Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the consolidated financial statements contain all material adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. and Subsidiaries (BancShares) as of and for each of the periods presented, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management has evaluated subsequent events through the filing date of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in BancShares’ 2011 Form 10-K. Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform with statement presentations for 2012. The reclassifications have no effect on shareholders’ equity or net income as previously reported. Fair values assigned to acquired assets are subject to refinement for one year after the closing date of the transaction as additional information regarding closing date fair values becomes available. There were no adjustments to previously reported acquisition gains during the third quarter of 2012. Effective April 1, 2012, BancShares elected to change the threshold above which impaired loans not considered to be troubled debt restructurings are individually evaluated for impairment. Previously, impaired loans greater than $1,000 were subject to an individual impairment analysis; effective in the second quarter of 2012, impaired loans greater than $500 were subject to such an analysis. The threshold for analysis is applied to the total lending relationship to determine the loans to be evaluated. Application of the new method resulted in a reduction in the allowance for loan and lease losses of $2,615 at June 30, 2012. Long-Term Obligations On July 31, 2012, BancShares redeemed the 8.05 percent junior subordinated debenture (the 1998 Debenture) issued by FCB/NC Capital Trust I (the Trust). The 1998 Debenture had a face value of $154,640 and was redeemed for $163,569, which represented 102.42 percent of the face value plus accrued interest. Redemption of the 1998 Debenture triggered the redemption of the 8.05 percent trust preferred securities (the 1998 Preferred Securities) by the Trust. The 1998 Preferred Securities had an aggregate liquidation amount of $150,000 and were redeemed for $158,661, which represented 102.42 percent of the face amount plus accrued interest. The repayment resulted in a $154,640 reduction in long-term borrowings, and the 2.42 percent prepayment penalty rate resulted in $3,630 in noninterest expense during the third quarter of 2012. On July 15, 2012, BancShares repaid the outstanding debt obligation that related to a 2005 securitization and sale of revolving mortgage loans. The repayment resulted in a $21,565 reduction in long-term borrowings. Recently Adopted Accounting Policies and Other Regulatory Issues In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS (ASU 2011-04). ASU 2011-04 creates a uniform framework for applying fair value measurement principles for companies around the world. It eliminates differences between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. New disclosures required by the guidance include: quantitative disclosures of transfers between level 1 and level 2 and the reasons for those transfers; quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used for level 3 measurements; a qualitative discussion about the sensitivity of recurring level 3 measurements to changes in the unobservable inputs disclosed, including the interrelationship between inputs; and a description of the company’s valuation processes. The updates in ASU 2011-04 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, and all amendments are to be applied prospectively with any changes in measurements recognized in income in the period of adoption. The provisions of this update have affected BancShares' financial statement disclosures but had no impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In June 2011, the FASB issued Comprehensive Income: Presentation of Comprehensive Income (ASU 2011-05). ASU 2011-05 allows financial statement issuers to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Additionally, in December 2011, the FASB issued Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05 (ASU 2011-12) which deferred the portion of ASU 2011-05 that relates to the presentation of reclassification adjustments. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity, which is the presentation method previously utilized by BancShares. The updates in ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and have been applied retrospectively. The provisions of these updates have affected BancShares' financial statement format but had no impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In September 2011, the FASB issued Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets: Testing Goodwill for Impairment (ASU 2011-08), which allows an entity the option to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that is it more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. Under ASU 2011-08, if, after that assessment is made, an entity determines that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of goodwill is not impaired, then the two-step impairment test is not required. However, if the entity concludes otherwise, the two-step impairment test is required. The provisions of ASU 2011-08 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, although early adoption was allowed. Adoption of ASU 2011-08 has had no material impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. In September 2012, the FASB's Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) ratified EITF issued EITF Issue No. 12-C Subsequent Accounting for an Indemnification Asset Recognized at the Acquisition Date as the Result of a Government-Assisted Acquisition of a Financial Institution (Issue 12-C). Issue 12-C requires that any indemnification asset resulting from a government-assisted transaction be subsequently measured on the same basis as the underlying loans by using the contractual limitations of the related loss share agreement. Issue 12-C is to be applied prospectively to new and earlier transactions, including the FDIC-assisted transactions involving BancShares. Issue 12-C is effective for periods ending after December 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. BancShares adopted the provisions of Issue 12-C effective September 30, 2012 with no material impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements.

In the opinion of management, the consolidated financial statements contain all material adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. and Subsidiaries (BancShares) as of and for each of the periods presented, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Management has evaluated subsequent events through the filing date of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in BancShares’ 2011 Form 10-K. Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform with statement presentations for 2012. The reclassifications have no effect on shareholders’ equity or net income as previously reported. Fair values assigned to acquired assets are subject to refinement for one year after the closing date of the transaction as additional information regarding closing date fair values becomes available. There were no adjustments to previously reported acquisition gains during the third quarter of 2012.

Effective April 1, 2012, BancShares elected to change the threshold above which impaired loans not considered to be troubled debt restructurings are individually evaluated for impairment. Previously, impaired loans greater than $1,000 were subject to an individual impairment analysis; effective in the second quarter of 2012, impaired loans greater than $500 were subject to such an analysis. The threshold for analysis is applied to the total lending relationship to determine the loans to be evaluated. Application of the new method resulted in a reduction in the allowance for loan and lease losses of $2,615 at June 30, 2012.

Long-Term Obligations

On July 31, 2012, BancShares redeemed the 8.05 percent junior subordinated debenture (the 1998 Debenture) issued by FCB/NC Capital Trust I (the Trust). The 1998 Debenture had a face value of $154,640 and was redeemed for $163,569, which represented 102.42 percent of the face value plus accrued interest. Redemption of the 1998 Debenture triggered the redemption of the 8.05 percent trust preferred securities (the 1998 Preferred Securities) by the Trust. The 1998 Preferred Securities had an aggregate liquidation amount of $150,000 and were redeemed for $158,661, which represented 102.42 percent of the face amount plus accrued interest. The repayment resulted in a $154,640 reduction in long-term borrowings, and the 2.42 percent prepayment penalty rate resulted in $3,630 in noninterest expense during the third quarter of 2012.

On July 15, 2012, BancShares repaid the outstanding debt obligation that related to a 2005 securitization and sale of revolving mortgage loans. The repayment resulted in a $21,565 reduction in long-term borrowings.

Recently Adopted Accounting Policies and Other Regulatory Issues

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS (ASU 2011-04). ASU 2011-04 creates a uniform framework for applying fair value measurement principles for companies around the world. It eliminates differences between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. New disclosures required by the guidance include: quantitative disclosures of transfers between level 1 and level 2 and the reasons for those transfers; quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used for level 3 measurements; a qualitative discussion about the sensitivity of recurring level 3 measurements to changes in the unobservable inputs disclosed, including the interrelationship between inputs; and a description of the company’s valuation processes. The updates in ASU 2011-04 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, and all amendments are to be applied prospectively with any changes in measurements recognized in income in the period of adoption. The provisions of this update have affected BancShares' financial statement disclosures but had no impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In June 2011, the FASB issued Comprehensive Income: Presentation of Comprehensive Income (ASU 2011-05). ASU 2011-05 allows financial statement issuers to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Additionally, in December 2011, the FASB issued Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05 (ASU 2011-12) which deferred the portion of ASU 2011-05 that relates to the presentation of reclassification adjustments. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity, which is the presentation method previously utilized by BancShares. The updates in ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and have been applied retrospectively. The provisions of these updates have affected BancShares' financial statement format but had no impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In September 2011, the FASB issued Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets: Testing Goodwill for Impairment (ASU 2011-08), which allows an entity the option to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that is it more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. Under ASU 2011-08, if, after that assessment is made, an entity determines that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of goodwill is not impaired, then the two-step impairment test is not required. However, if the entity concludes otherwise, the two-step impairment test is required. The provisions of ASU 2011-08 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, although early adoption was allowed. Adoption of ASU 2011-08 has had no material impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In September 2012, the FASB's Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) ratified EITF issued EITF Issue No. 12-C Subsequent Accounting for an Indemnification Asset Recognized at the Acquisition Date as the Result of a Government-Assisted Acquisition of a Financial Institution (Issue 12-C). Issue 12-C requires that any indemnification asset resulting from a government-assisted transaction be subsequently measured on the same basis as the underlying loans by using the contractual limitations of the related loss share agreement. Issue 12-C is to be applied prospectively to new and earlier transactions, including the FDIC-assisted transactions involving BancShares. Issue 12-C is effective for periods ending after December 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. BancShares adopted the provisions of Issue 12-C effective September 30, 2012 with no material impact on BancShares' financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.