Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

In the opinion of the management of Arrow Financial Corporation (Arrow), the accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements contain all of the adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2013, December 31, 2012 and September 30, 2012; the results of operations for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012; the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012; the changes in stockholders' equity for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012; and the cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements requires the use of management estimates. The unaudited consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual consolidated financial statements of Arrow for the year ended December 31, 2012, included in Arrow's 2012 Form 10-K.

New Accounting Standards Updates (ASU): During 2013, through the date of this report, the FASB issued eleven accounting standards updates. Nine did not apply to Arrow. ASU 2013-02 "Comprehensive Income" requires additional disclosures relating to reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. Since the ASU was effective for this Form 10-Q, the new disclosures are included in Note 5 - Comprehensive Income. ASU 2013-10 "Derivatives and Hedging" now allows the federal funds effective swap rate as a benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting. While this has no current impact on Arrow, it may provide us an option for future swaps that we did not have before the ASU.