Note 10 - Capital Requirements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]

Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Text Block]

Note 10. Capital Requirements

In July 2013, the FRB issued revised final rules that make technical changes to its market risk capital rules to align it with the Basel III regulatory capital framework and meet certain requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act. The final new capital rules require the Company to comply with the following new minimum capital ratios, effective January 1, 2015: (1) a new common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 4.5% of risk-weighted assets; (2) a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6% of risk-weighted assets (increased from the current requirement of 4%); (3) a total capital ratio of 8% of risk-weighted assets (unchanged from current requirement); and, (4) a leverage ratio of 4% of total assets.  Had the new minimum capital ratios described above been effective as of September 30, 2014, based on management’s interpretation and understanding of the new rules, the Company would have remained “well capitalized” as of such date. The rule introduces the requirement of a new 2.5% capital conservation buffer, to be phased in beginning on January 1, 2016, and ending on January 1, 2019. Banking organizations without other supervisory issues that wish to distribute capital freely, such as in the payment of dividends for example, must maintain the new capital conservation buffer.