Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Loss Contingency [Abstract]
CONTINGENCIES	NOTE 16 — CONTINGENCIES Litigation and other Contingencies CIT is involved, and from time to time in the future may be involved, in a number of pending and threatened judicial, regulatory, and arbitration proceedings as well as proceedings, investigations, examinations and other actions brought or considered by governmental and self-regulatory agencies. These matters arise in connection with the conduct of CIT’s business. At any given time, CIT may also be in the process of responding to subpoenas, requests for documents, data and testimony relating to such matters and engaging in discussions to resolve the matters (all of the foregoing collectively being referred to as “Litigation”). While most Litigation relates to individual claims, CIT is also subject to putative class action claims and similar broader claims and indemnification obligations. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of Litigation matters and indemnification obligations, particularly when such matters are in their early stages or where the claimants seek indeterminate damages, CIT cannot state with confidence what the eventual outcome of the pending Litigation will be, what the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters will be, or what the eventual loss, fines, or penalties related to each pending matter will be, if any. In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, CIT establishes reserves for Litigation when those matters present loss contingencies as to which it is both probable that a loss will occur and the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated. Based on currently available information, CIT believes that the outcome of Litigation that is currently pending will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, but may be material to the Company’s operating results or cash flows for any particular period, depending in part on its operating results for that period. The actual results of resolving such matters may be substantially higher than the amounts reserved. For certain Litigation matters in which the Company is involved, the Company is able to estimate a range of reasonably possible losses in excess of established reserves and insurance. For other matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible, such an estimate cannot be determined. For Litigation and other matters where losses are reasonably possible, management currently estimates the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses as up to $35 million in excess of any established reserves and any insurance we reasonably believe we will collect related to those matters. This estimate represents reasonably possible losses (in excess of established reserves and insurance) over the life of such Litigation, which may span a currently indeterminable number of years, and is based on information currently available as of March 31, 2020. The Litigation matters underlying the estimated range will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from this estimate. Those Litigation matters for which an estimate is not reasonably possible or as to which a loss does not appear to be reasonably possible, based on current information, are not included within this estimated range and, therefore, this estimated range does not represent the Company’s maximum loss exposure. The foregoing statements about CIT’s Litigation are based on the Company’s judgments, assumptions, and estimates and are necessarily subjective and uncertain. The Company has several hundred threatened and pending judicial, regulatory and arbitration proceedings at various stages. One of the Company’s significant Litigation matters is described below. Hawaiian Foreclosure Litigation Claims Based on recent rulings of the Hawaii Supreme Court, 43 individual lawsuits were filed against CIT in Hawaii alleging technical violations in non-judicial foreclosures. Similar cases have been filed against other mortgage lenders in Hawaii. The Hawaii Supreme Court did not establish a clear methodology for calculating alleged damages if a violation is proven and there is substantial dispute in this regard. In many instances the borrower had no equity in the home at the time of foreclosure. Damages sought in these cases include any lost equity, compensation for loss of use of the house and, in some cases, treble or punitive damages under Hawaii's unfair practices law. The Company has settled all of the individual lawsuits alleging foreclosure violations. In addition to the individual lawsuits, plaintiffs’ counsel filed six putative class actions alleging the same foreclosure defects violate Hawaii’s unfair and deceptive acts and practices statute. The Company was not named as a defendant in any of the class actions, but serviced loans at the time of foreclosure on behalf of various securitization trusts. In November 2019, the Company signed a class settlement agreement to resolve the claims of the putative class members in the class actions for approximately $9.25 million. In order to effectuate the settlement, a new class action was filed against the Company on February 7, 2020, and concurrently plaintiffs’ counsel filed a motion seeking preliminary approval of the settlement. The court granted the motion for preliminary approval of the settlement after a hearing on March 19, 2020. The final approval hearing is currently scheduled for July 22, 2020. Based on existing reserves, CIT does not expect the settlement will have a material impact.

Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

NOTE 16 — CONTINGENCIES

Litigation and other Contingencies

CIT is involved, and from time to time in the future may be involved, in a number of pending and threatened judicial, regulatory, and arbitration proceedings as well as proceedings, investigations, examinations and other actions brought or considered by governmental and self-regulatory agencies. These matters arise in connection with the conduct of CIT’s business. At any given time, CIT may also be in the process of responding to subpoenas, requests for documents, data and testimony relating to such matters and engaging in discussions to resolve the matters (all of the foregoing collectively being referred to as “Litigation”). While most Litigation relates to individual claims, CIT is also subject to putative class action claims and similar broader claims and indemnification obligations.

In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of Litigation matters and indemnification obligations, particularly when such matters are in their early stages or where the claimants seek indeterminate damages, CIT cannot state with confidence what the eventual outcome of the pending Litigation will be, what the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters will be, or what the eventual loss, fines, or penalties related to each pending matter will be, if any. In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, CIT establishes reserves for Litigation when those matters present loss contingencies as to which it is both probable that a loss will occur and the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated. Based on currently available information, CIT believes that the outcome of Litigation that is currently pending will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, but may be material to the Company’s operating results or cash flows for any particular period, depending in part on its operating results for that period. The actual results of resolving such matters may be substantially higher than the amounts reserved.

For certain Litigation matters in which the Company is involved, the Company is able to estimate a range of reasonably possible losses in excess of established reserves and insurance. For other matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible, such an estimate cannot be determined. For Litigation and other matters where losses are reasonably possible, management currently estimates the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses as up to $35 million in excess of any established reserves and any insurance we reasonably believe we will collect related to those matters. This estimate represents reasonably possible losses (in excess of established reserves and insurance) over the life of such Litigation, which may span a currently indeterminable number of years, and is based on information currently available as of March 31, 2020. The Litigation matters underlying the estimated range will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from this estimate.

Those Litigation matters for which an estimate is not reasonably possible or as to which a loss does not appear to be reasonably possible, based on current information, are not included within this estimated range and, therefore, this estimated range does not represent the Company’s maximum loss exposure.

The foregoing statements about CIT’s Litigation are based on the Company’s judgments, assumptions, and estimates and are necessarily subjective and uncertain. The Company has several hundred threatened and pending judicial, regulatory and arbitration proceedings at various stages. One of the Company’s significant Litigation matters is described below.

Hawaiian Foreclosure Litigation Claims

Based on recent rulings of the Hawaii Supreme Court, 43 individual lawsuits were filed against CIT in Hawaii alleging technical violations in non-judicial foreclosures. Similar cases have been filed against other mortgage lenders in Hawaii. The Hawaii Supreme Court did not establish a clear methodology for calculating alleged damages if a violation is proven and there is substantial dispute in this regard. In many instances the borrower had no equity in the home at the time of foreclosure. Damages sought in these cases include any lost equity, compensation for loss of use of the house and, in some cases, treble or punitive damages under Hawaii's unfair practices law. The Company has settled all of the individual lawsuits alleging foreclosure violations. In addition to the individual lawsuits, plaintiffs’ counsel filed six putative class actions alleging the same foreclosure defects violate Hawaii’s unfair and deceptive acts and practices statute. The Company was not named as a defendant in any of the class actions, but serviced loans at the time of foreclosure on behalf of various securitization trusts. In November 2019, the Company signed a class settlement agreement to resolve the claims of the putative class members in the class actions for approximately $9.25 million. In order to effectuate the settlement, a new class action was filed against the Company on February 7, 2020, and concurrently plaintiffs’ counsel filed a motion seeking preliminary approval of the settlement. The court granted the

motion for preliminary approval of the settlement after a hearing on March 19, 2020. The final approval hearing is currently scheduled for July 22, 2020. Based on existing reserves, CIT does not expect the settlement will have a material impact.