XML 30 R13.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.0.1
Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Allowance, and Net [Abstract]  
Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitment
NOTE 4—ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES AND RESERVE FOR UNFUNDED LENDING COMMITMENTS
In the first quarter of 2020, we adopted the CECL standard. Accordingly, our disclosures below reflect these adoption changes. Prior period presentation was not modified to conform to the current period presentation. See “Note 1--Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for additional information.
Our allowance for credit losses represents management’s current estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual terms of our loans held for investment as of each balance sheet date. Expected recoveries of amounts previously charged off or expected to be charged off are recognized within the allowance. Significant judgment is applied in our estimation of lifetime credit losses. When developing an estimate of expected credit losses, we use both quantitative and qualitative methods in considering all available information relevant to assessing collectability. This may include internal information, external information or a combination of both relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Management will consider and may qualitatively adjust for conditions, changes and trends in loan portfolios that may not be captured in modeled results. These adjustments are referred to as qualitative factors and represent management’s judgment of the imprecision and risks inherent in the processes and assumptions used in establishing the allowance for credit losses.
For credit card loans, accrued interest is charged off simultaneously with the charge off of other components of amortized cost as a reduction of revenue. Total net revenue was reduced by $629 million and $1.1 billion in 2021 and 2020, respectively for finance charges and fees charged-off as uncollectible and by $1.4 billion in 2019 for the estimated uncollectible amount of billed finance charges and fees and related losses.
We have unfunded lending commitments in our Commercial Banking business that are not unconditionally cancellable by us and for which we estimate expected credit losses in establishing a reserve. This reserve is measured using the same measurement objectives as the allowance for loans held for investment. We build or release the reserve for unfunded lending commitments through the provision for credit losses in our consolidated statements of income, and the related reserve for unfunded lending commitments is included in other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets.
See “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for further discussion of the methodology and policy for determining our allowance for credit losses for each of our loan portfolio segments, as well as information on our reserve for unfunded lending commitments.
Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity
The table below summarizes changes in the allowance for credit losses and reserve for unfunded lending commitments by portfolio segment for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Our allowance for credit losses decreased by $4.1 billion to $11.4 billion as of December 31, 2021 from 2020, primarily driven by strong credit performance and an improved economic outlook.
Table 4.1: Allowance for Credit Losses and Reserve for Unfunded Lending Commitments Activity
(Dollars in millions)Credit CardConsumer BankingCommercial BankingTotal
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance as of December 31, 2018$5,535 $1,048 $637 $7,220 
Charge-offs
(6,711)(1,917)(181)(8,809)
Recoveries(1)
1,562 970 25 2,557 
Net charge-offs(5,149)(947)(156)(6,252)
Provision for loan and lease losses4,992 937 294 6,223 
Allowance build (release) for loan and lease losses(157)(10)138 (29)
Other changes(2)
17 0 0 17 
Balance as of December 31, 20195,395 1,038 775 7,208 
Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:
Balance as of December 31, 20180 4 118 122 
Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments0 1 12 13 
Balance as of December 31, 20190 5 130 135 
Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2019
$5,395 $1,043 $905 $7,343 
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance as of December 31, 2019$5,395 $1,038 $775 $7,208 
Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard2,241 502 102 2,845 
Finance charge and fee reserve reclassification(3)
462 0 0 462 
Balance as of January 1, 20208,098 1,540 877 10,515 
Charge-offs
(5,749)(1,534)(394)(7,677)
Recoveries(1)
1,479 956 17 2,452 
Net charge-offs(4,270)(578)(377)(5,225)
Provision for credit losses7,327 1,753 1,158 10,238 
Allowance build for credit losses(4)
3,057 1,175 781 5,013 
Other changes(2)
36 0 0 36 
Balance as of December 31, 2020$11,191 $2,715 $1,658 $15,564 
Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:
Balance as of December 31, 20190 5 130 135 
Cumulative effects from adoption of the CECL standard0 (5)42 37 
Balance as of January 1, 20200 0 172 172 
Provision for losses on unfunded lending commitments0 0 23 23 
Balance as of December 31, 20200 0 195 195 
Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2020$11,191 $2,715 $1,853 $15,759 
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance as of December 31, 2020$11,191 $2,715 $1,658 $15,564 
Charge-offs
(3,481)(1,211)(48)(4,740)
Recoveries(1)
1,525 935 46 2,506 
Net charge-offs(1,956)(276)(2)(2,234)
Provision (benefit) for credit losses(902)(521)(489)(1,912)
Allowance build (release) for credit losses(2,858)(797)(491)(4,146)
Other changes(5)
12 0 0 12 
Balance as of December 31, 20218,345 1,918 1,167 11,430 
Reserve for unfunded lending commitments:
(Dollars in millions)Credit CardConsumer BankingCommercial BankingTotal
Balance as of December 31, 20200 0 195 195 
Provision (benefit) for losses on unfunded lending commitments0 0 (30)(30)
Balance as of December 31, 20210 0 165 165 
Combined allowance and reserve as of December 31, 2021$8,345 $1,918 $1,332 $11,595 
__________
(1)The amount and timing of recoveries are impacted by our collection strategies, which are based on customer behavior and risk profile and include direct customer communications, repossession of collateral, the periodic sale of charged off loans as well as additional strategies, such as litigation.
(2)Represents foreign currency translation adjustments.
(3)Concurrent with our adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020, we reclassified our finance charge and fee reserve to our allowance for credit losses, with a corresponding increase to credit card loans held for investment.
(4)Includes an allowance release of $327 million for a partnership credit card loan portfolio transferred to held for sale in the third quarter of 2020.
(5)Represents foreign currency translation adjustments and an initial allowance for purchased credit-deteriorated loans of $6 million.
Credit Card Partnership Loss Sharing Arrangements
We have certain credit card partnership agreements that are presented within our consolidated financial statements on a net basis, in which our partner agrees to share a portion of the credit losses on the underlying loan portfolio. The expected reimbursements from these partners are netted against our allowance for credit losses. Our methodology for estimating reimbursements is consistent with the methodology we use to estimate the allowance for credit losses on our credit card loan receivables. These expected reimbursements result in reductions to net charge-offs and the provision for credit losses. See “Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” for further discussion of our credit card partnership agreements.
The table below summarizes the changes in the estimated reimbursements from these partners for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Table 4.2: Summary of Credit Card Partnership Loss Sharing Arrangements Impacts
Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in millions)202120202019
Estimated reimbursements from partners, beginning of period(1)
$2,159 $2,166 $379 
Amounts due from partners which reduced net charge-offs(438)(959)(600)
Amounts expected to become due from (to) partners which reduced (increased) provision for credit losses(271)952 1,383 
Estimated reimbursements from partners, end of period$1,450 $2,159 $1,162 
__________
(1)Includes effects from adoption of the CECL standard in the first quarter of 2020.