New Accounting Standards (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with 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 2023 Form 10-K.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards and New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

Adoption of New Accounting Standards


Standard	Description	Date of Adoption	Effects on the Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures”	Requires annual and interim disclosure of significant segment expenses that are provided to the chief operating decision maker (CODM) and included in segment profit or loss. Also requires disclosure of the CODM’s title and position and how the CODM uses reported segment profit or loss information in assessing segment performance and allocating resources. All required segment disclosures will be presented both on an interim and annual basis. Adoption requires retrospective application as of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements.	January 1, 2024 (applies to the annual financial statements for 2024 and interim periods thereafter)	The Company does not expect this guidance will have a material impact on its financial statements or disclosures.

New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted


Standard	Description	Required Date of Adoption	Effects on the Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
ASU 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures”	Expands income tax disclosures, primarily by enhancing the rate reconciliation table and requiring additional disaggregated information about income taxes paid. Adoption allows retrospective or prospective application, with early adoption permitted.	January 1, 2025	The Company does not expect this guidance will have a material impact on its financial statements or disclosures.

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Schwab’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, AFS securities, certain other assets, interest rate swaps, and certain accrued expenses and other liabilities. The Company uses the market approach 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. Quoted prices for investments in exchange-traded securities represent end-of-day close prices published by exchanges. Quoted prices for money market funds and other mutual funds represent reported net asset values. 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 in active markets do not exist, the Company uses prices obtained from independent third-party pricing services to measure the fair value of investment assets, and we generally obtain prices from three independent third-party pricing sources for such assets recorded at fair value.

Our primary independent pricing service provides prices for our fixed income investments such as commercial paper; certificates of deposits; U.S. government and agency securities; state and municipal securities; corporate debt securities; asset-backed securities; foreign government agency securities; and non-agency commercial mortgage-backed securities. Such prices are based on observable trades, broker/dealer quotes, 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. We compare the prices obtained from the 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. Schwab 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 material differences in the amounts recorded.

Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis include interest rate swaps, securities sold but not yet purchased, and repurchase liabilities related to client-held fractional shares of equities, ETFs, and other securities, which are included in other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The fair values of securities sold but not yet purchased are based on quoted market prices or other observable market data. The Company has elected the fair value option pursuant to ASC 825 Financial Instruments for the repurchase liabilities to match the measurement and accounting of the related client-held fractional shares. The fair values of the repurchase liabilities are based on quoted market prices or other observable market data consistent with the related client-held fractional shares. Unrealized gains and losses on client-held fractional shares offset the unrealized gains and losses on the corresponding repurchase liabilities, resulting in no impact to the condensed consolidated statements of income. The Company’s liabilities to repurchase client-held fractional shares do not have credit risk, and, as a result, the Company has not recognized any gains or losses in the condensed consolidated statements of income or comprehensive income attributable to instrument-specific credit risk for these repurchase liabilities. The repurchase liabilities are included in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The fair values of interest rate swaps are based on market observable interest rate yield curves. Fair value measurements are priced considering the coupon rate of the fixed leg of the contract and the variable coupon rate on the floating leg of the contract. Valuation is based on both spot and forward rates on the swap yield curve. The Company validates its valuations with counterparty quotations from CCPs. See Note 11 for additional information on the Company’s interest rate swaps.