Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions

v3.24.0.1
Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Banking and Thrift, Interest [Abstract]  
Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions
The Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and FDIC (collectively, U.S. banking regulators) jointly establish regulatory capital adequacy rules, including Basel 3, for U.S. banking organizations. As a financial holding company, the Corporation is subject to capital adequacy rules issued by the Federal Reserve. The Corporation’s banking entity affiliates are subject to capital adequacy rules issued by the OCC.
The Corporation and its primary banking entity affiliate, BANA, are Advanced approaches institutions under Basel 3. As Advanced approaches institutions, the Corporation and its
banking entity affiliates are required to report regulatory risk-based capital ratios and risk-weighted assets under both the Standardized and Advanced approaches. The approach that yields the lower ratio is used to assess capital adequacy, including under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework.
The Corporation is required to maintain a minimum supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) of 3.0 percent plus a leverage buffer of 2.0 percent in order to avoid certain restrictions on capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments to executive officers. The Corporation’s insured depository institution subsidiaries are required to maintain a minimum 6.0 percent SLR to be considered well capitalized under the PCA framework.
The following table presents capital ratios and related information in accordance with Basel 3 Standardized and Advanced approaches as measured at December 31, 2023 and 2022 for the Corporation and BANA.
Regulatory Capital under Basel 3
Bank of America Corporation Bank of America, N.A.
Standardized Approach (1)
Advanced Approaches (1)
Regulatory Minimum (2)
Standardized Approach (1)
Advanced Approaches (1)
Regulatory Minimum (3)
(Dollars in millions, except as noted) December 31, 2023
Risk-based capital metrics:    
Common equity tier 1 capital $ 194,928  $ 194,928  $ 187,621  $ 187,621 
Tier 1 capital 223,323  223,323  187,621  187,621 
Total capital (4)
251,399  241,449  201,932  192,175 
Risk-weighted assets (in billions) 1,651  1,459  1,395  1,114 
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 11.8  % 13.4  % 9.5  % 13.5  % 16.8  % 7.0  %
Tier 1 capital ratio 13.5  15.3  11.0  13.5  16.8  8.5 
Total capital ratio 15.2  16.6  13.0  14.5  17.2  10.5 
Leverage-based metrics:
Adjusted quarterly average assets (in billions) (5)
$ 3,135  $ 3,135  $ 2,471  $ 2,471 
Tier 1 leverage ratio 7.1  % 7.1  % 4.0  7.6  % 7.6  % 5.0 
Supplementary leverage exposure (in billions) $ 3,676  $ 2,910 
Supplementary leverage ratio 6.1  % 5.0  6.4  % 6.0 
  December 31, 2022
Risk-based capital metrics:        
Common equity tier 1 capital $ 180,060  $ 180,060  $ 181,089  $ 181,089 
Tier 1 capital 208,446  208,446  181,089  181,089 
Total capital (4)
238,773  230,916  194,254  186,648 
Risk-weighted assets (in billions) 1,605  1,411  1,386  1,087 
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 11.2  % 12.8  % 10.4  % 13.1  % 16.7  % 7.0  %
Tier 1 capital ratio 13.0  14.8  11.9  13.1  16.7  8.5 
Total capital ratio 14.9  16.4  13.9  14.0  17.2  10.5 
Leverage-based metrics:
Adjusted quarterly average assets (in billions) (5)
$ 2,997  $ 2,997  $ 2,358  $ 2,358 
Tier 1 leverage ratio 7.0  % 7.0  % 4.0  7.7  % 7.7  % 5.0 
Supplementary leverage exposure (in billions) $ 3,523  $ 2,785 
Supplementary leverage ratio 5.9  % 5.0  6.5  % 6.0 
(1)As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, capital ratios are calculated using the regulatory capital rule that allows a five-year transition period related to the adoption of the current expected credit losses accounting standard on January 1, 2020.
(2)The common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital regulatory minimum is the sum of the CET1 capital ratio minimum of 4.5 percent, the Corporation’s G-SIB surcharge of 2.5 percent and the Corporation’s capital conservation buffer of 2.5 percent (under the Advanced approaches) or the stress capital buffer of 2.5 percent at December 31, 2023 and 3.4 percent at December 31, 2022 (under the Standardized approach), as applicable. The countercyclical capital buffer was zero for both periods. The SLR regulatory minimum includes a leverage buffer of 2.0 percent.
(3)Risk-based capital regulatory minimums at both December 31, 2023 and 2022 are the minimum ratios under Basel 3 including a capital conservation buffer of 2.5 percent. The regulatory minimums for the leverage ratios as of both period ends are the percent required to be considered well capitalized under the PCA framework.
(4)Total capital under the Advanced approaches differs from the Standardized approach due to differences in the amount permitted in Tier 2 capital related to the qualifying allowance for credit losses.
(5)Reflects total average assets adjusted for certain Tier 1 capital deductions.
The capital adequacy rules issued by the U.S. banking regulators require institutions to meet the established minimums outlined in the table above. Failure to meet the minimum requirements can lead to certain mandatory and discretionary actions by regulators that could have a material adverse impact on the Corporation’s financial position. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Corporation and its banking entity affiliates were well capitalized.
Other Regulatory Matters
At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Corporation had cash and cash equivalents in the amount of $3.6 billion and $5.6 billion, and securities with a fair value of $18.0 billion and $16.6 billion that were segregated in compliance with securities regulations. Cash and cash equivalents segregated in compliance with securities regulations are a component of restricted cash. For more information, see Note 10 – Securities Financing Agreements, Short-term Borrowings, Collateral and Restricted Cash. In addition, at December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Corporation had cash deposited with clearing organizations of $23.7 billion and $20.7 billion primarily recorded in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Bank Subsidiary Distributions
The primary sources of funds for cash distributions by the Corporation to its shareholders are capital distributions received from its bank subsidiaries, BANA and Bank of America California, N.A. In 2023, the Corporation received dividends of $22.2 billion from BANA and $199 million from Bank of America California, N.A.
The amount of dividends that a subsidiary bank may declare in a calendar year without OCC approval is the subsidiary bank’s net profits for that year combined with its retained net profits for the preceding two years. Retained net profits, as defined by the OCC, consist of net income less dividends declared during the period. In 2024, BANA can declare and pay dividends of approximately $12.0 billion to the Corporation plus an additional amount equal to its retained net profits for 2024 up to the date of any such dividend declaration. Bank of America California, N.A. can pay dividends of $66 million in 2024 plus an additional amount equal to its retained net profits for 2024 up to the date of any such dividend declaration.