Junior Subordinated Debentures and Restrictions on Dividends	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Junior Subordinated Debentures and Restrictions on Dividends [Abstract]
Junior Subordinated Debentures and Restrictions on Dividends	Note 11 – Junior Subordinated Debentures and Restrictions on Dividends First United Corporation is the parent company to three statutory trust subsidiaries - First United Statutory Trust I and First United Statutory Trust II, both of which are Connecticut statutory trusts (“Trust I” and “Trust II”, respectively), and First United Statutory Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust (“Trust III” and, together with Trust I and Trust II, the “Trusts”). The Trusts were formed for the purposes of selling preferred securities to investors and using the proceeds to purchase junior subordinated debentures from First United Corporation (“TPS Debentures”) that would qualify as regulatory capital. In March 2004, Trust I and Trust II issued preferred securities with an aggregate liquidation amount of $30.0 million to third-party investors and issued common equity with an aggregate liquidation amount of $.9 million to First United Corporation. Trust I and Trust II used the proceeds of these offerings to purchase an equal amount of TPS Debentures, as follows: $20.6 million—floating rate payable quarterly based on three-month LIBOR plus 275 basis points (3.03% at June 30, 2015), maturing in 2034, became redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option. $10.3 million--floating rate payable quarterly based on three-month LIBOR plus 275 basis points (3.03% at June 30, 2015) maturing in 2034, became redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option. In December 2004, First United Corporation issued $5.0 million of junior subordinated debentures to third-party investors that were not tied to preferred securities. The debentures had a fixed rate of 5.88% for the first five years, payable quarterly, and converted to a floating rate in March 2010 based on the three month LIBOR plus 185 basis points. The debentures matured in March 2015 and were repaid. In December 2009, Trust III issued 9.875% fixed-rate preferred securities with an aggregate liquidation amount of approximately $7.0 million to private investors and issued common securities to First United Corporation with an aggregate liquidation amount of approximately $.2 million. Trust III used the proceeds of the offering to purchase approximately $7.2 million of 9.875% fixed-rate TPS Debentures. Interest on these TPS Debentures are payable quarterly, and the TPS Debentures mature in 2040 but are redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option. In January 2010, Trust III issued an additional $3.5 million of 9.875% fixed-rate preferred securities to private investors and issued common securities to First United Corporation with an aggregate liquidation amount of $.1 million. Trust III used the proceeds of the offering to purchase $3.6 million of 9.875% fixed-rate TPS Debentures. Interest on these TPS Debentures is payable quarterly, and the TPS Debentures mature in 2040 but are redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option. The TPS Debentures issued to each of the Trusts represent the sole assets of that Trust, and payments of the TPS Debentures by First United Corporation are the only sources of cash flow for the Trust. First United Corporation has the right, without triggering a default, to defer interest on all of the TPS Debentures for up to 20 quarterly periods, in which case distributions on the preferred securities will also be deferred. Should this occur, First United Corporation may not pay dividends or distributions on, or repurchase, redeem or acquire any shares of its capital stock. At the request of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (the “Reserve Bank”) in December 2010, the Corporation’s Board of Directors elected to defer quarterly interest payments under the TPS Debentures beginning with the payments due in March 2011. The terms of the TPS Debentures permit the Corporation to elect to defer payments of interest for up to 20 consecutive quarterly periods, provided that no event of default exists under the TPS Debentures at the time of the election. An election to defer interest payments is not considered a default under the TPS Debentures. In February 2014, First United Corporation received approval from the Reserve Bank to terminate this deferral by making the quarterly interest payments due to the Trusts in March 2014 and paying all deferred interest for prior quarters. In January 2015, First United Corporation received approval and paid each of the quarterly interest payments through March 2015. In April 2015, the Corporation received approval to pay the June 2015 interest payments. In July 2015, approval was received to pay the September 2015 interest payments. Until further notice from the Reserve Bank, First United Corporation is required to obtain the Reserve Bank’s prior approval before making any future interest payments under the TPS Debentures. In considering a request for approval, the Reserve Bank will consider, among other things, the Corporation’s financial condition and its quarterly results of operations. In addition to this pre-approval requirement, First United Corporation’s ability to make future quarterly interest payments under the TPS Debentures will depend in large part on its receipt of dividends from the Bank, and the Bank may make dividend payments only with the prior approval of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation (the “Maryland Commissioner”). As a result of these limitations, no assurance can be given that First United Corporation will make the quarterly interest payments due under the TPS Debentures in any future quarter. In the event that First United Corporation and/or the Bank do not receive the approvals necessary for First United Corporation to make future quarterly interest payments, First United Corporation will have to again elect to defer interest payments. The terms of First United Corporation’s Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) call for the payment, if declared by the Corporation’s Board of Directors, of cash dividends on February 15th, May 15th, August 15th and November 15th of each year. On November 15, 2010, at the request of the Reserve Bank, the Corporation’s Board of Directors voted to suspend quarterly cash dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock beginning with the dividend payment due November 15, 2010. During the suspension, dividends of $.4 million per dividend period continued to accrue. In April 2014, the Corporation received approval from the Reserve Bank to terminate this deferral by making a $6.5 million payment to the Treasury, representing the quarterly dividend payment due in May 2014 and all unpaid dividends that accrued during the suspension period. In January 2015, the Corporation received approval and paid the $.7 million in quarterly dividends due in February 2015. In April 2015, the Corporation received approval to pay the May 2015 payment. In July 2015, approval was received to pay the August payment. Until further notice from the Reserve Bank, First United Corporation is required to obtain the Reserve Bank’s prior approval before making any future quarterly dividend payment on the Series A Preferred Stock. In considering a request for approval, the Reserve Bank will consider, among other things, the Corporation’s financial condition and its quarterly results of operations. In addition, First United Corporation’s ability to make future quarterly dividend payments on the Series A Preferred Stock will depend in large part on its receipt of dividends from the Bank, the declaration and payment of which, as discussed above, are subject to the prior approval of the FDIC and the Maryland Commissioner. If First United Corporation and/or the Bank do not obtain the regulatory approvals required for a particular quarterly dividend, then First United Corporation would have to again suspend quarterly dividend payments, which would result in a prohibition against paying any dividends or other distributions on the outstanding shares of First United Corporation’s common stock during the suspension period. First United Corporation’s Board of Directors suspended the payment of dividends on the common stock in December 2010 when it approved the above-mentioned deferral of dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock. That Board of Directors has not resumed the payment of cash dividends on the common stock, and no assurance can be given with respect to if or when such resumption will occur.

Note 11 – Junior Subordinated Debentures and Restrictions on Dividends

First United Corporation is the parent company to three statutory trust subsidiaries - First United Statutory Trust I and First United Statutory Trust II, both of which are Connecticut statutory trusts (“Trust I” and “Trust II”, respectively), and First United Statutory Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust (“Trust III” and, together with Trust I and Trust II, the “Trusts”). The Trusts were formed for the purposes of selling preferred securities to investors and using the proceeds to purchase junior subordinated debentures from First United Corporation (“TPS Debentures”) that would qualify as regulatory capital.

In March 2004, Trust I and Trust II issued preferred securities with an aggregate liquidation amount of $30.0 million to third-party investors and issued common equity with an aggregate liquidation amount of $.9 million to First United Corporation. Trust I and Trust II used the proceeds of these offerings to purchase an equal amount of TPS Debentures, as follows:

$20.6 million—floating rate payable quarterly based on three-month LIBOR plus 275 basis points (3.03% at June 30, 2015), maturing in 2034, became redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option.

$10.3 million--floating rate payable quarterly based on three-month LIBOR plus 275 basis points (3.03% at June 30, 2015) maturing in 2034, became redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option.

In December 2004, First United Corporation issued $5.0 million of junior subordinated debentures to third-party investors that were not tied to preferred securities. The debentures had a fixed rate of 5.88% for the first five years, payable quarterly, and converted to a floating rate in March 2010 based on the three month LIBOR plus 185 basis points. The debentures matured in March 2015 and were repaid.

In December 2009, Trust III issued 9.875% fixed-rate preferred securities with an aggregate liquidation amount of approximately $7.0 million to private investors and issued common securities to First United Corporation with an aggregate liquidation amount of approximately $.2 million. Trust III used the proceeds of the offering to purchase approximately $7.2 million of 9.875% fixed-rate TPS Debentures. Interest on these TPS Debentures are payable quarterly, and the TPS Debentures mature in 2040 but are redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option.

In January 2010, Trust III issued an additional $3.5 million of 9.875% fixed-rate preferred securities to private investors and issued common securities to First United Corporation with an aggregate liquidation amount of $.1 million. Trust III used the proceeds of the offering to purchase $3.6 million of 9.875% fixed-rate TPS Debentures. Interest on these TPS Debentures is payable quarterly, and the TPS Debentures mature in 2040 but are redeemable five years after issuance at First United Corporation’s option.

The TPS Debentures issued to each of the Trusts represent the sole assets of that Trust, and payments of the TPS Debentures by First United Corporation are the only sources of cash flow for the Trust. First United Corporation has the right, without triggering a default, to defer interest on all of the TPS Debentures for up to 20 quarterly periods, in which case distributions on the preferred securities will also be deferred. Should this occur, First United Corporation may not pay dividends or distributions on, or repurchase, redeem or acquire any shares of its capital stock.

At the request of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (the “Reserve Bank”) in December 2010, the Corporation’s Board of Directors elected to defer quarterly interest payments under the TPS Debentures beginning with the payments due in March 2011. The terms of the TPS Debentures permit the Corporation to elect to defer payments of interest for up to 20 consecutive quarterly periods, provided that no event of default exists under the TPS Debentures at the time of the election. An election to defer interest payments is not considered a default under the TPS Debentures. In February 2014, First United Corporation received approval from the Reserve Bank to terminate this deferral by making the quarterly interest payments due to the Trusts in March 2014 and paying all deferred interest for prior quarters. In January 2015, First United Corporation received approval and paid each of the quarterly interest payments through March 2015. In April 2015, the Corporation received approval to pay the June 2015 interest payments. In July 2015, approval was received to pay the September 2015 interest payments.

Until further notice from the Reserve Bank, First United Corporation is required to obtain the Reserve Bank’s prior approval before making any future interest payments under the TPS Debentures. In considering a request for approval, the Reserve Bank will consider, among other things, the Corporation’s financial condition and its quarterly results of operations. In addition to this pre-approval requirement, First United Corporation’s ability to make future quarterly interest payments under the TPS Debentures will depend in large part on its receipt of dividends from the Bank, and the Bank may make dividend payments only with the prior approval of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation (the “Maryland Commissioner”). As a result of these limitations, no assurance can be given that First United Corporation will make the quarterly interest payments due under the TPS Debentures in any future quarter. In the event that First United Corporation and/or the Bank do not receive the approvals necessary for First United Corporation to make future quarterly interest payments, First United Corporation will have to again elect to defer interest payments.

The terms of First United Corporation’s Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) call for the payment, if declared by the Corporation’s Board of Directors, of cash dividends on February 15th, May 15th, August 15th and November 15th of each year. On November 15, 2010, at the request of the Reserve Bank, the Corporation’s Board of Directors voted to suspend quarterly cash dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock beginning with the dividend payment due November 15, 2010. During the suspension, dividends of $.4 million per dividend period continued to accrue. In April 2014, the Corporation received approval from the Reserve Bank to terminate this deferral by making a $6.5 million payment to the Treasury, representing the quarterly dividend payment due in May 2014 and all unpaid dividends that accrued during the suspension period. In January 2015, the Corporation received approval and paid the $.7 million in quarterly dividends due in February 2015. In April 2015, the Corporation received approval to pay the May 2015 payment. In July 2015, approval was received to pay the August payment.

Until further notice from the Reserve Bank, First United Corporation is required to obtain the Reserve Bank’s prior approval before making any future quarterly dividend payment on the Series A Preferred Stock. In considering a request for approval, the Reserve Bank will consider, among other things, the Corporation’s financial condition and its quarterly results of operations. In addition, First United Corporation’s ability to make future quarterly dividend payments on the Series A Preferred Stock will depend in large part on its receipt of dividends from the Bank, the declaration and payment of which, as discussed above, are subject to the prior approval of the FDIC and the Maryland Commissioner. If First United Corporation and/or the Bank do not obtain the regulatory approvals required for a particular quarterly dividend, then First United Corporation would have to again suspend quarterly dividend payments, which would result in a prohibition against paying any dividends or other distributions on the outstanding shares of First United Corporation’s common stock during the suspension period.

First United Corporation’s Board of Directors suspended the payment of dividends on the common stock in December 2010 when it approved the above-mentioned deferral of dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock. That Board of Directors has not resumed the payment of cash dividends on the common stock, and no assurance can be given with respect to if or when such resumption will occur.