Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

Marketable Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investment Securities

When purchased, investment securities are designated as either investment securities held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading.  

Securities are classified as held-to-maturity and carried at amortized cost only if the Bank has a positive intent and ability to hold such securities to maturity.  Securities held-to-maturity are carried at cost, adjusted for the amortization of premiums and the accretion of discounts using the level-yield method over the remaining period until maturity.

Securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term are classified as trading securities and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings.

If not classified as held-to-maturity or trading, securities are classified as available-for-sale based upon management's ability to sell in response to actual or anticipated changes in interest rates, resulting prepayment risk or any other factors. Available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value. Estimated fair values of securities are based on either published or security dealers' market value if available. If quoted or dealer prices are not available, fair value is estimated using quoted or dealer prices for similar securities.

The Company conducts periodic reviews to identify and evaluate each investment that has an unrealized holding loss. Unrealized holding gains or losses for securities available-for-sale are excluded from earnings and reported net of deferred income taxes in accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income, a component of Stockholders' Equity.  Following Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance, the amount of an other-than-temporary impairment, when there are credit and non-credit losses on a debt security which management does not intend to sell, and for which it is more-likely-than-not that the entity will not be required to sell the security prior to the recovery of the non-credit impairment, the portion of the total impairment that is attributable to the credit loss would be recognized in earnings, and the remaining difference between the debt security’s amortized cost basis and its fair value would be included in other comprehensive (loss) income.

During the nine months ended December 31, 2013 and for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, no other-than-temporary impairment charges were recorded.  Gains or losses on sales of securities of all classifications are recognized based on the specific identification method.

Finance, Loan and Lease Receivables, Held-for-sale, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Loans Held-for-Sale

Loans are only moved to held-for-sale classification upon the determination by Carver to sell a loan. Held-for-sale loans are carried at the lower of cost or market value.  The initial charge off, if any is required, will be taken upon the move to held-for-sale and absorbed through Carver's loan loss reserve.  The need to further charge offs is periodically evaluated if the loan remains classified as held-for-sale for an extended period of time using the valuation methodologies identified below.  Any subsequently required charge off is processed as a mark to market adjustment. The valuation methodology for loans held-for-sale varies based upon the circumstances.  Held-for-sale values may be based upon accepted offer amounts, appraised value of underlying mortgaged premises, prior loan loss experience of Carver in connection with recent loan sales for the loan type in question, and/or other acceptable valuation methods.

Finance, Loans and Leases Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Loans Receivable

Loans receivable are carried at unpaid principal balances plus unamortized premiums, purchase accounting mark-to-market adjustments, certain deferred direct loan origination costs and deferred loan origination fees and discounts, less the allowance for loan losses and charge-offs.

The Bank defers loan origination fees and certain direct loan origination costs and amortizes or accretes such amounts as an adjustment of yield over the contractual lives of the related loans using methodologies which approximate the interest method.  Premiums and discounts on loans purchased are amortized or accreted as an adjustment of yield over the contractual lives, of the related loans, adjusted for prepayments when applicable, using methodologies which approximate the interest method.

Loans are placed on non-accrual status when they are past due 90 days or more as to contractual obligations or when other circumstances indicate that collection is not probable.  When a loan is placed on non-accrual status, any interest accrued but not received is reversed against interest income.  Payments received on a non-accrual loan are either applied to protective advances, the outstanding principal balance or recorded as interest income, depending on an assessment of the ability to collect the loan.  A non-accrual loan is restored to accrual status when principal and interest payments become less than 90 days past due and its future collectability is reasonably assured.

If the Bank determines that there is an impairment dollar amount, the Bank next determines whether the amount of impairment is permanent.  The amount of impairment determined to be permanent is charged-off within the given fiscal quarter.  All other amounts are recorded as a specific valuation allowance (“SVA”) reserve.  Generally the amount of the loan and negative escrow in excess of the appraised value, for the fair value of collateral valuation method, is determined to be permanent and charged off.  The amount attributable to the expected cost to sell, is recorded as a specific valuation allowance.  In the event the Bank is using the collateral dependent determination for the dollar amount of impairment and the Bank does not have an accepted appraisal (for example, the Bank may utilize a broker’s price opinion), the Bank generally will treat all dollar amounts identified as impaired to be other than a permanent impairment and the full impaired amount will be recorded as a specific valuation allowance.  For impairment amounts calculated utilizing the present value of expected future cash flows, the dollar amount of impairment is recorded as a specific valuation allowance.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Limitations related to the fair value estimate of financial instruments

The fair value estimates are made at a discrete point in time based on relevant market information about the financial instruments. These estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time the entire holdings of a particular financial instrument. Because no quoted market value exists for a significant portion of the Bank's financial instruments, fair value estimates are based on judgments regarding future expected loss experience, current economic conditions, risk characteristics of various financial instruments, and other factors. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.

In addition, the fair value estimates are based on existing off-balance sheet financial instruments without attempting to value anticipated future business and the value of assets and liabilities that are not considered financial instruments. Other significant assets and liabilities that are not considered financial assets and liabilities include premises and equipment. In addition, the tax ramifications related to the realization of unrealized gains and losses can have a significant effect on fair value estimates and have not been considered in any of the estimates.

Finally, reasonable comparability between financial institutions may not be likely due to the wide range of permitted valuation techniques and numerous estimates which must be made given the absence of active secondary markets for many of the financial instruments. This lack of uniform valuation methodologies introduces a greater degree of subjectivity to these estimated fair values.

Loans and Leases Receivable, Allowance for Loan Losses Policy [Policy Text Block]

Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (“ALLL”)

The adequacy of the Bank's ALLL is determined in accordance with the Interagency Policy Statement on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (the “Interagency Policy Statement”) released by the OCC on December 13, 2006 and in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopics 450-20 “Disclosure of Certain Loss Contingencies” and 310-10 “Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan.” Compliance with the Interagency Policy Statement includes management's review of the Bank's loan portfolio, including the identification and review of situations that may affect a borrower's ability to repay. In addition, management reviews the overall portfolio quality through an analysis of delinquency and non-performing loan data, estimates of the value of underlying collateral, current charge-offs and other factors that may affect the portfolio, including a review of regulatory examinations, an assessment of current and expected economic conditions and changes in the size and composition of the loan portfolio.

The ALLL reflects management's evaluation of the loans presenting identified loss potential, as well as the risk inherent in various components of the portfolio. There is a great amount of judgment applied to developing the ALLL. As such, there can never be assurance that the ALLL accurately reflects the actual loss potential inherent in a loan portfolio. Any change in circumstances considered by management to develop the ALLL could necessitate a change to the ALLL, including a change to the loan portfolio, such as a decline in credit quality or an increase in potential problem loans.

Finance, Loan and Lease Receivables, Held-for-investment, Allowance and Nonperforming Loans, Allowance Policy [Policy Text Block]

General Reserve Allowance

Carver's maintenance of a general reserve allowance in accordance with ASC Subtopic 450-20 includes Carver's evaluating the risk to loss potential of homogeneous pools of loans based upon historical loss factors and a review of nine different factors that are then applied to each pool.  The pools of loans (“Loan Type”) are:

• 1-4 Family

• Construction

• Multifamily

• Commercial Real Estate

• Business Loans

• SBA Loans

• Other (Consumer and Overdraft Accounts)

The pools are further segregated into the following risk rating classes:

• Pass

• Special Mention

• Substandard

• Doubtful

• Loss

The Bank next applies to each pool a risk factor that determines the level of general reserves for that specific pool.  The risk factors are comprised of actual losses for the most recent six quarters as a percentage of each respective Loan Type plus qualitative factors.  This represents a change in methodology as the Bank previously utilized a four quarter historical trend. The rationale for the change is to adopt a more comprehensive loss period. As the loss experience for a Loan Type increases or decreases, the level of reserves required for that particular Loan Type also increases or decreases.  Because actual loss experience may not adequately predict the level of losses inherent in a portfolio, the Bank reviews nine qualitative factors to determine if reserves should be adjusted based upon any of those factors.  As the risk ratings worsen some of the qualitative factors tend to increase.  The nine qualitative factors the Bank considers and may utilize are:

1. Changes in lending policies and procedures, including changes in underwriting standards and collection, charge-offs, and recovery practices not considered elsewhere in estimating credit losses (Policy & Procedures).

2. Changes in relevant economic and business conditions and developments that affect the collectability of the portfolio, including the condition of various market segments (Economy).

3. Changes in the nature or volume of the loan portfolio and in the terms of loans (Nature & Volume).

4. Changes in the experience, ability, and depth of lending management and other relevant staff (Management).

5. Changes in the volume and severity of past due loans, the volume of non-accrual loans, and the volume and severity of adversely classified loans (Problem Assets).

6. Changes in the quality of the loan review system (Loan Review).

7. Changes in the value of underlying collateral for collateral-dependent loans (Collateral Values).

8. The existence and effect of any concentrations of credit and changes in the level of such concentrations (Concentrations).

9. The effect of other external forces such as competition and legal and regulatory requirements on the level of estimated credit losses in the existing portfolio (External Forces).

Specific Reserve Allowance [Policy Text Block]

Specific Reserve Allowance

Carver also maintains a specific reserve allowance for criticized and classified loans individually reviewed for impairment in accordance with ASC Subtopic 310-10 guidelines. The amount assigned to the specific reserve allowance is individually determined based upon the loan. The ASC Subtopic 310-10 guidelines require the use of one of three approved methods to estimate the amount to be reserved and/or charged off for such credits. The three methods are as follows:

1. The present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate;

2. The loan's observable market price; or

3. The fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.

The institution determines the appropriate ASC Subtopic 310-10 measurement on a loan-by-loan basis for an individually impaired loan, except for an impaired collateral dependent loan. Guidance requires impairment of a collateral dependent loan to be measured using the fair value of collateral method. A loan is considered "collateral dependent" when the repayment of the debt will be provided solely by the underlying collateral, and there are no other available and reliable sources of repayment.

Criticized and Classified loans with at risk balances of $500,000 or more and loans below $500,000 that the Chief Credit Officer deems appropriate for review, are identified and reviewed for individual evaluation for impairment in accordance with ASC Topic 310. Carver also performs impairment analysis for all troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”). If it is determined that it is probable the Bank will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement, the loan is categorized as impaired.

If the loan is determined to be not impaired, it is then placed in the appropriate pool of Criticized & Classified loans to be evaluated collectively for impairment.  Loans determined to be impaired are evaluated to determine the amount of impairment based on one of the three measurement methods noted above.  The Bank then determines whether the impairment amount is permanent, in which case the loan is written down by the amount of the impairment, or if it is other than permanent, in which case the Bank establishes a specific valuation reserve that is included in the total ALLL. In accordance with guidance, if there is no impairment amount, no reserve is established for the loan.

Loans and Leases Receivable, Troubled Debt Restructuring Policy [Policy Text Block]

Troubled Debt Restructured Loans

TDRs are those loans whose terms have been modified because of deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower and a concession is made. Modifications could include extension of the terms of the loan, reduced interest rates, and forgiveness of accrued interest and/or principal. Once an obligation has been restructured because of such credit problems, it continues to be considered restructured until paid in full. For cash flow dependent loans, the Company records a specific valuation allowance (“SVA”) reserve equal to the difference between the present value of estimated future cash flows under the restructured terms discounted at the loan's original effective interest rate, and the loan's original carrying value. For a collateral dependent loan, the Company records an impairment charge when the current estimated fair value of the property that collateralizes the impaired loan, if any, is less than the recorded investment in the loan. TDR loans remain on non-accrual status until they have performed in accordance with the restructured terms for a period of at least six months.

Representation and Warranty Reserve [Policy Text Block]

Representation and Warranty Reserve

During the period 2004 through 2009, the Bank originated 1-4 family residential mortgage loans and sold the loans to the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”).  The loans were sold to FNMA with the standard representations and warranties for loans sold to the Government Sponsored Entities (GSEs). The Bank may be required to repurchase these loans in the event of breaches of these representations and warranties. In the event of a repurchase, the Bank is typically required to pay the unpaid principal balance as well as outstanding interest and fees. The Bank then recovers the loan or, if the loan has been foreclosed, the underlying collateral. The Bank is exposed to any losses on repurchased loans after giving effect to any recoveries on the collateral.

Management has established a representation and warranty reserve for losses associated with the repurchase of mortgage loans sold by the Bank to FNMA that we consider to be both probable and reasonably estimable.  These reserves are reported in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a component of other liabilities.  The calculation of the reserve is based on estimates, which are uncertain, and require the application of judgment.  In establishing the reserves, we consider a variety of factors, including those loans that are under review by FNMA that have not yet received a repurchase request. The Bank tracks the FNMA claims monthly and evaluates the reserve on a quarterly basis.