Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Citizens First Corporation Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements Note 1 - Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accounting and reporting policies of Citizens First Corporation (the “Company”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Citizens First Bank, Inc. (the “Bank”), conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and general practices within the banking industry. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the Bank. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements are based on various factors including the current interest rate environment and the general strength of the local economy. Changes in the overall interest rate environment can significantly affect the Company’s net interest income and the value of its recorded assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected in the accompanying unaudited financial statements. Those adjustments consist only of normal recurring adjustments. Results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year. Recent Accounting Pronouncements– Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, “Leases” (“ASU 2016-02”), was issued in February 2016 and provides revised guidance related to the accounting and reporting of leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize most leases on the balance sheet. The recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee depends on its classification as a finance or operating lease. ASU 2016-02 requires a modified retrospective transition, with a package of practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. In January 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842” was issued to address concerns about the costs and complexity of complying with the transition provisions of ASU 2016-02. In July 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases” was issued to provide more detailed guidance and additional clarification for implementing ASU 2016-02. Also in July 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-11, “Targeted Improvements” (“ASU 2018-11”) was issued and allows for an optional transition method in which the provisions of Topic 842 would be applied upon the adoption date and would not have to be retroactively applied to the earliest reporting period presented in the consolidated financial statements. The Corporation used this optional transition method for the adoption of Topic 842. In December 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-20, “Leases (Topic 842) Narrow-Scope Improvement for Lessors” was issued to address lessors’ concerns about sales taxes and other similar taxes collected from lessees, certain lessor costs, and recognition of variable payments for contracts with lease and non-lease components. These ASUs were effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted Topic 842 “Leases” effective January 1, 2019 and has applied the guidance to all operating leases within the scope of Topic 842 at that date. The Company elected to adopt the package of practical expedients, which among other things, does not require reassessment of lease classification. The Company recognized $1.9 million in operating lease right-of-use-assets, $1.9 million in operating lease liabilities. There was no change to the timing in recognition of operating lease rent expense on the Company’s consolidated financial statements associated with our leases. In March 2019, Accounting Standards Update No. 2019-01, “Leases (Topic 842) Codification Improvements” (“ASU 2019-01”) was issued to address lessors’ concerns about determining fair value of underlying leased assets and presentation issues in the statement of cash flows for sales-type and direct financing leases. ASU 2019-01 also clarified for both lessees and lessors that transition disclosures related to Topic 250 were not required for annual periods are also not required for interim periods. ASU 2019-01 was effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Corporation early adopted this ASU 2019-01 effective January 1, 2019 and it did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, which introduces the current expected credit loss (CECL) model and replaces the incurred loss model. The most significant impact for financial institutions will be to the allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL). The standard allows for various expected credit loss estimation methods and is scalable. This standard is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. We have attended training sessions and are assessing our data and system needs and evaluating the impact of adopting this new accounting standard. The Company expects to recognize a one-time increase to the allowance for loan losses as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the new standard is effective, but cannot yet determine the magnitude of any such one-time adjustment or the overall impact of this standard on the consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables - Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization of Purchased Callable Debt Securities. The standard shorted the amortization period for premiums on callable debt securities by requiring that premiums be amortized to the first (or earliest) call date instead of as an adjustment to the yield over the contractual life. The standard became effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. This accounting standard did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Citizens First Corporation

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 1 - Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accounting and reporting policies of Citizens First Corporation (the “Company”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Citizens First Bank, Inc. (the “Bank”), conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and general practices within the banking industry. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the Bank. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements are based on various factors including the current interest rate environment and the general strength of the local economy. Changes in the overall interest rate environment can significantly affect the Company’s net interest income and the value of its recorded assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected in the accompanying unaudited financial statements. Those adjustments consist only of normal recurring adjustments. Results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements–

Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, “Leases” (“ASU 2016-02”), was issued in February 2016 and provides revised guidance related to the accounting and reporting of leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize most leases on the balance sheet. The recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee depends on its classification as a finance or operating lease. ASU 2016-02 requires a modified retrospective transition, with a package of practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. In January 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842” was issued to address concerns about the costs and complexity of complying with the transition provisions of ASU 2016-02. In July 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases” was issued to provide more detailed guidance and additional clarification for implementing ASU 2016-02. Also in July 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-11, “Targeted Improvements” (“ASU 2018-11”) was issued and allows for an optional transition method in which the provisions of Topic 842 would be applied upon the adoption date and would not have to be retroactively applied to the earliest reporting period presented in the consolidated financial statements. The Corporation used this optional transition method for the adoption of Topic 842. In December 2018, Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-20, “Leases (Topic 842) Narrow-Scope Improvement for Lessors” was issued to address lessors’ concerns about sales taxes and other similar taxes collected from lessees, certain lessor costs, and recognition of variable payments for contracts with lease and non-lease components. These ASUs were effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018.

The Company adopted Topic 842 “Leases” effective January 1, 2019 and has applied the guidance to all operating leases within the scope of Topic 842 at that date. The Company elected to adopt the package of practical expedients, which among other things, does not require reassessment of lease classification. The Company recognized $1.9 million in operating lease right-of-use-assets, $1.9 million in operating lease liabilities. There was no change to the timing in recognition of operating lease rent expense on the Company’s consolidated financial statements associated with our leases.

In March 2019, Accounting Standards Update No. 2019-01, “Leases (Topic 842) Codification Improvements” (“ASU 2019-01”) was issued to address lessors’ concerns about determining fair value of underlying leased assets and presentation issues in the statement of cash flows for sales-type and direct financing leases. ASU 2019-01 also clarified for both lessees and lessors that transition disclosures related to Topic 250 were not required for annual periods are also not required for interim periods. ASU 2019-01 was effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Corporation early adopted this ASU 2019-01 effective January 1, 2019 and it did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, which introduces the current expected credit loss (CECL) model and replaces the incurred loss model. The most significant impact for financial institutions will be to the allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL). The standard allows for various expected credit loss estimation methods and is scalable. This standard is effective for public companies for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. We have attended training sessions and are assessing our data and system needs and evaluating the impact of adopting this new accounting standard. The Company expects to recognize a one-time increase to the allowance for loan losses as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the new standard is effective, but cannot yet determine the magnitude of any such one-time adjustment or the overall impact of this standard on the consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables - Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization of Purchased Callable Debt Securities. The standard shorted the amortization period for premiums on callable debt securities by requiring that premiums be amortized to the first (or earliest) call date instead of as an adjustment to the yield over the contractual life. The standard became effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. This accounting standard did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.