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BASIS OF PRESENTATION
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
BASIS OF PRESENTATION

NOTE 1 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The interim (unaudited) consolidated financial statements of Salisbury Bancorp, Inc. ("Salisbury") include those of Salisbury and its wholly owned subsidiary, Salisbury Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank"). In the opinion of management, the interim unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Salisbury and the statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the interim periods presented.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In preparing the financial statements, management is required to make extensive use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet, and revenues and expenses for the period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses and the valuation of real estate acquired in connection with foreclosures or in satisfaction of loans. In connection with the determination of the allowance for loan losses and valuation of real estate, management obtains independent appraisals for significant properties.

Certain financial information, which is normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, but which is not required for interim reporting purposes, has been condensed or omitted. Operating results for the interim period ended March 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2014. The accompanying condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in Salisbury's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2013.

The allowance for loan losses is a significant accounting policy and is presented in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and in Management’s Discussion and Analysis, which provides information on how significant assets are valued in the financial statements and how those values are determined. Based on the valuation techniques used and the sensitivity of financial statement amounts to the methods, assumptions and estimates underlying those amounts, management has identified the determination of the allowance for loan losses to be the accounting area that requires the most subjective judgments, and as such could be most subject to revision as new information becomes available.

Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements Issued

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists.” The amendments in this ASU provide guidance for the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The amendments in this ASU are expected to reduce diversity in practice by providing guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits and will better reflect the manner in which an entity would settle at the reporting date any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position when net operating loss carryforwards, similar tax losses, or tax credit carryforwards exist. The amendments apply to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date and are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, “Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects.” The amendments in this ASU apply to all reporting entities that invest in qualified affordable housing projects through limited liability entities that are flow-through entities for tax purposes as follows:

  1. For reporting entities that meet the conditions for and that elect to use the proportional amortization method to account for investments in qualified affordable housing projects, all amendments in this ASU apply.

 

  2. For reporting entities that do not meet the conditions for or that do not elect the proportional amortization method, only the amendments in this ASU that are related to disclosures apply.

The amendments in this ASU permit reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for their investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). For those investments in qualified affordable housing projects not accounted for using the proportional amortization method, the investment should be accounted for as an equity method investment or a cost method investment in accordance with Subtopic 970-323. The amendments in this ASU should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. A reporting entity that uses the effective yield method to account for its investments in qualified affordable housing projects before the date of adoption may continue to apply the effective yield method for those preexisting investments. The amendments in this ASU are effective for public business entities for annual periods and interim reporting periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this ASU will have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04, “Receivables-Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure.” The objective of the amendments in this ASU is to reduce diversity by clarifying when an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, that is, when a creditor should be considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan such that the loan receivable should be derecognized and the real estate property recognized. The amendments in this ASU clarify that an insubstance repossession or foreclosure occurs; and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either (1) the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or (2) the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. Additionally, the amendments require interim and annual disclosure of both (1) the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and (2) the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure according to local requirements of the applicable jurisdiction. The amendments in this ASU are effective for public business entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08, “Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity.” This ASU changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and modifies related disclosure requirements. The new guidance is effective on a prospective basis for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those years. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.