2.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The most significant accounting policies followed by the Company are presented in Note 1 to the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. These policies, along with the disclosures presented in the other financial statement notes and in this discussion, provide information on how significant assets and liabilities 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 allowance for loan losses accounting to be the accounting area requiring the most subjective or complex judgments, and as such could be most subject to revision as new information becomes available. A discussion of the factors affecting accounting for the allowance for loan losses is included in the "Asset Quality" and "Allowance for Loan Loss" discussions below. Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Application of these principles requires the Company to make certain estimates, assumptions, and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates, assumptions, and judgments are based on information available as of the date of the financial statements; accordingly, as this information changes, the financial statements could reflect different estimates, assumptions, and judgments. Certain accounting policies inherently have a greater reliance on the use of estimates, assumptions and judgments and as such have a greater possibility of producing results that could be materially different than originally reported. Estimates, assumptions and judgments are necessary when assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value, when a decline in the value of an asset not carried on the financial statements at fair value warrants an impairment writedown or valuation reserve to be established, or when an asset or liability needs to be recorded contingent upon a future event. Carrying assets and liabilities at fair value inherently results in more financial statement volatility. The fair values and the information used to record valuation adjustments for certain assets and liabilities are based either on quoted market prices or are provided by other third-party sources, when available.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements:

In January 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805) - Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The amendments in ASU 2017-01 clarify the definition and provide a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities constitutes a business. ASU 2017-01 is intended to provide guidance when evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The amendments are effective for public companies for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company does not expect the adoption of this update to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-03, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections (Topic 250) and Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the September 22, 2016 and November 17, 2016 EITF Meetings. These amendments apply to ASU 2014-9 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers), ASU 2016-02 (Leases), and ASU 2016-13 (Financial Instruments - Credit Losses). The Company does not expect these amendments to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Compensation – Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. The amendments require that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented. The amendments also allow only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable. The amendments are effective for public companies for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company does not expect the adoption of this update to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-08, Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20), Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities. The amendments shorten the amortization period for certain callable debt securities held at a premium. Specifically, the amendments require the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amendments do not require an accounting change for securities held at a discount; the discount continues to be amortized to maturity. The amendments are effective for public companies for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those periods. The Company does not expect the adoption of this update to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.