Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Fair Value Measurement, Policy

The Bancorp uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to disclose the fair value of its financial instruments. FASB ASC 825, Financial Instruments, requires disclosure of the estimated fair value of an entity’s assets and liabilities considered to be financial instruments. For the Bancorp, as for most financial institutions, the majority of its assets and liabilities are considered to be financial instruments. However, many of these instruments lack an available trading market as characterized by a willing buyer and willing seller engaging in an exchange transaction. For fair value disclosure purposes, the Bancorp utilized certain fair value measurement criteria under the FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, as explained below.

In accordance with ASC 820, the fair value of a financial instrument is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices. However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for the Bancorp’s various financial instruments. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument.

The fair value guidance provides a consistent definition of fair value, focusing on an exit price in an orderly transaction (that is, not a forced liquidation or distressed sale) between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions and establishes a fair value hierarchy to rank the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values. If there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability, a change in valuation technique or the use of multiple valuation techniques may be appropriate. In such instances, determining the price at which willing market participants would transact at the measurement date under current market conditions depends on the facts and circumstances and requires the use of significant judgment. The fair value is a reasonable point within the range that is most representative of fair value under current market conditions. The fair value hierarchy is defined as follows:



Level 1:	Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.

Level 2:	Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3:	Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported with little or no market activity).

A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Impaired Financing Receivable, Policy

Impaired loans:

Impaired loans are those that are accounted for under ASC 450, Contingencies, in which the Bancorp has measured impairment generally based on the fair value of the loan’s collateral. Fair value is generally determined based upon independent third-party appraisals of the properties that collateralize the loans, or discounted cash flows based upon the expected proceeds. These assets are included as Level 3 fair values, based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.