STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY [Text Block]	NOTE 23 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Common Stock As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had 2,000,000,000 authorized shares of common stock with a par value of $0.10 per share. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were 223,034,348 and 222,103,721 shares issued, respectively, and 218,235,064 and 217,359,337 shares outstanding, respectively. Refer to Note 22 – Stock-Based Compensation, above for information about transactions related to common stock under the Omnibus Plan. For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of common stock amounted to $43.8 million and $30.5 million, respectively. On January 28, 2021, the Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per common share, which represents an increase of $0.02 per common share compared to the dividend paid on December 11, 2020. The dividend is payable on March 12, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close business on February 26, 2021. The Corporation intends to continue to pay quarterly dividends on common stock. However, the Corporation’s common stock dividends, including the declaration, timing and amount, remain subject to consideration and approval by the Corporation’s Board Directors at the relevant times. Preferred Stock The Corporation has 50,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock with a par value of $1.00, redeemable at the Corporation’s option, subject to certain terms. This stock may be issued in series and the shares of each series have such rights and preferences as are fixed by the Board of Directors when authorizing the issuance of that particular series. As of December 31, 2020, the Corporation had five outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock: 7.125% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series A; 8.35% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series B; 7.40% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series C; 7.25% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series D; and 7.00% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series E. The liquidation value per share is $25. Effective January 17, 2012, the Corporation delisted all of its outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock from the New York Stock Exchange. The Corporation has not arranged for listing and/or registration on another national securities exchange or for quotation of the Series A through E preferred stock in a quotation medium. The Corporation has continued to pay monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. For each year, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of preferred stock amounted to $2.7 million. The Corporation intends to continue to make monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. However, the Corporation’s monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, including the declaration, timing and amount, remain subject to consideration and approval by the Corporation’s Board Directors at the relevant times Treasury stock During 2020 and 2019, the Corporation withheld an aggregate of 51,814 shares and 176,015 shares, respectively, of the restricted stock that vested during those periods, to cover the officers’ payroll and income tax withholding liabilities; these shares are held as treasury stock. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had 4,799,284 and ,4,744384 shares held as treasury stock, respectively. FirstBank Statutory Reserve (Legal Surplus) The Banking Law of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico requires that a minimum of 10% of FirstBank’s net income for the year be transferred to a legal surplus reserve until such surplus equals the total of paid-in-capital on common and preferred stock. Amounts transferred to the legal surplus reserve from retained earnings are not available for distribution to the Corporation, including for payment as dividends to the stockholders, without the prior consent of the Puerto Rico Commissioner of Financial Institutions. The Puerto Rico Banking Law provides that, when the expenditures of a Puerto Rico commercial bank are greater than receipts, the excess of the expenditures over receipts must be charged against the undistributed profits of the bank, and the balance, if any, must be charged against the legal surplus reserve, as a reduction thereof. If the legal surplus reserve is not sufficient to cover such balance in whole or in part, the outstanding amount must be charged against the capital account and the Bank cannot pay dividends until it can replenish the legal surplus reserve to an amount of at least 20% of the original capital contributed. During 2020 and 2019, the Corporation transferred $11.7 million and $17.4 million, respectively, to the legal surplus reserve. FirstBank’s legal surplus reserve, included as part of retained earnings in the Corporation’s consolidated statements of financial condition, amounted to $109.3 million and $97.6 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

NOTE 23 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Common Stock

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had 2,000,000,000 authorized shares of common stock with a par value of $0.10 per share. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were 223,034,348 and 222,103,721 shares issued, respectively, and 218,235,064 and 217,359,337 shares outstanding, respectively. Refer to Note 22 – Stock-Based Compensation, above for information about transactions related to common stock under the Omnibus Plan.

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of common stock amounted to $43.8 million and $30.5 million, respectively. On January 28, 2021, the Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per common share, which represents an increase of $0.02 per common share compared to the dividend paid on December 11, 2020. The dividend is payable on March 12, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close business on February 26, 2021. The Corporation intends to continue to pay quarterly dividends on common stock. However, the Corporation’s common stock dividends, including the declaration, timing and amount, remain subject to consideration and approval by the Corporation’s Board Directors at the relevant times.

Preferred Stock

The Corporation has 50,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock with a par value of $1.00, redeemable at the Corporation’s option, subject to certain terms. This stock may be issued in series and the shares of each series have such rights and preferences as are fixed by the Board of Directors when authorizing the issuance of that particular series. As of December 31, 2020, the Corporation had five outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock: 7.125% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series A; 8.35% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series B; 7.40% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series C; 7.25% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series D; and 7.00% non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, Series E. The liquidation value per share is $25.

Effective January 17, 2012, the Corporation delisted all of its outstanding series of non-convertible, non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock from the New York Stock Exchange. The Corporation has not arranged for listing and/or registration on another national securities exchange or for quotation of the Series A through E preferred stock in a quotation medium. The Corporation has continued to pay monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. For each year, 2020 and 2019, total cash dividends declared on shares of preferred stock amounted to $2.7 million. The Corporation intends to continue to make monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock. However, the Corporation’s monthly dividend payments on the non-cumulative perpetual monthly income preferred stock, including the declaration, timing and amount, remain subject to consideration and approval by the Corporation’s Board Directors at the relevant times

Treasury stock

During 2020 and 2019, the Corporation withheld an aggregate of 51,814 shares and 176,015 shares, respectively, of the restricted stock that vested during those periods, to cover the officers’ payroll and income tax withholding liabilities; these shares are held as treasury stock. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Corporation had 4,799,284 and ,4,744384 shares held as treasury stock, respectively.

FirstBank Statutory Reserve (Legal Surplus)

The Banking Law of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico requires that a minimum of 10% of FirstBank’s net income for the year be transferred to a legal surplus reserve until such surplus equals the total of paid-in-capital on common and preferred stock. Amounts transferred to the legal surplus reserve from retained earnings are not available for distribution to the Corporation, including for payment as dividends to the stockholders, without the prior consent of the Puerto Rico Commissioner of Financial Institutions. The Puerto Rico Banking Law provides that, when the expenditures of a Puerto Rico commercial bank are greater than receipts, the excess of the expenditures over receipts must be charged against the undistributed profits of the bank, and the balance, if any, must be charged against the legal surplus reserve, as a reduction thereof. If the legal surplus reserve is not sufficient to cover such balance in whole or in part, the outstanding amount must be charged against the capital account and the Bank cannot pay dividends until it can replenish the legal surplus reserve to an amount of at least 20% of the original capital contributed. During 2020 and 2019, the Corporation transferred $11.7 million and $17.4 million, respectively, to the legal surplus reserve. FirstBank’s legal surplus reserve, included as part of retained earnings in the Corporation’s consolidated statements of financial condition, amounted to $109.3 million and $97.6 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.