Definition: Withdrawal of equity

Category: National accounts

This includes significant one-off payments made to Government.  The payment is funded by the liquidation of assets such as drawing on accumulated reserves; sales of financial or non-financial assets; or realised capital gains.  It excludes those payments that can be classified as dividends either for theoretical or practical reasons.  Payments to government that arise from significant sales of assets at the request of government, or as part of a government policy, should be recorded as withdrawals of equity rather than as dividends or other non-financial transaction.