2.Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Asset management and administration fees

Asset management and administration fees include mutual fund service fees and fees for other asset-based financial services provided to individual and institutional clients, and are recognized as revenue over the period that the related service is provided, based upon average asset balances. The Company’s policy is to recognize revenue subject to refunds because management can estimate refunds based on Company specific experience. Actual refunds were not material as of December 31, 2015. The Company earns mutual fund and ETF service fees for shareholder services, administration, and investment management provided to its proprietary funds, and recordkeeping and shareholder services provided to third-party funds. These fees are based upon the daily balances of client assets invested in these funds. The Company also earns asset management fees for advice solutions, which include advisory and managed account services that are based on the daily balances of client assets subject to the specific fee for service. The fair values of client assets included in proprietary and third-party mutual funds and ETFs are based on quoted market prices and other observable market data. Other asset management and administration fees include various asset-based fees, such as third-party mutual fund service fees, trust fees, 401(k) recordkeeping fees, and mutual fund clearing and other service fees.

In 2015, 2014 and 2013, the Company waived a portion of its asset management fees earned from certain Schwab-sponsored money market mutual funds. Under agreements with these funds entered into when the Company began waiving fees, the Company was entitled to recover such fee waivers depending on the future performance of the funds and approval by the boards of the respective funds until the third anniversary of the end of the fiscal year in which such fee waiver occurs, subject to certain limitations. During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company terminated the fee waiver reimbursement agreements and, therefore, no longer has the right to receive reimbursement of waived fees.

Interest revenue

Interest revenue represents interest earned on cash and cash equivalents, cash and investments segregated, receivables from brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations, receivables from brokerage clients, other securities owned, securities available for sale, securities held to maturity, and bank loans. Interest revenue is recognized in the period earned based upon average or daily asset balances and respective interest rates.

Trading revenue

Trading revenue includes commission and principal transaction revenues. Commission revenue is affected by the number of trades executed and the average revenue earned per revenue trade. Principal transaction revenue is primarily comprised of revenue from trading activity in client fixed income securities. Factors that influence principal transaction revenue include the volume of client trades and market price volatility. To accommodate clients’ fixed income trading activity, the Company maintains positions in fixed income securities, including U.S. state and municipal debt obligations, U.S. Government, corporate debt and other securities. The difference between the price at which the Company buys and sells securities to and from its clients and other broker-dealers is recognized as principal transaction revenue. Principal transaction revenue also includes adjustments to the fair value of these securities positions.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less that are not segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include money market funds, deposits with banks, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and U.S. Treasury securities. Cash and cash equivalents also include balances that Schwab Bank maintains at the Federal Reserve Bank.

Cash and investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes

Cash and investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes include securities purchased under agreements to resell (resale agreements), which are collateralized by U.S. Government and agency securities. Resale agreements are accounted for as collateralized financing transactions that are recorded at their contractual amounts plus accrued interest. The Company obtains control of collateral with a market value equal to or in excess of the principal amount loaned and accrued interest under resale agreements. Collateral is valued daily by the Company, with additional collateral obtained to ensure full collateralization. Cash and investments segregated also include certificates of deposit and U.S. Government securities. Certificates of deposit and U.S. Government securities are recorded at fair value. Pursuant to applicable regulations, client cash balances not used for margin lending are segregated into investment accounts maintained for the exclusive benefit of clients.

Receivables from brokerage clients

Receivables from brokerage clients include margin loans to clients and are recorded net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Receivables from brokerage clients that remain unsecured or partially secured for more than 30 days are fully reserved.

Other securities owned

Other securities owned are recorded at fair value based on quoted market prices or other observable market data. Unrealized gains and losses are included in trading revenue.

Securities available for sale and securities held to maturity

Securities available for sale are recorded at fair value and unrealized gains and losses are reported, net of taxes, in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) included in stockholders’ equity. Securities held to maturity are recorded at amortized cost based on the Company’s positive intent and ability to hold these securities to maturity. Realized gains and losses from sales of securities available for sale are determined on a specific identification basis and are included in other revenue.

Management evaluates whether securities available for sale and securities held to maturity are OTTI on a quarterly basis. Debt securities with unrealized losses are considered OTTI if the Company intends to sell the security or if it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell such security before any anticipated recovery. If management determines that a security is OTTI under these circumstances, the impairment recognized in earnings is measured as the entire difference between amortized cost and fair value.

A security is also OTTI if management does not expect to recover all of the amortized cost of the security. In this circumstance, the impairment recognized in earnings represents the estimated credit loss, and is measured by the difference between the present value of expected cash flows and the amortized cost of the security. Where appropriate, management utilizes cash flow models to estimate the expected future cash flow from the securities to estimate the credit loss. Expected cash flows are discounted using the security’s effective interest rate.

The evaluation of whether the Company expects to recover the amortized cost of a security is inherently judgmental. The evaluation includes the consideration of multiple factors including: the magnitude and duration of the unrealized loss; the financial condition of the issuer; the payment structure of the security; external credit ratings; for asset-backed securities, the amount of credit support provided by the structure of the security to absorb credit losses on the underlying collateral; recent events specific to the issuer and the issuer’s industry; and whether the Company has received all scheduled principal and interest payments.

Securities borrowed and securities loaned

Securities borrowed require the Company to deliver cash to the lender in exchange for securities and are included in receivables from brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations. For securities loaned, the Company receives collateral in the form of cash in an amount equal to or greater than the market value of securities loaned. Securities loaned are included in payables to brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations. The Company monitors the market value of securities borrowed and loaned, with additional collateral obtained or refunded to ensure full collateralization. Fees received or paid are recorded in interest revenue or interest expense.

Bank loans and related allowance for loan losses

Bank loans are recorded at their contractual principal amounts and include unamortized direct origination costs or net purchase discounts or premiums. Direct origination costs and premiums and discounts are recognized in interest revenue using the effective interest method over the contractual life of the loan and are adjusted for actual prepayments. Additionally, loans are recorded net of an allowance for loan losses. The Company’s loan portfolio includes four loan segments: First Mortgages, HELOCs, PALs and other loans. First Mortgages include two loan classes: first mortgages and purchased first mortgages. Loan segments are defined as the level to which the Company disaggregates its loan portfolio when developing and documenting a methodology for determining the allowance for loan losses. A loan class is defined as a group of loans within a loan segment that has homogeneous risk characteristics.

PALs are collateralized by marketable securities with liquid markets. Credit lines are over-collateralized dependent on the type of security pledged. Collateral market value is monitored on a daily basis and a borrower’s committed line may be reduced or collateral may be liquidated if the collateral is in danger of falling below specified levels. As such, the loss inherent within this portfolio is limited.

The Company records an allowance for loan losses through a charge to earnings based on management’s estimate of probable losses in the existing portfolio. Management reviews the allowance for loan losses quarterly, taking into consideration current economic conditions, the composition of the existing loan portfolio, past loss experience, and risks inherent in the portfolio to ensure that the allowance for loan losses is maintained at an appropriate level.

The methodology to establish an allowance for loan losses utilizes statistical models that estimate prepayments, defaults, and probable losses for the loan segments based on predicted behavior of individual loans within the segments. The methodology considers the effects of borrower behavior and a variety of factors including, but not limited to, interest rates, housing price movements as measured by a housing price index, economic conditions, estimated defaults and foreclosures measured by historical and expected delinquencies, changes in prepayment speeds, LTV ratios, past loss experience, estimates of future loss severities, borrower credit risk measured by FICO scores, and the adequacy of collateral. The methodology also evaluates concentrations in the loan segments, including loan products, year of origination, and geographical distribution of collateral.

Probable losses are forecast using a loan-level simulation of the delinquency status of the loans over the term of the loans. The simulation starts with the current relevant risk indicators, including the current delinquent status of each loan, the estimated current LTV ratio of each loan, the term and structure of each loan, current key interest rates including U.S. Treasury and LIBOR rates, and borrower FICO scores. The more significant variables in the simulation include delinquency roll rates, loss severity, housing prices, and interest rates. Delinquency roll rates (i.e., the rates at which loans transition through delinquency stages and ultimately result in a loss) are estimated from the Company’s historical loss experience adjusted for current trends and market information. Further, the delinquency roll rates within the loan-level simulation discussed above are calibrated to match a moving average of the delinquency roll rates actually experienced in the respective First Mortgage and HELOC portfolios. Loss severity estimates are based on the Company’s historical loss experience and market trends. The estimated loss severity (i.e., loss given default) used in the allowance for loan loss methodology for HELOC loans is higher than that used in the methodology for First Mortgages. Housing price trends are derived from historical home price indices and econometric forecasts of future home values. Factors affecting the home price index include: housing inventory, unemployment, interest rates, and inflation expectations. Interest rate projections are based on the current term structure of interest rates and historical volatilities to project various possible future interest rate paths.

This methodology results in loss factors that are applied to the outstanding balances to determine the allowance for loan loss for each loan segment.

The Company considers loan modifications in which it makes an economic concession to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty to be a troubled debt restructuring (TDR).

Nonaccrual, Nonperforming and Impaired loans

First Mortgages, HELOCs, PALs, and other loans are placed on nonaccrual status upon becoming 90 days past due as to interest or principal (unless the loans are well-secured and in the process of collection), or when the full timely collection of interest or principal becomes uncertain, including loans to borrowers who have filed for bankruptcy. For the portion of the HELOC portfolio for which the Company is able to track the delinquency status on the associated first lien loan, the Company places a HELOC on non-accrual status if the associated first mortgage is 90 days or more delinquent, regardless of the payment status of the HELOC. When a loan is placed on nonaccrual status, the accrued and unpaid interest receivable is reversed and the loan is accounted for on the cash or cost recovery method until qualifying for return to accrual status. Generally, a nonaccrual loan may be returned to accrual status when all delinquent interest and principal is repaid and the borrower demonstrates a sustained period of performance, or when the loan is both well-secured and in the process of collection and collectability is no longer doubtful. Loans on nonaccrual status and other real estate owned are considered nonperforming assets. Nonaccrual loans, other real estate owned and TDRs are considered impaired assets as it is probable the Company will not collect all amounts due.

Loan Charge-Offs

The Company charges off a loan in the period that it is deemed uncollectible and records a reduction in the allowance for loan losses and the loan balance. The Company’s charge-off policy for First Mortgage and HELOC loans is to assess the value of the property when the loan has been delinquent for 180 days or has been discharged in bankruptcy proceedings, regardless of whether or not the property is in foreclosure, and charge-off the amount of the loan balance in excess of the estimated current value of the underlying property less estimated costs to sell.

Equipment, office facilities, and property

Equipment, office facilities, and property are recorded at cost net of accumulated depreciation and amortization, except for land, which is recorded at cost. Equipment and office facilities are depreciated on a straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of five to ten years. Buildings are depreciated on a straight-line basis over 20 to 40 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Software and certain costs incurred for purchasing or developing software for internal use are amortized on a straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of three or five years. Equipment, office facilities, and property are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the fair value of acquired businesses in excess of the fair value of the individually identified net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually or whenever indications of impairment exist. The Company’s annual impairment testing date is April 1st. The Company can elect to qualitatively assess goodwill for impairment if it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value. A qualitative assessment considers macroeconomic and other industry-specific factors, such as trends in short-term and long-term interest rates and the ability to access capital, and Company specific factors such as market capitalization in excess of net assets, trends in revenue generating activities, and merger or acquisition activity.

If the Company elects to bypass qualitatively assessing goodwill, or it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, management estimates the fair values of each of the Company’s reporting units (defined as the Company’s businesses for which financial information is available and reviewed regularly by management) and compares it to their carrying values. The estimated fair values of the reporting units are established using an income approach based on a discounted cash flow model that includes significant assumptions about the future operating results and cash flows of each reporting unit, a market approach which compares each reporting unit to comparable companies in their respective industries, as well as a market capitalization analysis. Based on the Company’s analysis, fair value significantly exceeded the carrying value for all reporting units as of its annual testing date.

Intangible assets

Intangible assets are amortized over their useful lives in a manner that best reflects their economic benefit. Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The Company does not have any indefinite-lived intangible assets.

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Investments

As part of the Company’s community reinvestment initiatives, the Company invests with other institutional investors in funds that make equity investments in multifamily affordable housing properties. The Company receives tax credits and other tax benefits for these investments. The Company accounts for investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain criteria are met. The proportional amortization method amortizes the cost of the investment over the period in which the investor expects to receive tax credits and other tax benefits, and the resulting amortization is recognized as a component of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations. The carrying value of LIHTC investments is included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. Unfunded commitments related to LIHTC investments are included in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Guarantees and indemnifications

The Company recognizes, at the inception of a guarantee, a liability equal to the estimated fair value of the obligation undertaken in issuing the guarantee. The fair values of obligations relating to guarantees are estimated based on transactions for similar guarantees or expected present value measures.

Advertising and market development

Advertising and market development activities include the cost to produce and distribute marketing campaigns as well as client incentives and discounts. Such costs are generally expensed when incurred.

Income taxes

The Company provides for income taxes on all transactions that have been recognized in the consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, deferred tax assets are adjusted to reflect the tax rates at which future taxable amounts will likely be settled or realized. The effects of tax rate changes on future deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities, as well as other changes in income tax laws, are recorded in earnings in the period during which such changes are enacted. The Company’s unrecognized tax benefits, which are included in accrued expenses and other liabilities, represent the difference between positions taken on tax return filings and estimated potential tax settlement outcomes. Accrued interest relating to unrecognized tax benefits is recorded in income tax expense and penalties are recorded in other expense.

Stock-based compensation

Stock-based compensation includes employee and board of director stock options, restricted stock units, and restricted stock awards. The Company measures compensation expense for these share-based payment arrangements based on their estimated fair values as of the awards’ grant date. The fair value of the share-based award is recognized over the vesting period as stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation expense is based on awards expected to vest and therefore is reduced for estimated forfeitures. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant based on the Company’s historical forfeiture experience and revised in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The excess tax benefits from the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock awards are recorded in additional paid-in capital.

Fair values of assets and liabilities

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or the price paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value measurement accounting guidance describes the fair value hierarchy for disclosing assets and liabilities measured at fair value based on the inputs used to value them. The fair value hierarchy maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. Observable inputs are based on market pricing data obtained from sources independent of the Company. A quoted price in an active market provides the most reliable evidence of fair value and is generally used to measure fair value whenever available.

Unobservable inputs reflect management’s judgment about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Where inputs used to measure fair value of an asset or liability are from different levels of the hierarchy, the asset or liability is categorized based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. Assessing the significance of a particular input requires judgment. The fair value hierarchy includes three levels based on the objectivity of the inputs as follows:

Level 1 inputs are quoted prices in active markets as of the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access.

Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as interest rates, benchmark yields, issuer spreads, new issue data, and collateral performance.

Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability.

The Company’s policy is to recognize transfers of financial instruments between levels as of the beginning of the reporting period in which a transfer occurs.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis

The Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis include certain cash equivalents, certain investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes, other securities owned, and securities available for sale. The Company uses the market and income approaches to determine the fair value of assets and liabilities. When available, the Company uses quoted prices in active markets to measure the fair value of assets and liabilities. When utilizing market data and bid-ask spread, the Company uses the price within the bid-ask spread that best represents fair value. When quoted prices do not exist, the Company uses prices obtained from independent third-party pricing services to measure the fair value of investment assets. The Company generally obtains prices from at least three independent pricing sources for assets recorded at fair value.

The Company’s primary independent pricing service provides prices based on observable trades and discounted cash flows that incorporate observable information such as yields for similar types of securities (a benchmark interest rate plus observable spreads) and weighted-average maturity for the same or similar “to-be-issued” securities. The Company compares the prices obtained from its primary independent pricing service to the prices obtained from the additional independent pricing services to determine if the price obtained from the primary independent pricing service is reasonable. The Company does not adjust the prices received from independent third-party pricing services unless such prices are inconsistent with the definition of fair value and result in a material difference in the recorded amounts.

Fair value of other financial instruments

Descriptions of the valuation methodologies and assumptions used to estimate the fair value of other financial instruments are described below. The Company’s financial instruments not recorded at fair value but for which fair value can be approximated and disclosed include:

Cash and cash equivalents are short-term in nature and accordingly are recorded at amounts that approximate fair value.

Cash and investments segregated and on deposit for regulatory purposes include cash and securities purchased under resale agreements. Securities purchased under resale agreements are short-term in nature and are backed by collateral that both exceeds the carrying value of the resale agreement and is highly liquid in nature. Accordingly, the carrying values of these financial instruments approximate their fair values.

Receivables from/payables to brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations are short-term in nature, recorded at contractual amounts and historically have been settled at those values. Accordingly, the carrying values of these financial instruments approximate fair values.

Receivables from/payables to brokerage clients — net are recorded at contractual amounts and historically have been settled at those values and are short-term in nature, and therefore the carrying values of these financial instruments approximate their fair values.

Securities held to maturity – The fair values of securities held to maturity are obtained using an independent third-party pricing service similar to investment assets recorded at fair value as discussed above.

Bank loans – The fair values of the Company’s First Mortgages and HELOCs are estimated based on prices of mortgage-backed securities collateralized by similar types of loans. PALs are non-purpose revolving lines of credit secured by eligible assets; accordingly, the carrying values of these loans approximate their fair values.

Financial instruments included in other assets primarily consist of LIHTC investments, cost method investments and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock, whose carrying values approximate their fair values. FHLB stock is recorded at par, which approximates fair value.

Bank deposits have no stated maturity and are recorded at the amount payable on demand as of the balance sheet date. The Company considers the carrying value of these deposits to approximate their fair values.

Financial instruments included in accrued expenses and other liabilities consist of commercial paper, drafts payable, unfunded LIHTC commitments and certain amounts due under contractual obligations which are short-term in nature and accordingly are recorded at amounts that approximate fair value.

Long-term debt – Except for the finance lease obligation, the fair values of long-term debt are estimated using indicative, non-binding quotes from independent brokers. The Company validates indicative prices for its debt through comparison to other independent non-binding quotes. The finance lease obligation is recorded at carrying value, which approximates fair value.

Firm commitments to extend credit – The Company extends credit to banking clients through HELOCs and PALs. The Company considers the fair value of these unused commitments to not be material because the interest rates earned on these balances are based on floating interest rates that reset monthly.

New Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-04, “Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40).” ASU 2014-04 provides new guidance for creditors of consumer mortgage loans, and was effective January 1, 2015. The guidance clarifies when physical possession of a property underlying a consumer mortgage loan transfers to the creditor, and therefore when a loan receivable should be derecognized and the real estate property underlying the loan should be recognized. The adoption of this new guidance in the first quarter of 2015 did not have an impact on the Company’s financial statements or EPS as the Company’s practice for recognizing foreclosed real estate was already consistent with the guidance.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, “Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30).” Pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Announcement at the June 18, 2015 Emerging Issues Task Force meeting, ASU 2015-15 provides clarification to ASU 2015-03 (discussed below) of SEC Staff views on the presentation and subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The new guidance permits deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of a line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line of credit. The adoption of this new guidance in the third quarter of 2015 did not have an impact on the Company’s financial statements or EPS as the Company’s practice for recognizing debt issuance costs on line-of-credit arrangements was already consistent with the guidance.

New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” which provides new guidance on revenue recognition. The guidance clarifies that revenue from contracts with customers should be recognized in a manner that depicts the timing of the related transfer of goods or performance of services at an amount that reflects the expected consideration. The new guidance will become effective January 1, 2018, and permits entities to elect either full or modified retrospective transition. Full retrospective transition will require a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the earliest comparative period presented. Modified retrospective transition will require a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the reporting period in which the entity first applies the new guidance. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new guidance on its financial statements and EPS.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810),” which amends the analysis a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. The new guidance became effective January 1, 2016, and is applicable to all entities but provides an exception for reporting entities with interests in legal entities that are required to comply with or operate in accordance with requirements that are similar to those in Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for registered money market funds. The adoption of ASU 2015-02 will not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or EPS as of December 31, 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30).” The new guidance will require debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Currently, debt issuance costs are presented as a separate asset. The new guidance, which became effective January 1, 2016, will not impact the Company’s financial results or EPS as the change only affects the balance sheet presentation of debt issuance costs; recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs will not be affected.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40),” which provides new guidance that clarifies customer’s accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement. Under the new guidance, if a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, the customer shall account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If the cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer shall account for the arrangement as a service contract. The guidance became effective January 1, 2016, and applies to any new arrangements entered into after that date. The Company does not expect the new guidance will have a significant impact on its financial statements or EPS.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10),” which will become effective January 1, 2018. This new guidance addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new guidance on its financial statements and EPS.