Introduction and Basis of Presentation

The Charles Schwab Corporation (CSC) is a savings and loan holding company engaged, through its subsidiaries, in wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services.

Significant business subsidiaries of CSC include the following:


•	Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&Co), a securities broker-dealer;


•	Charles Schwab Bank (CSB), a federal savings bank; and


•	Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (CSIM), the investment advisor for Schwab’s proprietary mutual funds (Schwab Funds^®) and Schwab’s exchange-traded funds (Schwab ETFs™).

Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “Schwab,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” mean CSC together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (GAAP), which require management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the accompanying financial statements, and in the related disclosures. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. While management makes its best judgment, actual amounts or results could differ from these estimates. In the opinion of management, all normal, recurring adjustments have been included for a fair statement of this interim financial information.

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, included in Schwab’s 2017 Form 10-K.

The significant accounting policies are included in Note 2 in the 2017 Form 10-K. There have been no significant changes to these accounting policies during the first nine months of 2018, except as described in Note 2 below.

Principles of Consolidation

Schwab evaluates all entities in which it has financial interests for consolidation, except for money market funds, which are specifically excluded from consolidation guidance. When an entity is evaluated for consolidation, Schwab determines whether its interest in the entity constitutes a controlling financial interest under either the variable interest entity (VIE) model or a voting interest entity (VOE) model. In evaluating whether Schwab’s interest in a VIE is a controlling financial interest, we consider whether our involvement, in the context of the design, purpose, and risks of the VIE, as well as any involvement of related parties, provides us with (i) the power to direct the most significant activities of the VIE, and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits that are significant to the VIE. If both of these conditions exist, then Schwab would be the primary beneficiary of that VIE, and consolidate it. Based upon the assessments for all of our interests in VIEs, there are no cases where Schwab is the primary beneficiary; therefore, we are not required to consolidate any VIEs. Schwab consolidates all VOEs in which it has majority-voting interests.

Investments in entities in which Schwab does not have a controlling financial interest are accounted for under the equity method of accounting when we have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financing decisions of the entity. Investments in entities for which Schwab does not have the ability to exercise significant influence are generally carried at cost and adjusted for impairment and observable price changes of the identical or similar investments of the same issuer (adjusted cost method), except for certain investments in qualified affordable housing projects which are accounted for under the proportional amortization method. All equity method, adjusted cost method, and proportional amortization method investments are included in other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.