Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	1. Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited, consolidated financial statements of Navient have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Navient and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries and those Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”) for which we are the primary beneficiary, after eliminating the effects of intercompany accounts and transactions. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods have been included. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year ending December 31, 2019 or for any other period. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (the “2018 Form 10-K”). Definitions for certain capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q can be found in our 2018 Form 10-K. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Effective in 2019 Leases In 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases,” which requires the identification of arrangements that should be accounted for as leases by lessees. In general, for lease arrangements exceeding a twelve-month term, these arrangements must be recognized as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet of the lessee. Under previous GAAP, all operating leases were off-balance sheet, regardless of the term. A right-of-use asset and lease obligation will be recorded for all leases with a term exceeding twelve months, whether operating or financing, while the income statement will reflect lease expense for operating leases and amortization/interest expense for financing leases. It was effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and resulted in recording a $28 million asset and liability with no change to the income statement. The standard was adopted prospectively without adjustment to comparative periods. Hedging Activities In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging,” which is intended to better align risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. The new standard was effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and requires the mark-to-market gains and losses from qualifying fair value hedge relationships to be recorded in the same line item on the income statement of the item being hedged. As a result, the mark-to-market gains and losses from fair value hedging activity are now recorded in interest expense whereas they were previously recorded in gains (losses) on derivative and hedging activities, net. This change in presentation is prospective only and resulted in $7 million and $9 million of gains being recorded in interest expense in the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively. . 1. Significant Accounting Policies (Continued) Effective in 2020 Allowance for Loan Losses In 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses,” which requires measurement and recognition of an allowance for loan loss that estimates remaining expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date. Our current allowance for loan loss is an incurred loss model. As a result, the new guidance will result in an increase to our allowance for loan losses. The standard is to be applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. The standard is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2020 and will primarily impact the allowance for loan losses related to our Private Education Loans and FFELP Loans. This standard represents a significant change from existing GAAP and will result in material changes to the Company’s accounting for the allowance for loan losses. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this accounting standard on our consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

1. Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited, consolidated financial statements of Navient have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Navient and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries and those Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”) for which we are the primary beneficiary, after eliminating the effects of intercompany accounts and transactions. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods have been included. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year ending December 31, 2019 or for any other period. These unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (the “2018 Form 10-K”). Definitions for certain capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q can be found in our 2018 Form 10-K.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Effective in 2019

Leases

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases,” which requires the identification of arrangements that should be accounted for as leases by lessees. In general, for lease arrangements exceeding a twelve-month term, these arrangements must be recognized as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet of the lessee. Under previous GAAP, all operating leases were off-balance sheet, regardless of the term. A right-of-use asset and lease obligation will be recorded for all leases with a term exceeding twelve months, whether operating or financing, while the income statement will reflect lease expense for operating leases and amortization/interest expense for financing leases. It was effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and resulted in recording a $28 million asset and liability with no change to the income statement. The standard was adopted prospectively without adjustment to comparative periods.

Hedging Activities

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging,” which is intended to better align risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. The new standard was effective for the Company on January 1, 2019 and requires the mark-to-market gains and losses from qualifying fair value hedge relationships to be recorded in the same line item on the income statement of the item being hedged. As a result, the mark-to-market gains and losses from fair value hedging activity are now recorded in interest expense whereas they were previously recorded in gains (losses) on derivative and hedging activities, net. This change in presentation is prospective only and resulted in $7 million and $9 million of gains being recorded in interest expense in the three and six months ended June 30, 2019, respectively.

1. Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

Effective in 2020

Allowance for Loan Losses

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses,” which requires measurement and recognition of an allowance for loan loss that estimates remaining expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date. Our current allowance for loan loss is an incurred loss model. As a result, the new guidance will result in an increase to our allowance for loan losses. The standard is to be applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. The standard is effective for the Company as of January 1, 2020 and will primarily impact the allowance for loan losses related to our Private Education Loans and FFELP Loans. This standard represents a significant change from existing GAAP and will result in material changes to the Company’s accounting for the allowance for loan losses. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this accounting standard on our consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.