Recent Market Developments	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Recent Market Developments [Abstract]
Recent Market Developments	Note 2. Recent Market Developments The financial services industry is facing unprecedented challenges in the face of the recent national and global economic crisis. The global and U.S. economies are experiencing significantly reduced business activity. Dramatic declines in the housing market during the past several years, with falling home prices and increasing foreclosures and unemployment, have resulted in significant write-downs of asset values by financial institutions, including government-sponsored entities and major commercial and investment banks. These write-downs, initially of mortgage-backed securities but spreading to credit default swaps and other derivative securities, have caused many financial institutions to seek additional capital; to merge with larger and stronger institutions; and, in some cases, to fail. The Company is fortunate that the markets it serves have been impacted to a lesser extent than many areas around the country. In response to the financial crises affecting the banking system and financial markets, there have been several announcements of federal programs designed to purchase assets from, provide equity capital to, and guarantee the liquidity of the industry. On October 3, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (the “EESA”) was signed into law. The EESA authorizes the U.S. Treasury to, among other things, purchase up to $750 billion of mortgages, mortgage-backed securities, and certain other financial instruments from financial institutions for the purpose of stabilizing and providing liquidity to the U.S. financial markets. On October 14, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced that it would purchase equity stakes in a wide variety of banks and thrifts. Under this program, known as the Troubled Assets Relief Program Capital Purchase Program (the “TARP Capital Purchase Program”), the U.S. Treasury made $250 billion of capital available (from the $750 billion authorized by the EESA) to U.S. financial institutions in the form of preferred stock. In conjunction with the purchase of preferred stock, the U.S. Treasury received warrants to purchase common stock with an aggregate market price equal to 15% of the preferred investment. Participating financial institutions were required to adopt the U. S. Treasury’s standards for executive compensation, dividend restrictions and corporate governance for the period during which the Treasury holds equity issued under the TARP Capital Purchase Program. The U.S. Treasury also announced that nine large financial institutions had already agreed to participate in the TARP Capital Purchase Program. Subsequently, a number of smaller institutions had participated in the TARP Capital Purchase Program. On December 18, 2008, the Company announced in a press release, it had received preliminary approval from the U.S. Treasury to participate in the TARP Capital Purchase Program, in an amount up to $30 million in the form of Century Bancorp, Inc. preferred stock and warrants to purchase Class A common stock. In light of uncertainty surrounding additional restrictions that may be imposed on participants under pending legislation, the Company, on January 14, 2009, informed the U.S. Treasury that it would not be closing on the transaction on January 16, 2009, as originally scheduled. The Company subsequently withdrew its application. On October 14, 2008, the U.S. Treasury and the FDIC jointly announced a new program, known as the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (“TLGP”), to strengthen confidence and encourage liquidity in the nation’s banking system. The TLGP consists of two programs: the Debt Guarantee Program (“DGP”) and the Transaction Account Guarantee Program (“TAGP”). Under the DGP, as amended, the FDIC guaranteed certain newly issued senior unsecured debt of participating banks, thrifts and certain holding companies issued from October 14, 2008 through October 31, 2009, which debt matures on or prior to December 31, 2012, up to a fixed maximum amount per participant. In addition, under the TAGP, the FDIC guaranteed deposits in noninterest bearing transaction accounts without dollar limitation through December 31, 2009. Institutions opting to participate in the DGP will be charged a 50-, 75- or 100-basis point fee (depending on maturity) for the guarantee of eligible debt, and a 10-basis point assessment will be applicable to deposits in noninterest bearing transaction accounts at institutions participating in the TAGP that exceed the existing deposit insurance limit of $250,000. The Company opted to participate in both the DGP and the TAGP. The annual assessment rate that was applied during the extension period was either 15, 20 or 25 basis points, depending on the risk category assigned to the institution under the FDIC’s risk-based premium system. On April 13, 2010 the FDIC approved an interim rule to extend the TAGP to December 31, 2010. The Company continued to participate in the TAGP through December 31, 2010. The interim rule gave the FDIC discretion to extend the program to the end of 2011, without additional rulemaking, if it determines that economic conditions warrant such an extension. On November 9, 2010 the FDIC approved temporary unlimited coverage for noninterest-bearing transaction accounts. This coverage became effective on December 31, 2010, and will end on December 31, 2012. On May 22, 2009, the FDIC announced a special assessment on insured institutions as part of its efforts to rebuild the Deposit Insurance Fund and help maintain public confidence in the banking system. The special assessment was five basis points of each FDIC-insured depository institution’s assets minus Tier 1 capital, as of June 30, 2009. The Company recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2009 in connection with the special assessment. On September 29, 2009, the FDIC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would require insured institutions to prepay their estimated quarterly risk-based assessments for the fourth quarter of 2009 and for all of 2010, 2011 and 2012. The FDIC Board voted to adopt a uniform three-basis point increase in assessment rates effective on January 1, 2011, and extend the restoration period from seven to eight years. This rule was finalized on November 2, 2009. As a result, the Company is carrying a prepaid asset of $5.1 million as of June 30, 2011. The Company’s quarterly risk-based deposit insurance assessments will be paid from this amount until the amount is exhausted or until December 30, 2014, when any amount remaining would be returned to the Company. On July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act became law. The Act was intended to address many issues arising in the recent financial crisis and is exceedingly broad in scope affecting many aspects of bank and financial market regulation. The Act requires, or permits by implementing regulation, enhanced prudential standards for banks and bank holding companies inclusive of capital, leverage, liquidity, concentration and exposure measures. In addition, traditional bank regulatory principles such as restrictions on transactions with affiliates and insiders were enhanced. The Act also contains reforms of consumer mortgage lending practices and creates a Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection which is granted broad authority over consumer financial practices of banks and others. It is expected as the specific new or incremental requirements applicable to the company become effective that the costs and difficulties of remaining compliant with all such requirements will increase. The Act broadens the base for FDIC assessments to average consolidated assets less tangible equity of financial institutions and also permanently raises the current standard maximum FDIC deposit insurance amount to $250,000. The Act extends unlimited deposit insurance on non-interest bearing transaction accounts through December 31, 2013.

Note 2. Recent Market Developments

The financial services industry is facing unprecedented challenges in the face of the recent national and global economic crisis. The global and U.S. economies are experiencing significantly reduced business activity. Dramatic declines in the housing market during the past several years, with falling home prices and increasing foreclosures and unemployment, have resulted in significant write-downs of asset values by financial institutions, including government-sponsored entities and major commercial and investment banks. These write-downs, initially of mortgage-backed securities but spreading to credit default swaps and other derivative securities, have caused many financial institutions to seek additional capital; to merge with larger and stronger institutions; and, in some cases, to fail. The Company is fortunate that the markets it serves have been impacted to a lesser extent than many areas around the country.

In response to the financial crises affecting the banking system and financial markets, there have been several announcements of federal programs designed to purchase assets from, provide equity capital to, and guarantee the liquidity of the industry.

On October 3, 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (the “EESA”) was signed into law. The EESA authorizes the U.S. Treasury to, among other things, purchase up to $750 billion of mortgages, mortgage-backed securities, and certain other financial instruments from financial institutions for the purpose of stabilizing and providing liquidity to the U.S. financial markets.

On October 14, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced that it would purchase equity stakes in a wide variety of banks and thrifts. Under this program, known as the Troubled Assets Relief Program Capital Purchase Program (the “TARP Capital Purchase Program”), the U.S. Treasury made $250 billion of capital available (from the $750 billion authorized by the EESA) to U.S. financial institutions in the form of preferred stock. In conjunction with the purchase of preferred stock, the U.S. Treasury received warrants to purchase common stock with an aggregate market price equal to 15% of the preferred investment. Participating financial institutions were required to adopt the U. S. Treasury’s standards for executive compensation, dividend restrictions and corporate governance for the period during which the Treasury holds equity issued under the TARP Capital Purchase Program. The U.S. Treasury also announced that nine large financial institutions had already agreed to participate in the TARP Capital Purchase Program. Subsequently, a number of smaller institutions had participated in the TARP Capital Purchase Program. On December 18, 2008, the Company announced in a press release, it had received preliminary approval from the U.S. Treasury to participate in the TARP Capital Purchase Program, in an amount up to $30 million in the form of Century Bancorp, Inc. preferred stock and warrants to purchase Class A common stock. In light of uncertainty surrounding additional restrictions that may be imposed on participants under pending legislation, the Company, on January 14, 2009, informed the U.S. Treasury that it would not be closing on the transaction on January 16, 2009, as originally scheduled. The Company subsequently withdrew its application.

On October 14, 2008, the U.S. Treasury and the FDIC jointly announced a new program, known as the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (“TLGP”), to strengthen confidence and encourage liquidity in the nation’s banking system. The TLGP consists of two programs: the Debt Guarantee Program (“DGP”) and the Transaction Account Guarantee Program (“TAGP”). Under the DGP, as amended, the FDIC guaranteed certain newly issued senior unsecured debt of participating banks, thrifts and certain holding companies issued from October 14, 2008 through October 31, 2009, which debt matures on or prior to December 31, 2012, up to a fixed maximum amount per participant. In addition, under the TAGP, the FDIC guaranteed deposits in noninterest bearing transaction accounts without dollar limitation through December 31, 2009. Institutions opting to participate in the DGP will be charged a 50-, 75- or 100-basis point fee (depending on maturity) for the guarantee of eligible debt, and a 10-basis point assessment will be applicable to deposits in noninterest bearing transaction accounts at institutions participating in the TAGP that exceed the existing deposit insurance limit of $250,000. The Company opted to participate in both the DGP and the TAGP. The annual assessment rate that was applied during the extension period was either 15, 20 or 25 basis points, depending on the risk category assigned to the institution under the FDIC’s risk-based premium system. On April 13, 2010 the FDIC approved an interim rule to extend the TAGP to December 31, 2010. The Company continued to participate in the TAGP through December 31, 2010. The interim rule gave the FDIC discretion to extend the program to the end of 2011, without additional rulemaking, if it determines that economic conditions warrant such an extension. On November 9, 2010 the FDIC approved temporary unlimited coverage for noninterest-bearing transaction accounts. This coverage became effective on December 31, 2010, and will end on December 31, 2012.

On May 22, 2009, the FDIC announced a special assessment on insured institutions as part of its efforts to rebuild the Deposit Insurance Fund and help maintain public confidence in the banking system. The special assessment was five basis points of each FDIC-insured depository institution’s assets minus Tier 1 capital, as of June 30, 2009. The Company recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2009 in connection with the special assessment.

On September 29, 2009, the FDIC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would require insured institutions to prepay their estimated quarterly risk-based assessments for the fourth quarter of 2009 and for all of 2010, 2011 and 2012. The FDIC Board voted to adopt a uniform three-basis point increase in assessment rates effective on January 1, 2011, and extend the restoration period from seven to eight years. This rule was finalized on November 2, 2009. As a result, the Company is carrying a prepaid asset of $5.1 million as of June 30, 2011. The Company’s quarterly risk-based deposit insurance assessments will be paid from this amount until the amount is exhausted or until December 30, 2014, when any amount remaining would be returned to the Company.

On July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act became law. The Act was intended to address many issues arising in the recent financial crisis and is exceedingly broad in scope affecting many aspects of bank and financial market regulation. The Act requires, or permits by implementing regulation, enhanced prudential standards for banks and bank holding companies inclusive of capital, leverage, liquidity, concentration and exposure measures. In addition, traditional bank regulatory principles such as restrictions on transactions with affiliates and insiders were enhanced. The Act also contains reforms of consumer mortgage lending practices and creates a Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection which is granted broad authority over consumer financial practices of banks and others. It is expected as the specific new or incremental requirements applicable to the company become effective that the costs and difficulties of remaining compliant with all such requirements will increase. The Act broadens the base for FDIC assessments to average consolidated assets less tangible equity of financial institutions and also permanently raises the current standard maximum FDIC deposit insurance amount to $250,000. The Act extends unlimited deposit insurance on non-interest bearing transaction accounts through December 31, 2013.