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Summary of Significant Accounting Principles
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9 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sep. 30, 2014
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| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of Significant Accounting Principles |
Bank of America Corporation (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the Corporation), a bank holding company and a financial holding company, provides a diverse range of financial services and products throughout the U.S. and in certain international markets. The term "the Corporation" as used herein may refer to Bank of America Corporation individually, Bank of America Corporation and its subsidiaries, or certain of Bank of America Corporation's subsidiaries or affiliates.
The Corporation conducts its activities through banking and non-banking subsidiaries. Prior to October 1, 2014, the Corporation operated its banking activities primarily under two charters: Bank of America, National Association (Bank of America, N.A. or BANA) and, to a lesser extent, FIA Card Services, National Association (FIA Card Services, N.A. or FIA). On October 1, 2014, FIA was merged into BANA.
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Corporation and its majority-owned subsidiaries, and those variable interest entities (VIEs) where the Corporation is the primary beneficiary. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Results of operations of acquired companies are included from the dates of acquisition and for VIEs, from the dates that the Corporation became the primary beneficiary. Assets held in an agency or fiduciary capacity are not included in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Corporation accounts for investments in companies for which it owns a voting interest and for which it has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financing decisions using the equity method of accounting or at fair value under the fair value option. These investments are included in other assets. Equity method investments are subject to impairment testing and the Corporation's proportionate share of income or loss is included in equity investment income.
The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Realized results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.
These unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements of the Corporation's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The nature of the Corporation's business is such that the results of any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which consist of normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim period results have been made. The Corporation evaluates subsequent events through the date of filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation.
In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued new accounting guidance on classification and measurement of foreclosed mortgage loans that are government guaranteed. This new guidance states that such foreclosed properties should be classified as other assets and measured based on the amount of the loan balance expected to be recovered from the guarantor. The new guidance is effective beginning on January 1, 2015 using either a prospective or modified retrospective transition method. This new guidance will not have a material impact on the Corporation's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In August 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that provides a measurement alternative for entities that consolidate a collateralized financing entity (CFE). The new guidance allows an entity to measure both the financial assets and financial liabilities of a CFE using the fair value of either the financial assets or financial liabilities, whichever is more observable. This alternative is available for CFEs where the financial assets and financial liabilities are carried at fair value and changes in fair value are reported in earnings. The new guidance is effective beginning on January 1, 2016. This new guidance will not have a material impact on the Corporation's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In June 2014, the FASB issued new guidance on accounting and disclosure of repurchase-to-maturity (RTM) transactions and repurchase financings (repos). Under this new accounting guidance, RTMs will be accounted for as secured borrowings rather than sales of an asset, and transfers of financial assets with a contemporaneous repo will no longer be evaluated to determine whether they should be accounted for on a combined basis as forward contracts. The new guidance also prescribes additional disclosures particularly on the nature of collateral pledged in repos accounted for as secured borrowings. The new guidance is effective beginning on January 1, 2015. This new guidance will not have a material impact on the Corporation's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In May 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The new accounting guidance, which does not apply to financial instruments, is effective on a retrospective basis beginning on January 1, 2017. The Corporation does not expect the new guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In January 2014, the FASB issued new guidance on accounting for qualified affordable housing projects which permits entities to make an accounting policy election to apply the proportional amortization method when specific conditions are met. The new accounting guidance is effective on a retrospective basis beginning on January 1, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Corporation is currently assessing whether it will adopt the proportional amortization method. If adopted, the Corporation does not expect it to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Corporation settled and effectively resolved the federal examinations related to years 2005 through 2009 and all open Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (Merrill Lynch) years through 2008 as well as various state and local examinations for multiple years. Primarily as a result of these resolutions, the balance of the Corporation's gross unrecognized tax benefits (UTB) has decreased to $1.0 billion at September 30, 2014, from $3.1 billion as of December 31, 2013. The portion of the UTB which would, if recognized, affect the Corporation's effective tax rate was $0.7 billion at September 30, 2014. It is reasonably possible that the UTB balance may decrease by as much as $0.4 billion during the next 12 months.
All significant accounting policies are discussed either in this Note, in Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Principles to the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Corporation's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K or are included in the Notes herein listed below.
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