Bank of America Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

In the normal course of business, the Corporation enters into a number of off-balance sheet commitments. These commitments expose the Corporation to varying degrees of credit and market risk and are subject to the same credit and market risk limitation reviews as those instruments recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Credit Extension Commitments

The Corporation enters into commitments to extend credit such as loan commitments, SBLCs and commercial letters of credit to meet the financing needs of its customers. The following table includes the notional amount of unfunded legally binding lending commitments net of amounts distributed (i.e., syndicated or participated) to other financial institutions. The distributed amounts were $10.5 billion and $10.6 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019. The carrying value of these commitments at December 31, 2020 and 2019, excluding commitments accounted for under the fair value option, was

$1.9 billion and $829 million, which primarily related to the reserve for unfunded lending commitments. The carrying value of these commitments is classified in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Legally binding commitments to extend credit generally have specified rates and maturities. Certain of these commitments have adverse change clauses that help to protect the Corporation against deterioration in the borrower’s ability to pay.

The table below includes the notional amount of commitments of $4.0 billion and $4.4 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019 that are accounted for under the fair value option. However, the table excludes cumulative net fair value of $99 million and $90 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019 on these commitments, which is classified in accrued expenses and other liabilities. For more information regarding the Corporation’s loan commitments accounted for under the fair value option, see Note 21 – Fair Value Option.



Credit Extension Commitments

	Expire in One Year or Less		Expire After One Year Through Three Years		Expire After Three Years Through Five Years		Expire After Five Years		Total
(Dollars in millions)	December 31, 2020
Notional amount of credit extension commitments
Loan commitments (1)	$	109,406	$	171,887	$	139,508	$	16,091	$	436,892
Home equity lines of credit	710		2,992		8,738		29,892		42,332
Standby letters of credit and financial guarantees (2)	19,962		12,038		2,397		1,257		35,654
Letters of credit (3)	886		197		25		27		1,135
Legally binding commitments	130,964		187,114		150,668		47,267		516,013
Credit card lines (4)	384,955		—		—		—		384,955
Total credit extension commitments	$	515,919	$	187,114	$	150,668	$	47,267	$	900,968

	December 31, 2019
Notional amount of credit extension commitments
Loan commitments (1)	$	97,454	$	148,000	$	173,699	$	24,487	$	443,640
Home equity lines of credit	1,137		1,948		6,351		34,134		43,570
Standby letters of credit and financial guarantees (2)	21,311		11,512		3,712		408		36,943
Letters of credit (3)	1,156		254		65		25		1,500
Legally binding commitments	121,058		161,714		183,827		59,054		525,653
Credit card lines (4)	376,067		—		—		—		376,067
Total credit extension commitments	$	497,125	$	161,714	$	183,827	$	59,054	$	901,720

(1) At December 31, 2020 and 2019, $4.8 billion and $5.1 billion of these loan commitments were held in the form of a security.

(2) The notional amounts of SBLCs and financial guarantees classified as investment grade and non-investment grade based on the credit quality of the underlying reference name within the instrument were $25.0 billion and $10.2 billion at December 31, 2020, and $27.9 billion and $8.6 billion at December 31, 2019. Amounts in the table include consumer SBLCs of $500 million and $413 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

(3) At December 31, 2020 and 2019, included are letters of credit of $1.8 billion and $1.4 billion related to certain liquidity commitments of VIEs. For more information, see Note 6 – Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities.

(4) Includes business card unused lines of credit.

Other Commitments

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had commitments to purchase loans (e.g., residential mortgage and commercial real estate) of $93 million and $86 million, which upon settlement will be included in trading account assets, loans or LHFS, and commitments to purchase commercial loans of $645 million and $1.1 billion, which upon settlement will be included in trading account assets.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had commitments to purchase commodities, primarily liquefied natural gas, of $582 million and $830 million, which upon settlement will be included in trading account assets.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had commitments to enter into resale and forward-dated resale and securities borrowing agreements of $66.5 billion and $97.2 billion, and commitments to enter into forward-dated repurchase and securities lending agreements of $32.1 billion and $24.9 billion. These commitments generally expire within the next 12 months.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had a commitment to originate or purchase up to $3.9 billion and $3.3 billion on a rolling 12-month basis, of auto loans and leases from a strategic partner. This commitment extends through November 2022 and can be terminated with 12 months prior notice.

Other Guarantees

Bank-owned Life Insurance Book Value Protection

The Corporation sells products that offer book value protection to insurance carriers who offer group life insurance policies to corporations, primarily banks. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the notional amount of these guarantees totaled $7.1 billion and $7.3 billion. At both December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation’s maximum exposure related to these guarantees totaled $1.1 billion, with estimated maturity dates between 2033 and 2039.

Indemnifications

In the ordinary course of business, the Corporation enters into various agreements that contain indemnifications, such as tax indemnifications, whereupon payment may become due if certain external events occur, such as a change in tax law. The indemnification clauses are often standard contractual terms and were entered into in the normal course of business based on an assessment that the risk of loss would be remote. These agreements typically contain an early termination clause that permits the Corporation to exit the agreement upon these events. The maximum potential future payment under indemnification agreements is difficult to assess for several reasons, including the occurrence of an external event, the inability to predict future changes in tax and other laws, the difficulty in determining how such laws would apply to parties in contracts, the absence of exposure limits contained in standard contract language and the timing of any early termination clauses. Historically, any payments made under these guarantees have been de minimis. The Corporation has assessed the probability of making such payments in the future as remote.

Merchant Services

Prior to July 1, 2020, a significant portion of the Corporation's merchant processing activity was performed by a joint venture in which the Corporation held a 49 percent ownership interest. On July 29, 2019, the Corporation gave notice to the joint venture partner of the termination of the joint venture upon the conclusion of its current term on June 30, 2020. Effective July 1, 2020, the Corporation received its share of the joint venture's merchant contracts and began performing merchant processing services for these merchants. While merchants bear responsibility for any credit or debit card charges properly reversed by the cardholder, the Corporation, in its role as merchant acquirer, may be held liable for any reversed charges that cannot be collected from the merchants due to, among other things, merchant fraud or insolvency.

The Corporation, as a card network member bank, also sponsors other merchant acquirers, principally its former joint venture partner with respect to merchant contracts distributed to that partner upon the termination of the joint venture. If charges are properly reversed after a purchase and cannot be collected from either the merchants or merchant acquirers, the Corporation may be held liable for these reversed charges. The ability to reverse a charge is primarily governed by the applicable regulatory and card network rules, which include, but are not limited to, the type of charge, type of payment used and time limits. For the six-months ended December 31, 2020, the Corporation processed an aggregate purchase volume of $339.2 billion. The Corporation’s risk in this area primarily relates to circumstances where a cardholder has purchased goods or services for future delivery. The Corporation mitigates this risk by requiring cash deposits, guarantees, letters of credit or other types of collateral from certain merchants. The Corporation’s reserves for contingent losses and the losses incurred related to the merchant processing activity were not significant. The Corporation continues to monitor its exposure in this area due to the potential economic impacts of COVID-19.

Exchange and Clearing House Member Guarantees

The Corporation is a member of various securities and derivative exchanges and clearinghouses, both in the U.S. and other countries. As a member, the Corporation may be required to pay a pro-rata share of the losses incurred by some of these organizations as a result of another member default and under other loss scenarios. The Corporation’s potential obligations may be limited to its membership interests in such exchanges and clearinghouses, to the amount (or multiple) of the Corporation’s contribution to the guarantee fund or, in limited instances, to the full pro-rata share of the residual losses after applying the guarantee fund. The Corporation’s maximum potential exposure under these membership agreements is difficult to estimate; however, the Corporation has assessed the probability of making any such payments as remote.

Prime Brokerage and Securities Clearing Services

In connection with its prime brokerage and clearing businesses, the Corporation performs securities clearance and settlement services with other brokerage firms and clearinghouses on behalf of its clients. Under these arrangements, the Corporation stands ready to meet the obligations of its clients with respect to securities transactions. The Corporation’s obligations in this respect are secured by the assets in the clients’ accounts and the accounts of their customers as well as by any proceeds received from the transactions cleared and settled by the Corporation on behalf of clients or their customers. The Corporation’s maximum potential exposure under these arrangements is difficult to estimate; however, the potential for the Corporation to incur material losses pursuant to these arrangements is remote.

Fixed Income Clearing Corporation Sponsored Member Repo Program

The Corporation acts as a sponsoring member in a repo program whereby the Corporation clears certain eligible resale and repurchase agreements through the Government Securities Division of the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation on behalf of clients that are sponsored members in accordance with the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation’s rules. As part of this program, the Corporation guarantees the payment and performance of its sponsored members to the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation. The Corporation’s guarantee obligation is

secured by a security interest in cash or high-quality securities collateral placed by clients with the clearinghouse and therefore, the potential for the Corporation to incur significant losses under this arrangement is remote. The Corporation’s maximum potential exposure, without taking into consideration the related collateral, was $22.5 billion and $9.3 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Other Guarantees

The Corporation has entered into additional guarantee agreements and commitments, including sold risk participation swaps, liquidity facilities, lease-end obligation agreements, partial credit guarantees on certain leases, real estate joint venture guarantees, divested business commitments and sold put options that require gross settlement. The maximum potential future payments under these agreements are approximately $8.8 billion and $8.7 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019. The estimated maturity dates of these obligations extend up to 2049. The Corporation has made no material payments under these guarantees. For more information on maximum potential future payments under VIE-related liquidity commitments, see Note 6 – Securitizations and Other Variable Interest Entities.

In the normal course of business, the Corporation periodically guarantees the obligations of its affiliates in a variety of transactions including ISDA-related transactions and non-ISDA related transactions such as commodities trading, repurchase agreements, prime brokerage agreements and other transactions.

Guarantees of Certain Long-term Debt

The Corporation, as the parent company, fully and unconditionally guarantees the securities issued by BofA Finance LLC, a consolidated finance subsidiary of the Corporation, and effectively provides for the full and unconditional guarantee of trust securities issued by certain statutory trust companies that are 100 percent owned finance subsidiaries of the Corporation.

Representations and Warranties Obligations and Corporate Guarantees

The Corporation securitizes first-lien residential mortgage loans generally in the form of RMBS guaranteed by the GSEs or by GNMA in the case of FHA-insured, VA-guaranteed and Rural Housing Service-guaranteed mortgage loans, and sells pools of first-lien residential mortgage loans in the form of whole loans. In addition, in prior years, legacy companies and certain subsidiaries sold pools of first-lien residential mortgage loans and home equity loans as private-label securitizations or in the form of whole loans. In connection with these transactions, the Corporation or certain of its subsidiaries or legacy companies make and have made various representations and warranties. Breaches of these representations and warranties have resulted in and may continue to result in the requirement to repurchase mortgage loans or to otherwise make whole or provide indemnification or other remedies to sponsors, investors, securitization trusts, guarantors, insurers or other parties (collectively, repurchases).

Unresolved Repurchase Claims

Unresolved representations and warranties repurchase claims represent the notional amount of repurchase claims made by counterparties, typically the outstanding principal balance or the unpaid principal balance at the time of default. In the case of first-lien mortgages, the claim amount is often significantly

greater than the expected loss amount due to the benefit of collateral and, in some cases, mortgage insurance or mortgage guarantee payments.

The notional amount of unresolved repurchase claims at December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $8.5 billion and $10.7 billion. These balances included $2.9 billion and $3.7 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019 of claims related to loans in specific private-label securitization groups or tranches where the Corporation owns substantially all of the outstanding securities or will otherwise realize the benefit of any repurchase claims paid.

During 2020, the Corporation received $89 million in new repurchase claims that were not time-barred. During 2020, $2.4 billion in claims were resolved, including $168 million of claims that were deemed time-barred.

Reserve and Related Provision

The reserve for representations and warranties obligations and corporate guarantees was $1.3 billion and $1.8 billion at December 31, 2020 and 2019 and is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and the related provision is included in other income in the Consolidated Statement of Income. The representations and warranties reserve represents the Corporation’s best estimate of probable incurred losses, is based on its experience in previous negotiations, and is subject to judgment, a variety of assumptions, and known or unknown uncertainties. Future representations and warranties losses may occur in excess of the amounts recorded for these exposures; however, the Corporation does not expect such amounts to be material to the Corporation's financial condition and liquidity. See Litigation and Regulatory Matters below for the Corporation's combined range of possible loss in excess of the reserve for representations and warranties and the accrued liability for litigation.

Litigation and Regulatory Matters

In the ordinary course of business, the Corporation and its subsidiaries are routinely defendants in or parties to many pending and threatened legal, regulatory and governmental actions and proceedings. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of such matters, particularly where the claimants seek very large or indeterminate damages or where the matters present novel legal theories or involve a large number of parties, the Corporation generally cannot predict the eventual outcome of the pending matters, timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters, or eventual loss, fines or penalties related to each pending matter.

As a matter develops, the Corporation, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, evaluates whether such matter presents a loss contingency that is probable and estimable, and, for the matters disclosed in this Note, whether a loss in excess of any accrued liability is reasonably possible in future periods. Once the loss contingency is deemed to be both probable and estimable, the Corporation will establish an accrued liability and record a corresponding amount of litigation-related expense. The Corporation continues to monitor the matter for further developments that could affect the amount of the accrued liability that has been previously established. Excluding expenses of internal and external legal service providers, litigation-related expense of $823 million and $681 million was recognized in 2020 and 2019.

For the matters disclosed in this Note for which a loss in future periods is reasonably possible and estimable (whether in excess of an accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability) and for representations and warranties exposures, the Corporation’s estimated range of possible loss is $0 to $1.3

billion in excess of the accrued liability, if any, as of December 31, 2020.

The accrued liability and estimated range of possible loss are based upon currently available information and subject to significant judgment, a variety of assumptions and known and unknown uncertainties. The matters underlying the accrued liability and estimated range of possible loss are unpredictable and may change from time to time, and actual losses may vary significantly from the current estimate and accrual. The estimated range of possible loss does not represent the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure.

Information is provided below regarding the nature of the litigation and associated claimed damages. Based on current knowledge, and taking into account accrued liabilities, management does not believe that loss contingencies arising from pending matters, including the matters described herein, will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition or liquidity of the Corporation. However, in light of the significant judgment, variety of assumptions and uncertainties involved in these matters, some of which are beyond the Corporation’s control, and the very large or indeterminate damages sought in some of these matters, an adverse outcome in one or more of these matters could be material to the Corporation’s business or results of operations for any particular reporting period, or cause significant reputational harm.

Ambac Bond Insurance Litigation

Ambac Assurance Corporation and the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corporation (together, Ambac) have filed four separate lawsuits against the Corporation and its subsidiaries relating to bond insurance policies Ambac provided on certain securitized pools of HELOCs, first-lien subprime home equity loans, fixed-rate second-lien mortgage loans and negative amortization pay option adjustable-rate mortgage loans. Ambac alleges that they have paid or will pay claims as a result of defaults in the underlying loans and asserts that the defendants misrepresented the characteristics of the underlying loans and/or breached certain contractual representations and warranties regarding the underwriting and servicing of the loans. In those actions where the Corporation is named as a defendant, Ambac contends the Corporation is liable on various successor and vicarious liability theories. These actions are at various procedural stages with material developments provided below.

Ambac v. Countrywide I

The Corporation, and several Countrywide entities are named as defendants in an action filed on September 28, 2010 in New York Supreme Court. Ambac asserts claims for fraudulent inducement as well as breach of contract and seeks damages in excess of $2.2 billion, plus punitive damages.

On May 16, 2017, the First Department issued its decisions on the parties' cross-appeals of the trial court's October 22, 2015 summary judgment rulings. Ambac appealed the First Department's rulings requiring Ambac to prove all of the elements of its fraudulent inducement claim, including justifiable reliance and loss causation; restricting Ambac's sole remedy for its breach of contract claims to the repurchase protocol of cure, repurchase or substitution of any materially defective loan; and dismissing Ambac's claim for reimbursements of attorneys' fees. On June 27, 2018, the New York Court of Appeals affirmed the First Department rulings that Ambac appealed.

On December 4, 2020, the New York Supreme Court dismissed Ambac’s fraudulent inducement claim. Ambac appealed the dismissal.

Ambac v. Countrywide II

On December 30, 2014, Ambac filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court against the same defendants, claiming fraudulent inducement against Countrywide, and successor and vicarious liability against the Corporation. Ambac seeks damages in excess of $600 million, plus punitive damages.

Ambac v. Countrywide IV

On July 21, 2015, Ambac filed an action in New York Supreme Court against Countrywide asserting the same claims for fraudulent inducement that Ambac asserted in the now-dismissed Ambac v. Countrywide III. The complaint seeks damages in excess of $350 million, plus punitive damages. On December 8, 2020, the New York Supreme Court dismissed Ambac’s complaint. Ambac appealed the dismissal.

Ambac v. First Franklin

On April 16, 2012, Ambac filed an action against BANA, First Franklin and various Merrill Lynch entities, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, in New York Supreme Court relating to guaranty insurance Ambac provided on a First Franklin securitization sponsored by Merrill Lynch. The complaint alleges fraudulent inducement and breach of contract, including breach of contract claims against BANA based upon its servicing of the loans in the securitization. Ambac seeks as damages hundreds of millions of dollars that Ambac alleges it has paid or will pay in claims.

Deposit Insurance Assessment

On January 9, 2017, the FDIC filed suit against BANA in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging failure to pay a December 15, 2016 invoice for additional deposit insurance assessments and interest in the amount of $542 million for the quarters ending June 30, 2013 through December 31, 2014. On April 7, 2017, the FDIC amended its complaint to add a claim for additional deposit insurance and interest in the amount of $583 million for the quarters ending March 31, 2012 through March 31, 2013. The FDIC asserts these claims based on BANA’s alleged underreporting of counterparty exposures that resulted in underpayment of assessments for those quarters and its Enforcement Section is also conducting a parallel investigation related to the same alleged reporting error. BANA disagrees with the FDIC’s interpretation of the regulations as they existed during the relevant time period and is defending itself against the FDIC’s claims. Pending final resolution, BANA has pledged security satisfactory to the FDIC related to the disputed additional assessment amounts. On March 27, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied BANA’s partial motion to dismiss certain of the FDIC’s claims.

LIBOR, Other Reference Rates, Foreign Exchange (FX) and Bond Trading Matters

Government authorities in the U.S. and various international jurisdictions continue to conduct investigations of, to make inquiries of, and to pursue proceedings against, the Corporation

and its subsidiaries regarding FX and other reference rates as well as government, sovereign, supranational and agency bonds in connection with conduct and systems and controls. The Corporation is cooperating with these inquiries and investigations, and responding to the proceedings.

LIBOR

The Corporation, BANA and certain Merrill Lynch entities have been named as defendants along with most of the other LIBOR panel banks in a number of individual and putative class actions by persons alleging they sustained losses on U.S. dollar LIBOR-based financial instruments as a result of collusion or manipulation by defendants regarding the setting of U.S. dollar LIBOR. Plaintiffs assert a variety of claims, including antitrust, Commodity Exchange Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO), Securities Exchange Act of 1934, common law fraud and breach of contract claims, and seek compensatory, treble and punitive damages, and injunctive relief. All but one of the cases naming the Corporation and its affiliates relating to U.S. dollar LIBOR are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The District Court has dismissed all RICO claims, and dismissed all manipulation claims against Bank of America entities based on alleged trader conduct. The District Court has also substantially limited the scope of antitrust, Commodity Exchange Act and various other claims, including by dismissing in their entirety certain individual and putative class plaintiffs’ antitrust claims for lack of standing and/or personal jurisdiction. Plaintiffs whose antitrust claims were dismissed by the District Court are pursuing appeals in the Second Circuit. Certain individual and putative class actions remain pending against the Corporation, BANA and certain Merrill Lynch entities.

On February 28, 2018, the District Court granted certification of a class of persons that purchased OTC swaps and notes that referenced U.S. dollar LIBOR from one of the U.S. dollar LIBOR panel banks, limited to claims under Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit subsequently denied a petition filed by the defendants for interlocutory appeal of that ruling.

U.S. Bank - Harborview and SURF/OWNIT Repurchase Litigation

Beginning in 2011, U.S. Bank, National Association (U.S. Bank), as trustee for the HarborView Mortgage Loan Trust 2005-10 and various SURF/OWNIT RMBS trusts filed complaints against the Corporation, Countrywide entities, Merrill Lynch entities and other affiliates in New York Supreme Court alleging breaches of representations and warranties. The defendants and certain certificate-holders in the trusts agreed to settle the respective matters in amounts not material to the Corporation, subject to acceptance by U.S. Bank. The litigations have been stayed pending finalization of the settlements.