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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Nature of Operations

General

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets, Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity, and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows of BB&T Corporation and subsidiaries (“BB&T,” the “Corporation” or the “Company”), are fair statements of BB&T's financial position at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, BB&T's results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, and BB&T's changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011. In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the consolidated financial position and consolidated results of operations have been made.

These consolidated financial statements and notes are presented in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q. The information contained in the financial statements and footnotes included in BB&T's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 should be referred to in connection with these unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.

The accounting and reporting policies of BB&T and its subsidiaries are in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Additionally, where applicable, the policies conform to the accounting and reporting guidelines prescribed by bank regulatory authorities.

Nature of Operations

BB&T is a financial holding company organized under the laws of North Carolina. BB&T conducts operations through its principal bank subsidiary, Branch Banking and Trust Company (“Branch Bank”), BB&T Financial, FSB (“BB&T FSB”), a federally chartered thrift institution, and its nonbank subsidiaries. Branch Bank has offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. Branch Bank provides a wide range of banking services to individuals and businesses, and offers a variety of loans to businesses and consumers. Such loans are made primarily to individuals residing in the market areas described above or to businesses located within BB&T's geographic footprint. Branch Bank also markets a wide range of deposit services to individuals, businesses and public entities. Branch Bank offers, either directly, or through its subsidiaries, lease financing to businesses and municipal governments; factoring; discount brokerage services, annuities and mutual funds; life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation; insurance premium financing; permanent financing arrangements for commercial real estate; loan servicing for third-party investors; direct consumer finance loans to individuals; trust and comprehensive wealth advisory services and association services. BB&T FSB and the direct nonbank subsidiaries of BB&T provide a variety of financial services including credit card lending, automobile lending, equipment financing, full-service securities brokerage, asset management and capital markets services.
Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of BB&T include the accounts of BB&T Corporation and those subsidiaries that are majority owned by BB&T and over which BB&T exercises control. In consolidation, all significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated. The results of operations of companies or assets acquired are included only from the dates of acquisition. All material wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated unless GAAP requires otherwise.

BB&T holds investments in certain legal entities that are considered variable interest entities (“VIE's”). VIE's are legal entities in which equity investors do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to independently finance its activities, or as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack the power through voting or similar rights to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact its economic performance, or do not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the entity or the right to receive expected residual returns of the entity. Consolidation of a VIE is considered appropriate if a reporting entity holds a controlling financial interest in the VIE.

BB&T evaluates its investments in VIE's to determine if a controlling financial interest is held. This evaluation gives appropriate consideration to the design of the entity and the variability that the entity was designed to pass along, the relative power of each of the parties to the VIE, and to BB&T's relative obligation to absorb losses or receive residual returns of the entity, in relation to such obligations and rights held by other parties to the VIE. BB&T has variable interests in certain entities that were not required to be consolidated, including affordable housing partnership interests, historic tax credit partnerships, and other partnership interests. Refer to Note 13 for additional disclosures regarding BB&T's significant variable interest entities.

BB&T accounts for unconsolidated partnership and similar investments using the equity method of accounting. In addition to affordable housing partnerships, which represent the majority of unconsolidated investments in variable interest entities, BB&T also has investments and future funding commitments to venture capital and other entities. The maximum potential exposure to losses relative to investments in variable interest entities is generally limited to the sum of the outstanding balance, future funding commitments and any related loans to the entity. Loans to these entities are underwritten in substantially the same manner as are other loans and are generally secured.

BB&T has investments in certain entities for which BB&T does not have the controlling interest. For these investments, the Company records its interest using the equity method with its portion of income or loss being recorded in other noninterest income in the Consolidated Statements of Income. BB&T periodically evaluates these investments for impairment.
Reclassifications

Reclassifications

In certain instances, amounts reported in prior periods' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported cash flows, shareholders' equity or net income.
Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change include the determination of the allowance for credit losses, determination of fair value for financial instruments, valuation of goodwill, intangible assets and other purchase accounting related adjustments, benefit plan obligations and expenses, and tax assets, liabilities and expense.
Changes in Accounting Principles and Effects of New Accounting Pronouncements

Changes in Accounting Principles and Effects of New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The new guidance 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 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 adoption of this guidance, which occurred effective January 1, 2012, had no impact on BB&T's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The new disclosures required by this guidance are included in Note 14 to these consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Comprehensive Income. The new guidance amends disclosure requirements for the presentation of comprehensive income. The amended guidance eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income (“OCI”) as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity. All changes in OCI must be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. The guidance does not change the items that must be reported in OCI. BB&T adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2012, and has elected to present two separate but consecutive financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting the presentation of certain items on the Balance Sheet. The new guidance requires an entity to disclose both gross and net information about both instruments and transactions that are eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. This guidance is effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013 and interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of this guidance will not impact BB&T's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows, but may result in certain additional disclosures.