New accounting standards

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Accounting Standards Update and Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract]

New accounting standards

New accounting standards

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted:

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. All other goodwill impairment guidance will remain largely unchanged. ASU No. 2017-04 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, applied prospectively. Early adoption is permitted for any impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The Corporation adopted ASU 2017-04 on January 1, 2020. There was not a significant impact to accounting and disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. Among the changes, entities will no longer be required to disclose the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, but will be required to disclose the range and weighted average used to develop significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU No. 2018-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019; early adoption is permitted. The Corporation adopted ASU 2018-13 on January 1, 2020. As ASU No. 2018-13 only revises disclosure requirements, it did not have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

In September 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. This ASU requires an entity in a cloud computing arrangement (i.e., hosting arrangement) that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance in ASC 350-40 to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets or expense as incurred. Capitalized implementation costs should be presented in the same line item on the balance sheet as amounts prepaid for the hosted service, if any (generally as an “other asset”). The capitalized costs will be amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement, with the amortization expense being presented in the same income statement line item as the fees paid for the hosted service. ASU 2018-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019; early adoption is permitted. The Corporation adopted ASU 2018-15 on January 1, 2020. ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

In June 2016 ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (ASU 2016-13), was issued and requires entities to use a current expected credit loss ("CECL") model which is a new impairment model based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under this model an entity would recognize an impairment allowance equal to its current estimate of all contractual cash flows that the entity does not expect to collect from financial assets measured at amortized cost. The entity's estimate would consider relevant information about past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts, which will result in recognition of lifetime expected credit losses upon loan origination. ASU 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018.

The Corporation formed a cross-functional internal management committee and engaged a third party vendor to assist with the transition to the guidance set forth in this update. The new allowance model implemented by the Corporation estimates credit losses over the expected life of the portfolio and includes a qualitative framework to account for the drivers of losses that are not captured by the quantitative model. The results continue to be utilized to refine our models and estimation techniques. Documentation of new methodologies and internal controls that will be implemented as part of CECL as well as model validation is also being finalized. While the committee continues to analyze and modify calculations, the Corporation currently expects the adoption of ASU 2016-13 will result in an increase in allowance for loan losses amount at January 1, 2020 in the range of $15 million to $25 million. The allowance for credit losses also increased due to the requirement to record an allowance on acquired loan portfolios, previously recorded at fair value. Once finalized, the cumulative effect adjustment, as a result of the adoption of this guidance, was originally to be recorded on January 1, 2020, net of tax, as an adjustment to retained earnings. This estimate is subject to change as key assumptions are refined and model validations are finalized.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed by the President of the United States that included an option for entities to delay the implementation of ASU 2016-13 until the earlier of the termination date of the national emergency declaration by the President or December 31, 2020. Due to the uncertainty on the economy and unemployment from COVID-19, the Corporation has determined to delay its implementation of ASU 2016-13 and has calculated and recorded its provision for loan losses under the incurred loss model that existed prior to ASU 2016-13.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. This ASU makes minor changes to the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and/or other postretirement benefit plans. ASU 2018-14 is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020; early adoption is permitted. As ASU 2018-14 only revises disclosure requirements, it will not have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12 “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” These amendments remove specific exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 in GAAP. It eliminates the need for an organization to analyze whether the following apply in a given period: exception to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation; exceptions to accounting for basis differences where there are ownership changes in foreign investments; and exception in interim period income tax accounting for year-to-date losses that exceed anticipated losses. It also improves financial statement preparers’ application of income tax-related guidance and simplifies GAAP for: franchise taxes that are partially based on income; transactions with a government that result in a step up in the tax basis of goodwill; separate financial statements of legal entities that are not subject to tax; and enacts changes in tax laws in interim periods. The guidance is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation is assessing ASU 2019-12 and its impact on its accounting and disclosure.