Introduction and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Introduction and Basis of Presentation

1.     Introduction and Basis of Presentation

The Charles Schwab Corporation (CSC) is a savings and loan holding company engaged, through its subsidiaries, in securities brokerage, banking, and related financial services. Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (Schwab) is a securities broker-dealer with over 300 domestic branch offices in 45 states, as well as a branch in each of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and London, U.K. In addition, Schwab serves clients in Hong Kong through one of CSC’s subsidiaries. Other subsidiaries include Charles Schwab Bank (Schwab Bank), a federal savings bank, and Charles Schwab Investment Management, Inc. (CSIM), the investment advisor for Schwab’s proprietary mutual funds, which are referred to as the Schwab Funds^®, and for Schwab’s exchange-traded funds, which are referred to as the Schwab ETFs^TM.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include CSC and its majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the Company). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which require management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the accompanying financial statements. Certain estimates relate to other-than-temporary impairment of securities available for sale and securities held to maturity, valuation of goodwill, allowance for loan losses, and legal reserves. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Certain prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.