Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(1)  Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Description of Business:Washington Banking Company (the "Company") was formed on April 30, 1996 and is a registered bank holding company whose primary business is conducted by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Whidbey Island Bank (the "Bank"). The business of the Bank, which is focused in the northern area of Western Washington, consists primarily of attracting deposits from the general public and originating loans. The Company and the Bank have formed several subsidiaries for various purposes as follows:

§ Washington Banking Master Trust (the "Master Trust") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Master Trust was formed in April 2007 for the exclusive purpose of issuing trust preferred securities.

§ Rural One, LLC ("Rural One") is a majority-owned subsidiary of the Bank and is certified as a Community Development Entity by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the United States Department of Treasury. Rural One was formed in September 2006 for the exclusive purpose of investing in Federal tax credits related to the New Markets Tax Credit program.

(b) Basis of Presentation: The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries described above.  The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America for complete financial statements.  These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the December 31, 2011 audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC.

In preparing these financial statements, the Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to March 31, 2012 for potential recognition or disclosure.  In management's opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.  Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2012, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012.  In preparing the condensed consolidated financial statements, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses are required.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.  Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate the allowance for loan losses, the valuation of other real estate owned and the underlying collateral of loans in the process of foreclosure and the fair value of financial instruments.

(c) Reclassifications: Certain amounts in prior year's financial statements may have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation. These reclassifications had no significant impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations.

(d) Significant Accounting Policies: The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes.  Changes in these estimates and assumptions are considered reasonably possible and may have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and thus actual results could differ from the amounts reported and disclosed herein.  A more detailed description of the Company's significant accounting policies are described in Note (1) of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2011, as filed on Form 10-K.