerships. As General Partner of Gateway, it is Gateway's obligation to calculate and withhold the applicable state taxes that are payable by the Partners of Gateway when Project Partnerships are sold or otherwise disposed by Gateway. In most cases, the state taxes are due regardless if proceeds are received from the sale of Project Partnerships. Therefore, Gateway has estimated the withholding taxes payable and the amount is included in Distribution Payable on the Balance Sheet.

Variable Interest Entities

Generally, a variable interest entity, or VIE, is an entity with one or more of the following characteristics, (a) the total equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support; (b) as a group the holders of the equity investment at risk lack (i) the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly affect its economic performance, (ii) the obligation to absorb the expected losses or the right to receive the expected benefits of the entity; or (c) the equity investors have voting rights that are not proportional to their economic interests and substantially all of the entity's activities either involve, or are conducted on behalf of, an investor that has disproportionately few voting rights. GAAP requires a VIE to be consolidated in the financial statements of the entity that is determined to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE.

Determination of the primary beneficiary of each VIE requires judgment and is based on an analysis of control of the entity and economic factors. A VIE would be required to be consolidated if it has (1) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and (2) the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits that could possibly be significant to the VIE. In the design of Project Partnership VIEs, the overriding concept centers around the premise that the limited partner invests solely for tax attributes associated with the property held by the VIE, while the general partner of the Project Partnership is responsible for overseeing its operations. Based upon its analysis of all the relevant facts and considerations, Gateway has concluded that the general partner of the Project Partnership has the power to direct the activities of the Project Partnership that most significantly impact its economic performance, and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits that could be significant to the Project Partnership and therefore, Gateway is not the primary beneficiary.

Gateway holds variable interests in 93 VIEs, which consist of Project Partnerships (Refer to Note 1 - Organization for information about Gateway's involvement in the Project Partnerships). Gateway is not the primary beneficiary of the VIEs. Since its inception, Gateway's maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with unconsolidated VIEs is limited to Gateway's capital contributions to those VIEs, which is approximately $19,774,072 at March 31, 2012. Over the course of the investment and Tax Credit Cycle, this maximum exposure to loss was offset by actual losses experienced by the Project Partnerships recorded by Gateway in its equity accounting. Accordingly, at the current stage of the investment and Tax Credit Cycle, the carrying value of Gateway's interest in the VIEs has been reduced to $185,696. Tabular disclosures within Note 4 - Investments in Project Partnerships detail total capital contributions to VIEs, the carrying amount of assets and liabilities related to Gateway's VIEs and the aggregate assets, liabilities and Gateway's exposure to loss from those VIEs. Gateway may be subject to additional losses to the extent of any financial support that Gateway voluntarily provides to those Project Partnerships in the future. Gateway does not currently intend to provide future financial support to the Project Partnerships.

Recent Accounting Changes

In June 2009, the FASB issued amendments to the consolidation guidance applicable to variable interest entities which Gateway adopted effective April 1, 2010. The amendments had no impact on its financial statements for the year-ended March 31, 2011.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity.

+ References+ Details

GATEWAY TAX CREDIT FUND III LTD 10-K