Long-term Debt and Short-term Borrowings (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments

Long-term debt at December 31, 2012 and 2011 is presented in the following table.

(in thousands)	2012		2011
Parent Company:
4.875% subordinated notes, due February 15, 2013, with semi-annual interest payments and principal to be paid at maturity	$	60,612	206,750
13.00% junior subordinated amortizing notes with quarterly interest and principal payments through May 15, 2013	13,566		38,229
5.125% subordinated notes, due June 15, 2017, with semi-annual interest payments and principal to be paid at maturity	450,000		450,000
7.875% senior notes, due February 15, 2019, $300 million par value with semi-annual interest payments and principal to be paid at maturity (2)	293,554		—
LIBOR + 1.80% debentures, due April 19, 2035 with quarterly interest payments and principal to be paid at maturity (rate of 2.11% at December 31, 2012)	10,000		10,000
Hedge-related basis adjustment(1)	13,935		21,188
Total long-term debt — Parent Company	841,667		726,167
Synovus Bank:
FHLB advances with interest and principal payments due at various maturity dates through 2018 and interest rates ranging from 0.32% to 4.66% at December 31, 2012 (weighted average interest rate of 0.71% at December 31, 2012)	880,701		633,839
Other notes payable and capital leases with interest and principal payments due at various maturity dates through 2031 (weighted average interest rate of 3.89% at December 31, 2012)	4,087		4,721
Total long-term debt — Synovus Bank	884,788		638,560
Total long-term debt	$	1,726,455	1,364,727

⁽¹⁾  Unamortized balance of terminated interest rate swaps reflected in debt for financial reporting purposes.

⁽²⁾ Balance is net of capitalized debt issuance costs and discount

Schedule of Principal Payments on Long-term Debt

Contractual annual principal payments on long-term debt for the next five years and thereafter are shown on the following table.

(in thousands)	Parent Company		Subsidiary	Total
2013	$	74,178	5,638	79,816
2014	—		260,394	260,394
2015	—		390,409	390,409
2016	—		225,368	225,368
2017	450,000		272	450,272
Thereafter	310,000		2,707	312,707
Total	$	834,178	884,788	1,718,966

Components of Short-term Borrowings

The following table sets forth certain information regarding federal funds purchased and other securities sold under repurchase agreements:

(dollars in thousands)	2012			2011	2010
Total balance at December 31,	$	201,243		313,757	499,226
Weighted average interest rate at December 31,	0.16		%	0.24	0.30
Maximum month end balance during the year	$	398,853		452,903	543,690
Average amount outstanding during the year	320,338			389,583	480,700
Weighted average interest rate during the year	0.19		%	0.27	0.40