Contingencies And Other Risks

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Loss Contingency [Abstract]

Contingencies Disclosure and Other Risks [Text Block]

Contingencies and Other Risks

In the normal course of business, we enter into transactions that expose us to varying degrees of risk. For additional information on contingencies and other risks arising from such transactions, refer to Note 30 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Legal Proceedings

We are or may be subject to potential liability under various governmental proceedings, claims, and legal actions that are pending or otherwise asserted against us. We are named as defendants in a number of legal actions, and we are involved in governmental proceedings arising in connection with our respective businesses. Some of the pending actions purport to be class actions, and certain legal actions include claims for substantial compensatory and/or punitive damages or claims for indeterminate amounts of damages. We establish reserves for legal claims when payments associated with the claims become probable and the payments can be reasonably estimated. Given the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and regulatory matters, it is generally very difficult to predict what the eventual outcome will be, and when the matter will be resolved. The actual costs of resolving legal claims may be higher or lower than any amounts reserved for the claims.

On the basis of information currently available, advice of counsel, available insurance coverage, and established reserves, it is the opinion of management that the eventual outcome of the current actions against us will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. However, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of legal matters, if unfavorable, may be material to our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows in a particular period.

Regulatory Matters

Ally and its subsidiaries, including Ally Bank, are or may become involved from time to time in formal and informal reviews, investigations, examinations, proceedings, and information-gathering requests by federal and state government and self-regulatory agencies, including, among others, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), SEC, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the FRB, the FDIC, the Utah Department of Department of Financial Institutions, and the Federal Trade Commission regarding their respective operations.

Mortgage Matters

We have received subpoenas from the DOJ that include a broad request for documentation and other information relating to residential mortgage-backed securities issued by our former mortgage subsidiary, Residential Capital, LLC and its subsidiaries (ResCap RMBS). In connection with these requests, the DOJ is investigating potential fraud and other potential legal claims related to ResCap RMBS, including its investigation of potential claims under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989. The DOJ is also investigating potential claims under the False Claims Act (FCA) related to representations made by us in connection with investments in Ally made by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Troubled Asset Relief Program in 2008 and 2009 regarding certain claims against Residential Capital, LLC or its subsidiaries at that time. We are engaged in ongoing discussions with the DOJ with respect to legal and factual aspects of their investigations. Further, at the request of the DOJ, we have entered into an agreement to voluntarily extend the statutes of limitations related to potential FCA claims.

We have separately received subpoenas and document requests from the SEC that include information covering a wide range of mortgage-related matters.

Automotive Subprime Matters

In October 2014 we received a document request from the SEC in connection with its investigation related to subprime automotive finance and related securitization activities. Separately, in December 2014, we received a subpoena from the DOJ requesting similar information. We are currently cooperating with both the SEC and DOJ with respect to these matters.

CFPB

In December 2013, Ally Financial Inc. and Ally Bank entered into Consent Orders issued by the CFPB and the DOJ pertaining to the allegation of disparate impact in the automotive finance business. The Consent Orders require Ally to create a compliance plan addressing, at a minimum, the communication of Ally’s expectations of Equal Credit Opportunity Act compliance to dealers, maintenance of Ally’s existing limits on dealer finance income for contracts acquired by Ally, and monitoring for potential discrimination both at the dealer level and within our portfolio of contracts acquired across all dealers. Ally formed a compliance committee consisting of certain Ally and Ally Bank directors to oversee Ally’s execution of the Consent Orders’ terms. Ally is required to meet certain stipulations under the Consent Orders, including a requirement to make monetary payments when ongoing remediation targets are not attained.

Each of the regulatory matters set forth above may result in material adverse consequences including without limitation, adverse judgments, significant settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions, or other actions.

Other Contingencies

We are subject to potential liability under various other exposures including tax, nonrecourse loans, self-insurance, and other miscellaneous contingencies. We establish reserves for these contingencies when the loss becomes probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The actual costs of resolving these items may be substantially higher or lower than the amounts reserved for any one item. Based on information currently available, it is the opinion of management that the eventual outcome of these items will not have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.