Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions

v3.22.4
Regulatory Requirements and Restrictions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
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. 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 table below presents capital ratios and related information in accordance with Basel 3 Standardized and Advanced approaches as measured at December 31, 2022 and 2021 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, 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 
  December 31, 2021
Risk-based capital metrics:        
Common equity tier 1 capital $ 171,759  $ 171,759  $ 182,526  $ 182,526 
Tier 1 capital 196,465  196,465  182,526  182,526 
Total capital (4)
227,592  220,616  194,773  188,091 
Risk-weighted assets (in billions) 1,618  1,399  1,352  1,048 
Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 10.6  % 12.3  % 9.5  % 13.5  % 17.4  % 7.0  %
Tier 1 capital ratio 12.1  14.0  11.0  13.5  17.4  8.5 
Total capital ratio 14.1  15.8  13.0  14.4  17.9  10.5 
Leverage-based metrics:
Adjusted quarterly average assets (in billions) (5)
$ 3,087  $ 3,087  $ 2,414  $ 2,414 
Tier 1 leverage ratio 6.4  % 6.4  % 4.0  7.6  % 7.6  % 5.0 
Supplementary leverage exposure (in billions) $ 3,604  $ 2,824 
Supplementary leverage ratio 5.5  % 5.0  6.5  % 6.0 
(1)As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, 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 capital conservation buffer and global systemically important bank (G-SIB) surcharge were 2.5 percent at both December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Corporation’s stress capital buffer applied in place of the capital conservation buffer under the Standardized approach was 3.4 percent at December 31, 2022 and 2.5 percent at December 31, 2021. The countercyclical capital buffer for both periods was zero. The 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 or the SCB, as applicable, of 3.4 percent at December 31, 2022 and 2.5 percent at December 31, 2021. The SLR regulatory minimum includes a leverage buffer of 2.0 percent.
(3)Risk-based capital regulatory minimums at December 31, 2022 and 2021 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, 2022 and 2021, the Corporation and its banking entity affiliates were well capitalized.
Other Regulatory Matters
At December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Corporation had cash and cash equivalents in the amount of $5.6 billion and $4.0 billion, and securities with a fair value of $16.6 billion and $10.6 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, 2022 and 2021, the Corporation had cash deposited with clearing organizations of $20.7 billion and $28.6 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 2022, the Corporation received dividends of $22.0 billion from BANA and $250 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 2023, BANA can declare and pay dividends of approximately $16.1 billion to the Corporation plus an additional amount equal to its retained net profits for 2023 up to the date of any such dividend declaration. Bank of America California, N.A. can pay dividends of $173 million in 2023 plus an additional amount equal to its retained net profits for 2023 up to the date of any such dividend declaration.