Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities

v2.4.0.6
Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]  
Securitizations And Other Variable Interest Entities Disclosure
Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities
The Corporation utilizes VIEs in the ordinary course of business to support its own and its customers’ financing and investing needs. The Corporation routinely securitizes loans and debt securities using VIEs as a source of funding for the Corporation and as a means of transferring the economic risk of the loans or debt securities to third parties. The assets are transferred into a trust or other securitization vehicle such that the assets are legally isolated from the creditors of the Corporation and are not available to satisfy its obligations. These assets can only be used to settle obligations of the trust or other securitization vehicle. The Corporation also administers, structures or invests in other VIEs including CDOs, investment vehicles and other entities. For additional information on the Corporation’s utilization of VIEs, see Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Principles.
The tables within this Note present the assets and liabilities of consolidated and unconsolidated VIEs at December 31, 2012 and 2011, in situations where the Corporation has continuing involvement with transferred assets or if the Corporation otherwise has a variable interest in the VIE. The tables also present the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure at December 31, 2012 and 2011 resulting from its involvement with consolidated VIEs and unconsolidated VIEs in which the Corporation holds a variable interest. The Corporation’s maximum loss exposure is based on the unlikely event that all of the assets in the VIEs become worthless and incorporates not only potential losses associated with assets recorded on the Corporation’s Consolidated Balance Sheet but also potential losses associated with off-balance sheet commitments such as unfunded liquidity commitments and other contractual arrangements. The Corporation’s maximum loss exposure does not include losses previously recognized through write-downs of assets.
The Corporation invests in ABS issued by third-party VIEs with which it has no other form of involvement. These securities are included in Note 2 – Trading Account Assets and Liabilities and Note 4 – Securities. In addition, the Corporation uses VIEs such as trust preferred securities trusts in connection with its funding activities. For additional information, see Note 12 – Long-term Debt. The Corporation also uses VIEs in the form of synthetic securitization vehicles to mitigate a portion of the credit risk on its residential mortgage loan portfolio, as described in Note 5 – Outstanding Loans and Leases. The Corporation uses VIEs, such as cash funds managed within Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), to provide investment opportunities for clients. These VIEs, which are not consolidated by the Corporation, are not included in the tables within this Note.
Except as described below, the Corporation did not provide financial support to consolidated or unconsolidated VIEs during 2012 or 2011 that it was not previously contractually required to provide, nor does it intend to do so.
Mortgage-related Securitizations
First-lien Mortgages
As part of its mortgage banking activities, the Corporation securitizes a portion of the first-lien residential mortgage loans it originates or purchases from third parties, generally in the form of MBS guaranteed by government-sponsored enterprises, FNMA and FHLMC (collectively the GSEs), or GNMA in the case of FHA-insured and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-guaranteed mortgage loans. Securitization usually occurs in conjunction with or shortly after loan closing or purchase. In addition, the Corporation may, from time to time, securitize commercial mortgages it originates or purchases from other entities. The Corporation typically services the loans it securitizes. Further, the Corporation may retain beneficial interests in the securitization trusts including senior and subordinate securities and equity tranches issued by the trusts. Except as described below and in Note 8 – Representations and Warranties Obligations and Corporate Guarantees, the Corporation does not provide guarantees or recourse to the securitization trusts other than standard representations and warranties.
The table below summarizes select information related to first-lien mortgage securitizations for 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First-lien Mortgage Securitizations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Residential Mortgage
 
 

 

 
Agency
 
Non-agency
 
Commercial Mortgage
(Dollars in millions)
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
Cash proceeds from new securitizations (1)
$
39,526

$
142,910

 
$

$
36

 
$
903

$
4,468

Loss on securitizations, net of hedges (2)
(212
)
(373
)
 


 


(1) 
The Corporation sells residential mortgage loans to GSEs in the normal course of business and receives MBS in exchange which may then be sold into the market to third-party investors for cash proceeds.
(2) 
Substantially all of the first-lien residential mortgage loans securitized are initially classified as LHFS and accounted for under the fair value option. As such, gains are recognized on these LHFS prior to securitization. During 2012 and 2011, the Corporation recognized $1.9 billion and $2.9 billion of gains on these LHFS, net of hedges.
In addition to cash proceeds as reported in the table above, the Corporation received securities with an initial fair value of $28 million and $545 million in connection with first-lien mortgage securitizations, principally residential agency securitizations, in 2012 and 2011. All of these securities were initially classified as Level 2 assets within the fair value hierarchy. During 2012 and 2011, there were no changes to the initial classification.
The Corporation recognizes consumer MSRs from the sale or securitization of first-lien mortgage loans. Servicing fee and ancillary fee income on consumer mortgage loans serviced, including securitizations where the Corporation has continuing involvement, were $4.7 billion and $5.8 billion in 2012 and 2011. Servicing advances on consumer mortgage loans, including securitizations where the Corporation has continuing involvement, were $23.2 billion and $26.0 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011. The Corporation may have the option to repurchase delinquent loans out of securitization trusts, which reduces the amount of servicing advances it is required to make. During 2012 and 2011, $9.2 billion and $9.0 billion of loans were repurchased from first-lien securitization trusts as a result of loan delinquencies or in order to perform modifications. The majority of these loans repurchased were FHA-insured mortgages collateralizing GNMA securities. In addition, the Corporation has retained commercial MSRs from the sale or securitization of commercial mortgage loans. Servicing advances on commercial mortgage loans, including securitizations where the Corporation has continuing involvement, were $186 million and $152 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011. For additional information on MSRs, see Note 24 – Mortgage Servicing Rights.
The table below summarizes select information related to first-lien mortgage securitization trusts in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First-lien VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Residential Mortgage
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
Non-agency
 
 

 

 
Agency
 
Prime
 
Subprime
 
Alt-A
 
Commercial Mortgage
 
December 31
 
December 31
 
December 31
(Dollars in millions)
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
 
2012
2011
Unconsolidated VIEs
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Maximum loss exposure (1)
$
28,591

$
37,519

 
$
2,038

$
2,375

 
$
410

$
289

 
$
367

$
506

 
$
702

$
981

On-balance sheet assets
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Senior securities held (2):
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Trading account assets
$
619

$
8,744

 
$
16

$
94

 
$
14

$
3

 
$

$
343

 
$
12

$
21

Available-for-sale debt securities
25,492

28,775

 
1,388

2,001

 
210

174

 
128

163

 
581

846

Subordinate securities held (2):
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Trading account assets


 


 
3

30

 


 
13

3

Available-for-sale debt securities


 
21

26

 
9

30

 


 


Residual interests held


 
18

8

 
9

9

 


 
40

43

All other assets (3)
2,480


 
64


 
1


 
239


 


Total retained positions
$
28,591

$
37,519

 
$
1,507

$
2,129

 
$
246

$
246

 
$
367

$
506

 
$
646

$
913

Principal balance outstanding (4)
$
797,315

$
1,198,766

 
$
45,819

$
61,207

 
$
53,822

$
73,949

 
$
71,990

$
101,622

 
$
56,733

$
76,645

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated VIEs
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Maximum loss exposure (1)
$
46,959

$
50,648

 
$
104

$
450

 
$
390

$
419

 
$

$

 
$

$

On-balance sheet assets
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Loans and leases
$
45,991

$
50,159

 
$
283

$
1,298

 
$
722

$
892

 
$

$

 
$

$

Allowance for loan and lease losses
(4
)
(6
)
 


 


 


 


Loans held-for-sale


 


 
914

622

 


 


All other assets
972

495

 
10

63

 
91

59

 


 


Total assets
$
46,959

$
50,648

 
$
293

$
1,361

 
$
1,727

$
1,573

 
$

$

 
$

$

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Other short-term borrowings
$

$

 
$

$

 
$
741

$
650

 
$

$

 
$

$

Long-term debt


 
212

1,360

 
941

911

 


 


All other liabilities


 


 

57

 


 


Total liabilities
$

$

 
$
212

$
1,360

 
$
1,682

$
1,618

 
$

$

 
$

$

(1) 
Maximum loss exposure excludes the liability for representations and warranties obligations and corporate guarantees and also excludes servicing advances and MSRs. For more information, see Note 8 – Representations and Warranties Obligations and Corporate Guarantees and Note 24 – Mortgage Servicing Rights.
(2) 
As a holder of these securities, the Corporation receives scheduled principal and interest payments. During 2012 and 2011, there were no OTTI losses recorded on those securities classified as AFS debt securities.
(3) 
Not included in the table above are all other assets of $12.1 billion and $11.0 billion, representing the unpaid principal balance of mortgage loans eligible for repurchase from unconsolidated residential mortgage securitization vehicles, principally guaranteed by GNMA, and all other liabilities of $12.1 billion and $11.0 billion, representing the principal amount that would be payable to the securitization vehicles if the Corporation were to exercise the repurchase option, at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
(4) 
Principal balance outstanding includes loans the Corporation transferred with which the Corporation has continuing involvement, which may include servicing the loans.
During 2012, the Corporation deconsolidated several prime residential mortgage trusts with total assets of $1.2 billion following the transfer of servicing to a third party.
As a result of a settlement agreement with Assured Guaranty Ltd. and its subsidiaries (Assured Guaranty) in 2011, the Corporation entered into a loss-sharing reinsurance arrangement involving 21 first-lien RMBS trusts. This obligation is a variable interest that could potentially be significant to the trusts. To the extent that the Corporation services all or a majority of the loans
in any of the 21 trusts, the Corporation is the primary beneficiary. At December 31, 2012, four of these trusts with total assets of $900 million were consolidated. Assets and liabilities of the consolidated trusts and the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure to consolidated and unconsolidated trusts are included in the table above as non-agency prime and subprime trusts. For additional information, see Note 8 – Representations and Warranties Obligations and Corporate Guarantees.
Home Equity Loans
The Corporation retains interests in home equity securitization trusts to which it transferred home equity loans. These retained interests include senior and subordinate securities and residual interests. In addition, the Corporation may be obligated to provide subordinate funding to the trusts during a rapid amortization event. The Corporation also services the loans in the trusts. Except as described below and in Note 8 – Representations and Warranties Obligations and Corporate Guarantees, the Corporation does not provide guarantees or recourse to the securitization trusts other than standard representations and warranties. There were no securitizations of home equity loans during 2012 and 2011. All of the home equity trusts have entered the rapid amortization phase, and accordingly, there were no collections reinvested in revolving period securitizations in 2012 and 2011.
The table below summarizes select information related to home equity loan securitization trusts in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Home Equity Loan VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31
 
2012
 
2011
(Dollars in millions)
Consolidated
VIEs
 
Unconsolidated
VIEs
 
Total
 
Consolidated
VIEs
 
Unconsolidated
VIEs
 
Total
Maximum loss exposure (1)
$
2,004

 
$
6,707

 
$
8,711

 
$
2,672

 
$
7,563

 
$
10,235

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$

 
$
8

 
$
8

 
$

 
$
5

 
$
5

Available-for-sale debt securities

 
14

 
14

 

 
13

 
13

Loans and leases
2,197

 

 
2,197

 
2,975

 

 
2,975

Allowance for loan and lease losses
(193
)
 

 
(193
)
 
(303
)
 

 
(303
)
Total
$
2,004

 
$
22

 
$
2,026

 
$
2,672

 
$
18

 
$
2,690

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Long-term debt
$
2,331

 
$

 
$
2,331

 
$
3,081

 
$

 
$
3,081

All other liabilities
92

 

 
92

 
66

 

 
66

Total
$
2,423

 
$

 
$
2,423

 
$
3,147

 
$

 
$
3,147

Principal balance outstanding
$
2,197

 
$
12,644

 
$
14,841

 
$
2,975

 
$
14,422

 
$
17,397

(1) 
For unconsolidated VIEs, the maximum loss exposure includes outstanding trust certificates issued by trusts in rapid amortization, net of recorded reserves, and excludes the liability for representations and warranties obligations and corporate guarantees.
Included in the table above are consolidated and unconsolidated home equity loan securitizations that have entered a rapid amortization period and for which the Corporation is obligated to provide subordinated funding. During this period, cash payments from borrowers are accumulated to repay outstanding debt securities and the Corporation continues to make advances to borrowers when they draw on their lines of credit. The Corporation then transfers the newly generated receivables into the securitization vehicles and is reimbursed only after other parties in the securitization have received all of the cash flows to which they are entitled. If loan losses requiring draws on monoline insurers’ policies, which protect the bondholders in the securitization, exceed a certain level, the Corporation may not receive reimbursement for all of the funds advanced to borrowers, as the senior bondholders and the monoline insurers have priority for repayment. The Corporation evaluates each of these securitizations for potential losses due to non-recoverable advances by estimating the amount and timing of future losses on the underlying loans, the excess spread available to cover such losses and potential cash flow shortfalls during rapid amortization. This evaluation, which includes the number of loans still in revolving status, the amount of available credit and when those loans will lose revolving status, is also used to determine whether the Corporation has a variable interest that is more than insignificant and must consolidate the trust. A maximum funding obligation attributable to rapid amortization cannot be calculated as a home equity borrower has the ability to pay down and re-draw balances. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, home equity loan securitizations in rapid amortization for which the Corporation has a subordinated funding obligation, including both consolidated and unconsolidated trusts, had $9.0 billion and $10.7 billion of trust certificates outstanding. This amount is significantly greater than the amount the Corporation expects to fund. The charges that will ultimately be recorded as a result of the rapid amortization events depend on the undrawn available credit on the home equity lines, which totaled $196 million and $460 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, as well as performance of the loans, the amount of subsequent draws and the timing of related cash flows. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the reserve for losses on expected future draw obligations on the home equity loan securitizations in rapid amortization for which the Corporation has a subordinated funding obligation was $51 million and $69 million.
The Corporation has consumer MSRs from the sale or securitization of home equity loans. The Corporation recorded $59 million and $62 million of servicing fee income related to home equity loan securitizations during 2012 and 2011. The Corporation repurchased $87 million and $28 million of loans from home equity securitization trusts in order to perform modifications during 2012 and 2011.

Credit Card Securitizations
The Corporation securitizes originated and purchased credit card loans. The Corporation’s continuing involvement with the securitization trusts includes servicing the receivables, retaining an undivided interest (seller’s interest) in the receivables, and holding certain retained interests including senior and subordinate securities, discount receivables, subordinate interests in accrued
interest and fees on the securitized receivables, and cash reserve accounts. The seller’s interest in the trusts, which is pari passu to the investors’ interest, and the discount receivables are classified in loans and leases.
The table below summarizes select information related to consolidated credit card securitization trusts in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
Credit Card VIEs
 
 
 
December 31
(Dollars in millions)
2012
 
2011
Consolidated VIEs
 
 
 
Maximum loss exposure
$
42,487

 
$
38,282

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

Derivative assets
$
323

 
$
788

Loans and leases (1)
66,427

 
74,793

Allowance for loan and lease losses
(3,445
)
 
(4,742
)
All other assets (2)
1,567

 
723

Total
$
64,872

 
$
71,562

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

Long-term debt
$
22,291

 
$
33,076

All other liabilities
94

 
204

Total
$
22,385

 
$
33,280

(1) 
At December 31, 2012 and 2011, loans and leases included $33.5 billion and $28.7 billion of seller’s interest and $124 million and $1.0 billion of discount receivables.
(2) 
At December 31, 2012 and 2011, all other assets included restricted cash and short-term investment accounts and unbilled accrued interest and fees.
The Corporation holds subordinate securities with a notional principal amount of $10.1 billion and $11.9 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011 and a stated interest rate of zero percent issued by certain credit card securitization trusts. In addition, during 2010 and 2009, the Corporation elected to designate a specified percentage of new receivables transferred to the trusts as “discount receivables” such that principal collections thereon are added to finance charges which increases the yield in the trust. Through the designation of newly transferred receivables as discount receivables, the Corporation subordinated a portion of its seller’s interest to the investors’ interest. These actions were taken to address the decline in the excess spread of the U.S. and U.K. credit card securitization trusts.
During 2012, the Corporation transferred $553 million of credit card receivables to a third-party sponsored securitization vehicle. The Corporation no longer services the credit card receivables and does not consolidate the vehicle. At December 31, 2012, the Corporation held a senior interest of $309 million in these receivables, classified as loans on the Corporation’s Consolidated Balance Sheet, that is not included in the table above.

Other Asset-backed Securitizations
Other asset-backed securitizations include resecuritization trusts, municipal bond trusts, and automobile and other securitization trusts. The table below summarizes select information related to other asset-backed securitizations in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Asset-backed VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Resecuritization Trusts
 
Municipal Bond Trusts
 
Automobile and Other
Securitization Trusts
 
December 31
 
December 31
 
December 31
(Dollars in millions)
2012
 
2011
 
2012
 
2011
 
2012
 
2011
Unconsolidated VIEs
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Maximum loss exposure
$
20,715

 
$
31,140

 
$
3,341

 
$
3,752

 
$
122

 
$
93

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Senior securities held (1, 2):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$
1,281

 
$
2,595

 
$
12

 
$
228

 
$
37

 
$

Available-for-sale debt securities
19,343

 
27,616

 
540

 

 
74

 
81

Subordinate securities held (1, 2):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Available-for-sale debt securities
75

 
544

 

 

 

 

Residual interests held (3)
16

 
385

 

 

 

 

All other assets

 

 

 

 
11

 
12

Total retained positions
$
20,715

 
$
31,140

 
$
552

 
$
228

 
$
122

 
$
93

Total assets of VIEs (4)
$
42,818

 
$
60,459

 
$
4,980

 
$
5,964

 
$
1,890

 
$
668

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated VIEs
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Maximum loss exposure
$
126

 
$

 
$
2,505

 
$
3,901

 
$
1,255

 
$
1,087

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$
220

 
$

 
$
2,505

 
$
3,901

 
$

 
$

Loans and leases

 

 

 

 
2,523

 
4,923

Allowance for loan and lease losses

 

 

 

 
(2
)
 
(7
)
All other assets

 

 

 

 
250

 
168

Total assets
$
220

 
$

 
$
2,505

 
$
3,901

 
$
2,771

 
$
5,084

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Other short-term borrowings
$

 
$

 
$
2,859

 
$
5,127

 
$

 
$

Long-term debt
94

 

 

 

 
1,513

 
3,992

All other liabilities

 

 

 

 
82

 
90

Total liabilities
$
94

 
$

 
$
2,859

 
$
5,127

 
$
1,595

 
$
4,082

(1) 
As a holder of these securities, the Corporation receives scheduled principal and interest payments. During 2012 and 2011, there were no OTTI losses recorded on those securities classified as AFS debt securities.
(2) 
The retained senior and subordinate securities were valued using quoted market prices or observable market inputs (Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy).
(3) 
The retained residual interests are carried at fair value which was derived using model valuations (Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy).
(4) 
Total assets include loans the Corporation transferred with which the Corporation has continuing involvement, which may include servicing the loan.
Resecuritization Trusts
The Corporation transfers existing securities, typically MBS, into resecuritization vehicles at the request of customers seeking securities with specific characteristics. The Corporation may also resecuritize securities within its investment portfolio for purposes of improving liquidity and capital, and managing credit or interest rate risk. Generally, there are no significant ongoing activities performed in a resecuritization trust and no single investor has the unilateral ability to liquidate the trust.
The Corporation resecuritized $45.6 billion of securities in 2012 and $33.6 billion in 2011. All of the securities transferred into resecuritization vehicles during 2012 were classified as trading account assets. As such, changes in fair value were recorded in trading account profits prior to the resecuritization and no gain or loss on sale was recorded. Gains on sale of $909 million were recorded in 2011. The Corporation consolidates a resecuritization trust if it has sole discretion over the design of the trust, including the identification of securities to be transferred in and the structure of securities to be issued, and also retains a variable interest that could potentially be significant to the trust. If one or a limited number of third-party investors share responsibility for the design of the trust and purchase a significant portion of securities, including subordinate securities issued by non-agency trusts, the Corporation does not consolidate the trust.
Municipal Bond Trusts
The Corporation administers municipal bond trusts that hold highly-rated, long-term, fixed-rate municipal bonds. A majority of the bonds are rated AAA or AA and some benefit from insurance provided by third parties. The trusts obtain financing by issuing floating-rate trust certificates that reprice on a weekly or other basis to third-party investors. The Corporation may serve as remarketing agent and/or liquidity provider for the trusts. The floating-rate investors have the right to tender the certificates at specified dates, often with as little as seven days’ notice. Should the Corporation be unable to remarket the tendered certificates, it is generally obligated to purchase them at par under standby liquidity facilities unless the bond’s credit rating has declined below investment grade or there has been an event of default or bankruptcy of the issuer and insurer.
The Corporation also provides credit enhancement to investors in certain municipal bond trusts whereby the Corporation guarantees the payment of interest and principal on floating-rate certificates issued by these trusts in the event of default by the issuer of the underlying municipal bond. If a customer holds the residual interest in a trust, that customer typically has the unilateral ability to liquidate the trust at any time, while the Corporation typically has the ability to trigger the liquidation of that trust if the market value of the bonds held in the trust declines below a specified threshold. This arrangement is designed to limit market losses to an amount that is less than the customer’s residual interest, effectively preventing the Corporation from absorbing losses incurred on assets held within that trust.
During 2012 and 2011, the Corporation was the transferor of assets into unconsolidated municipal bond trusts and received cash proceeds from new securitizations of $879 million and $733 million. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the principal balance outstanding for unconsolidated municipal bond securitization trusts for which the Corporation was transferor was $1.4 billion and $2.5 billion.
The Corporation’s liquidity commitments to unconsolidated municipal bond trusts, including those for which the Corporation was transferor, totaled $2.8 billion and $3.5 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011. The weighted-average remaining life of bonds held in the trusts at December 31, 2012 was 8.4 years. There were no material write-downs or downgrades of assets or issuers during 2012 and 2011.
Automobile and Other Securitization Trusts
The Corporation transfers automobile and other loans into securitization trusts, typically to improve liquidity or manage credit risk. During 2012, the Corporation transferred automobile loans into an unconsolidated automobile trust, receiving cash proceeds of $2.4 billion and recording a loss on sale of $7 million. At December 31, 2012, the Corporation serviced assets or otherwise had continuing involvement with automobile and other securitization trusts with outstanding balances of $4.7 billion, including trusts collateralized by automobile loans of $3.5 billion, student loans of $897 million and other loans of $290 million. At December 31, 2011, the Corporation serviced assets or otherwise had continuing involvement with automobile and other securitization trusts with outstanding balances of $5.8 billion, including trusts collateralized by automobile loans of $3.9 billion, student loans of $1.2 billion and other loans of $668 million.
Collateralized Debt Obligation Vehicles
CDO vehicles hold diversified pools of fixed-income securities, typically corporate debt or ABS, which they fund by issuing multiple tranches of debt and equity securities. Synthetic CDOs enter into a portfolio of CDS to synthetically create exposure to fixed-income securities. CLOs, which are a subset of CDOs, hold pools of loans, typically corporate loans or commercial mortgages. CDOs are typically managed by third-party portfolio managers. The Corporation transfers assets to these CDOs, holds securities issued by the CDOs and may be a derivative counterparty to the CDOs, including a CDS counterparty for synthetic CDOs. The Corporation has also entered into total return swaps with certain CDOs whereby the Corporation absorbs the economic returns generated by specified assets held by the CDO. The Corporation receives fees for structuring CDOs and providing liquidity support for super senior tranches of securities issued by certain CDOs. No third parties provide a significant amount of similar commitments to these CDOs.
The table below summarizes select information related to CDO vehicles in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CDO Vehicle VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31
 
2012
 
2011
(Dollars in millions)
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
 
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
Maximum loss exposure
$
2,201

 
$
1,376

 
$
3,577

 
$
1,695

 
$
2,272

 
$
3,967

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$
2,191

 
$
258

 
$
2,449

 
$
1,392

 
$
461

 
$
1,853

Derivative assets
10

 
301

 
311

 
452

 
678

 
1,130

All other assets

 
76

 
76

 

 
96

 
96

Total
$
2,201

 
$
635

 
$
2,836

 
$
1,844

 
$
1,235

 
$
3,079

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Derivative liabilities
$

 
$
9

 
$
9

 
$

 
$
11

 
$
11

Long-term debt
2,806

 
2

 
2,808

 
2,712

 
2

 
2,714

Total
$
2,806

 
$
11

 
$
2,817

 
$
2,712

 
$
13

 
$
2,725

Total assets of VIEs
$
2,201

 
$
26,985

 
$
29,186

 
$
1,844

 
$
32,903

 
$
34,747


The Corporation’s maximum loss exposure of $3.6 billion at December 31, 2012 included $2.2 billion of exposure to CDO financing facilities, $138 million of super senior CDO exposure and $1.3 billion of other non-super senior exposure. This exposure is calculated on a gross basis and does not reflect any benefit from insurance purchased from third parties. The CDO financing facilities, which are consolidated, obtain funding from third parties for CDO positions which are principally classified in trading account assets on the Corporation’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. The CDO financing facilities’ long-term debt at December 31, 2012 totaled $2.8 billion, all of which has recourse to the general credit of the Corporation. For unconsolidated CDO vehicles in the table above, the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure is significantly less than the total assets of the VIEs because the Corporation typically has exposure to only a portion of the total assets.
At December 31, 2012, the Corporation had $1.5 billion of aggregate liquidity exposure to CDOs. This amount includes $108 million of commitments to CDOs to provide funding for super senior exposures and $1.4 billion notional amount of derivative contracts with unconsolidated VIEs, principally CDO vehicles, which hold non-super senior CDO debt securities or other debt securities on the Corporation’s behalf. See Note 13 – Commitments and Contingencies for additional information. The Corporation’s liquidity exposure to CDOs at December 31, 2012 is included in the table above to the extent that the Corporation sponsored the CDO vehicle or the liquidity exposure is more than insignificant compared to total assets of the CDO vehicle. Liquidity exposure included in the table is reported net of previously recorded losses.
Customer Vehicles
Customer vehicles include credit-linked and equity-linked note vehicles, repackaging vehicles and asset acquisition vehicles, which are typically created on behalf of customers who wish to obtain market or credit exposure to a specific company or financial instrument.
The table below summarizes select information related to customer vehicles in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer Vehicle VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31
 
2012
 
2011
(Dollars in millions)
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
 
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
Maximum loss exposure
$
2,994

 
$
1,401

 
$
4,395

 
$
3,264

 
$
2,116

 
$
5,380

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$
2,882

 
$
98

 
$
2,980

 
$
3,302

 
$
211

 
$
3,513

Derivative assets

 
516

 
516

 

 
905

 
905

Loans and leases
523

 

 
523

 

 

 

Loans held-for-sale
950

 

 
950

 
907

 

 
907

All other assets
763

 

 
763

 
1,452

 

 
1,452

Total
$
5,118

 
$
614

 
$
5,732

 
$
5,661

 
$
1,116

 
$
6,777

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Derivative liabilities
$
26

 
$
7

 
$
33

 
$
4

 
$
42

 
$
46

Other short-term borrowings
131

 

 
131

 

 

 

Long-term debt
3,179

 

 
3,179

 
3,912

 

 
3,912

All other liabilities
3

 
382

 
385

 
1

 
448

 
449

Total
$
3,339

 
$
389

 
$
3,728

 
$
3,917

 
$
490

 
$
4,407

Total assets of VIEs
$
5,118

 
$
4,055

 
$
9,173

 
$
5,661

 
$
5,302

 
$
10,963


Credit-linked and equity-linked note vehicles issue notes which pay a return that is linked to the credit or equity risk of a specified company or debt instrument. The vehicles purchase high-grade assets as collateral and enter into CDS or equity derivatives to synthetically create the credit or equity risk to pay the specified return on the notes. The Corporation is typically the counterparty for some or all of the credit and equity derivatives and, to a lesser extent, it may invest in securities issued by the vehicles. The Corporation may also enter into interest rate or foreign currency derivatives with the vehicles. The Corporation also had other liquidity commitments, including written put options and collateral value guarantees, with unconsolidated credit-linked and equity-linked note vehicles of $742 million and $824 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
Repackaging vehicles issue notes that are designed to incorporate risk characteristics desired by customers. The vehicles hold debt instruments such as corporate bonds, convertible bonds or ABS with the desired credit risk profile. The Corporation enters into derivatives with the vehicles to change the interest rate or foreign currency profile of the debt instruments. If a vehicle holds convertible bonds and the Corporation retains the conversion option, the Corporation is deemed to have a controlling financial interest and consolidates the vehicle.
Asset acquisition vehicles acquire financial instruments, typically loans, at the direction of a single customer and obtain funding through the issuance of structured liabilities to the Corporation. At the time the vehicle acquires an asset, the Corporation enters into total return swaps with the customer such that the economic returns of the asset are passed through to the customer. The Corporation is exposed to counterparty credit risk if the asset declines in value and the customer defaults on its obligation to the Corporation under the total return swaps. The Corporation’s risk may be mitigated by collateral or other arrangements. The Corporation consolidates these vehicles because it has the power to manage the assets in the vehicles and holds all of the structured liabilities issued by the vehicles.
The Corporation’s maximum loss exposure from customer vehicles includes the notional amount of credit or equity derivatives to which the Corporation is a counterparty, net of losses previously recorded, and the Corporation’s investment, if any, in securities issued by the vehicles. It has not been reduced to reflect the benefit of offsetting swaps with the customers or collateral arrangements.
Other Variable Interest Entities
Other consolidated VIEs primarily include investment vehicles and leveraged lease trusts. Other unconsolidated VIEs primarily include investment vehicles and real estate vehicles.

The table below summarizes select information related to other VIEs in which the Corporation held a variable interest at December 31, 2012 and 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other VIEs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31
 
2012
 
2011
(Dollars in millions)
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
 
Consolidated
 
Unconsolidated
 
Total
Maximum loss exposure
$
5,608

 
$
6,492

 
$
12,100

 
$
7,429

 
$
7,286

 
$
14,715

On-balance sheet assets
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Trading account assets
$
108

 
$

 
$
108

 
$

 
$

 
$

Derivative assets

 
460

 
460

 
394

 
440

 
834

Available-for-sale debt securities

 
39

 
39

 

 
62

 
62

Loans and leases
4,561

 
67

 
4,628

 
5,154

 
357

 
5,511

Allowance for loan and lease losses
(14
)
 

 
(14
)
 
(8
)
 
(1
)
 
(9
)
Loans held-for-sale
105

 
157

 
262

 
106

 
598

 
704

All other assets
1,001

 
5,768

 
6,769

 
1,809

 
5,823

 
7,632

Total
$
5,761

 
$
6,491

 
$
12,252

 
$
7,455

 
$
7,279

 
$
14,734

On-balance sheet liabilities
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Derivative liabilities
$

 
$
9

 
$
9

 
$

 
$

 
$

Long-term debt
889

 

 
889

 
10

 

 
10

All other liabilities
63

 
1,683

 
1,746

 
694

 
1,705

 
2,399

Total
$
952

 
$
1,692

 
$
2,644

 
$
704

 
$
1,705

 
$
2,409

Total assets of VIEs
$
5,761

 
$
8,660

 
$
14,421

 
$
7,455

 
$
11,055

 
$
18,510


Investment Vehicles
The Corporation sponsors, invests in or provides financing to a variety of investment vehicles that hold loans, real estate, debt securities or other financial instruments and are designed to provide the desired investment profile to investors or the Corporation. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Corporation’s consolidated investment vehicles had total assets of $1.3 billion and $2.6 billion. The Corporation also held investments in unconsolidated vehicles with total assets of $3.0 billion and $5.5 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011. The Corporation’s maximum loss exposure associated with both consolidated and unconsolidated investment vehicles totaled $2.1 billion and $4.4 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011 comprised primarily of on-balance sheet assets less non-recourse liabilities.
Leveraged Lease Trusts
The Corporation’s net investment in consolidated leveraged lease trusts totaled $4.4 billion and $4.8 billion at December 31, 2012 and 2011. The trusts hold long-lived equipment such as rail cars, power generation and distribution equipment, and commercial aircraft. The Corporation structures the trusts and holds a significant residual interest. The net investment represents the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure to the trusts in the unlikely event that the leveraged lease investments become worthless. Debt issued by the leveraged lease trusts is non-recourse to the Corporation. The Corporation has no liquidity exposure to these leveraged lease trusts.
Real Estate Vehicles
The Corporation held investments in unconsolidated real estate vehicles of $5.4 billion at both December 31, 2012 and 2011, which primarily consist of investments in unconsolidated limited partnerships that finance the construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing and commercial real estate. An unrelated third party is typically the general partner and has control over the significant activities of the partnership. The Corporation earns a return primarily through the receipt of tax credits allocated to the real estate projects. The Corporation’s risk of loss is mitigated by policies requiring that the project qualify for the expected tax credits prior to making its investment. The Corporation may from time to time be asked to invest additional amounts to support a troubled project. Such additional investments have not been and are not expected to be significant.
Other Asset-backed Financing Arrangements
The Corporation transferred pools of securities to certain independent third parties and provided financing for up to 75 percent of the purchase price under asset-backed financing arrangements. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure under these financing arrangements was $2.5 billion and $4.7 billion, substantially all of which were classified as loans on the Corporation’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. All principal and interest payments have been received when due in accordance with their contractual terms. These arrangements are not included in the Other VIEs table because the purchasers are not VIEs.