👉 Impairment refers to a condition or state of loss or damage, typically caused by a decrease in value. It is often associated with financial losses due to an event like bankruptcy, default on a loan, or the loss of a company's assets. In accounting and finance, impairment is a key concept that can be used to assess the recoverability of financial instruments, such as loans and investments, by comparing their fair values with their carrying amounts. Impairment can take many forms depending on the