AB 2020 Form 10-K

The Fund has elected to be treated and intends to continue to be treated for federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). So long as the Fund is able to maintain its status as a RIC, it intends not to be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income and gains distributed to stockholders, if any. To qualify for RIC tax treatment, the Fund is required to distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income annually, meet diversification and income requirements quarterly, meet gross income requirements annually and file Form 1120-RIC, as provided by the Code. In order for the Fund not to be subject to U.S. federal excise taxes, it must distribute annually an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its net ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for the calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of capital losses for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year and (iii) any net ordinary income and capital gains in excess of capital losses for preceding years that were not distributed during such years. The Fund, at its discretion, may carry forward taxable income in excess of calendar year dividends and pay a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on this income. The Fund will accrue excise tax on estimated undistributed taxable income as required. For the years ended December 31, 2020, December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Fund accrued excise taxes of $0, $0 and $3, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, $0 and $0, respectively, of accrued excise taxes remained payable. The Fund may be subject to taxes imposed by countries in which the Fund invests. Such taxes are generally based on income and/or capital gains earned or repatriated. Taxes are accrued and applied to net investment income, net realized gains and net unrealized gain (loss) as such income and/or gains are earned. The Fund remains subject to examination by U.S. federal and state jurisdictions, as well as international jurisdictions, and upon completion of these examinations (if undertaken by the taxing jurisdiction) tax adjustments may be necessary and retroactive to all open tax years. Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, if any, at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses recorded during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and such differences could be material. Distributions Distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from those amounts determined in accordance with GAAP. The Fund may pay distributions in excess of its taxable net investment income. This excess would be a tax-free return of capital in the period and reduce the stockholder’s tax basis in its shares. These book/tax differences are either temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent they are charged or credited to paid-in capital in excess of par, accumulated undistributed net investment income or accumulated net realized gain (loss), as appropriate, in the period that the differences arise. Temporary and permanent differences are primarily attributable to differences in the tax treatment of certain loans and the tax characterization of income and non-deductible expenses. These differences are generally determined in conjunction with the preparation of the Fund’s annual RIC tax return. Distributions to common stockholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount to be paid out as a distribution is determined by the Board each quarter and is generally based upon the earnings estimated by the Adviser. The Fund may pay distributions to its stockholders in a year in excess of its net ordinary income and capital gains for that year and, accordingly, a portion of such distributions may constitute a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund intends to timely distribute to its stockholders substantially all of its annual taxable income for each year, except that the Fund may retain certain net capital gains for reinvestment and, depending upon the level of the Fund’s taxable income earned in a year, the Fund may choose to carry forward taxable income for distribution in the following year and pay any applicable U.S. federal excise tax. The specific tax characteristics of the Fund’s distributions will be reported to stockholders after the end of the calendar year. All distributions will be subject to available funds, and no assurance can be given that the Fund will be able to declare such distributions in future periods. The Fund has adopted a dividend reinvestment plan that provides for stockholders to receive dividends or other distributions declared by the Board in cash unless a stockholder elects to “opt in” to the dividend reinvestment plan. As a result, if the Board declares a cash distribution, then the stockholders who have “opted in” to the dividend reinvestment plan will have their cash distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of common stock, rather than receiving the cash distribution. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU 2020-04”). This update provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contract modifications, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate F-24