Regulatory Capital

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Regulatory Capital Requirements [Abstract]

Regulatory Capital

Regulatory Capital

As a bank holding company, we and our wholly owned state-chartered banking subsidiary, Ally Bank, are subject to risk-based capital and leverage guidelines issued by federal and state banking regulators that require that our capital-to-assets ratios meet certain minimum standards. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary action by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the consolidated financial statements or the results of operations and financial condition of Ally and Ally Bank. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, we must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of our assets and certain off-balance sheet items. Our capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk-weightings, and other factors.

The risk-based capital ratios are determined by allocating assets and specified off-balance sheet financial instruments into several broad risk categories with higher levels of capital being required for the categories that present greater risk. Under the guidelines, total capital is divided into two tiers: Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 capital. Tier 1 capital generally consists of common equity, minority interests, qualifying noncumulative preferred stock, and the fixed rate cumulative preferred stock sold to Treasury under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), less goodwill and other adjustments. Tier 2 capital generally consists of perpetual preferred stock not qualifying as Tier 1 capital, limited amounts of subordinated debt and the allowance for loan losses, and other adjustments. The amount of Tier 2 capital may not exceed the amount of Tier 1 capital.

Total risk-based capital is the sum of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. Under the guidelines, banking organizations are required to maintain a minimum Total risk-based capital ratio (Total capital to risk-weighted assets) of 8% and a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio (Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets) of 4%.

The federal banking regulators also have established minimum leverage ratio guidelines. The leverage ratio is defined as Tier 1 capital divided by adjusted quarterly average total assets (which reflect adjustments for disallowed goodwill and certain intangible assets). The minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio is 3% or 4% depending on factors specified in the regulations.

A banking institution meets the regulatory definition of “well-capitalized” when its Total risk-based capital ratio equals or exceeds 10% and its Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio equals or exceeds 6%; and for insured depository institutions, when its leverage ratio equals or exceeds 5%, unless subject to a regulatory directive to maintain higher capital levels.

The banking regulators have also developed a measure of capital called “Tier 1 common” defined as Tier 1 capital less noncommon elements, including qualifying perpetual preferred stock, minority interest in subsidiaries, trust preferred securities, and mandatory convertible preferred securities. Tier 1 common is used by banking regulators, investors and analysts to assess and compare the quality and composition of Ally's capital with the capital of other financial services companies. Also, bank holding companies with assets of $50 billion or more, such as Ally, must develop and maintain a capital plan annually, and among other elements, the capital plan must include a discussion of how we will maintain a pro forma Tier 1 common ratio (Tier 1 common to risk-weighted assets) above 5% under expected conditions and certain stressed scenarios.

On October 29, 2010, Ally, IB Finance Holding Company, LLC, Ally Bank, and the FDIC entered into a Capital and Liquidity Maintenance Agreement (CLMA). The CLMA requires capital at Ally Bank to be maintained at a level such that Ally Bank's leverage ratio is at least 15%. For this purpose, the leverage ratio is determined in accordance with the FDIC's regulations related to capital maintenance.

The following table summarizes our capital ratios.

	September 30, 2012				December 31, 2011				Required minimum			Well-capitalized minimum
($ in millions)	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
Risk-based capital
Tier 1 (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.	$	20,503	13.64	%	$	21,158	13.71	%	4.00	%		6.00%
Ally Bank	13,812		16.98		12,953		17.42		4.00			6.00
Total (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.	$	21,994	14.63	%	$	22,755	14.75	%	8.00	%		10.00%
Ally Bank	14,640		18.00		13,675		18.40		8.00			10.00
Tier 1 leverage (to adjusted quarterly average assets) (a)
Ally Financial Inc.	$	20,503	11.29	%	$	21,158	11.50	%	3.00–4.00%			(b)
Ally Bank	13,812		15.47		12,953		15.50		15.00		(c)	5.00%
Tier 1 common (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.	$	11,020	7.33	%	$	11,676	7.57	%	n/a			n/a
Ally Bank	n/a		n/a		n/a		n/a		n/a			n/a

n/a = not applicable

(a) Federal regulatory reporting guidelines require the calculation of adjusted quarterly average assets using a daily average methodology.

(b) There is no Tier 1 leverage component in the definition of a well-capitalized bank holding company.

(c) Ally Bank, in accordance with the CLMA, is required to maintain a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 15%.

At September 30, 2012, Ally and Ally Bank were “well-capitalized” and met all capital requirements to which each was subject.

Basel Capital Accord

In June 2012, the U.S. federal banking agencies released three notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRs) and a Market Risk Final Rule. The three NPRs represent substantial revisions to the regulatory capital rules for banking organizations. If adopted, as proposed, these NPRs would incorporate the international Basel III capital framework, as well as implement certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). On August 8, 2012, the federal banking agencies extended the public comment period on the NPRs to October 22, 2012.

Highlights of the NPRs include a revised definition of capital in order to implement the Basel III reforms as well as higher minimum capital ratios that will apply to most banking organizations and would be phased in between 2013 and 2019 consistent with the Basel Committee's international implementation time line. The NPRs remove the use of credit ratings from both the standardized and advanced approaches, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. In addition, the standards in the existing Basel I risk-based capital rules, which the NPRs refer to as the “general risk-based capital requirements,” would be revised, effective January 1, 2015, to include a more risk-sensitive risk-weighting approach.

The Market Risk Final Rule that amends the calculation of market risk capital only applies to banking organizations with significant trading assets and liabilities. We do not currently meet the qualifications; accordingly, this rule is not currently applicable to us.

Compliance with evolving capital requirements is a strategic priority for Ally. We expect to be in compliance with all applicable requirements within the established timeframes.