Variable interest entities and asset securitizations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Text Block [Abstract]
Variable interest entities and asset securitizations	19. Variable interest entities and asset securitizations During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company securitized one-to-four family residential real estate loans that had been originated for sale in guaranteed mortgage securitizations with Ginnie Mae totaling $65 million and $135 million, respectively, and retained those securities in its investment securities portfolio. Pre-tax gains on such transactions were not material. During 2013, the Company securitized approximately $3.0 billion of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans in guaranteed mortgage securitizations with Ginnie Mae. Approximately $1.3 billion of such loans were formerly held in the Company’s loan portfolio, whereas the remaining loans were newly originated. The Company recognized pre-tax gains of $42 million related to loans previously held for investment, which were recorded in “other revenues from operation,” and pre-tax gains of $28 million on newly originated loans, which were reflected in “mortgage banking revenues.” As a result of the securitization structures, the Company does not have effective control over the underlying loans and expects no material credit-related losses on the retained securities as a result of the guarantees by Ginnie Mae. Additionally, in 2013 the Company securitized and sold approximately $1.4 billion of automobile loans that had been held in its loan portfolio. The Company recognized a gain of $21 million related to the sale, which was recorded in “other revenues from operations.” The Company continues to service the automobile loans, but has no other financial interest in the securitization trust that the loans were sold into. The Company has securitized loans to improve its regulatory capital ratios and strengthen its liquidity and risk profile as a result of changing regulatory liquidity and capital requirements. In accordance with GAAP, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary of a residential mortgage loan securitization trust considering its role as servicer and its retained subordinated interests in the trust. As a result, the Company has included the one-to-four family residential mortgage loans that were included in the trust in its consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the carrying values of the loans in the securitization trust were $81 million and $98 million, respectively. The outstanding principal amount of mortgage-backed securities issued by the qualified special purpose trust that was held by parties unrelated to M&T at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $13 million and $15 million, respectively. Because the transaction was non-recourse, the Company’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its association with the trust at December 31, 2015 is limited to realizing the carrying value of the loans less the amount of the mortgage-backed securities held by third parties. As described in note 9, M&T has issued junior subordinated debentures payable to various trusts that have issued Capital Securities. M&T owns the common securities of those trust entities. The Company is not considered to be the primary beneficiary of those entities and, accordingly, the trusts are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company included the junior subordinated debentures as “long-term borrowings” in its consolidated balance sheet and recognized $24 million and $34 million, respectively, in other assets for its “investment” in the common securities of the trusts that will be concomitantly repaid to M&T by the respective trust from the proceeds of M&T’s repayment of the junior subordinated debentures associated with preferred capital securities described in note 9. The Company has invested as a limited partner in various partnerships that collectively had total assets of approximately $1.1 billion at December 31, 2015 and $1.2 billion at December 31, 2014. Those partnerships generally construct or acquire properties for which the investing partners are eligible to receive certain federal income tax credits in accordance with government guidelines. Such investments may also provide tax deductible losses to the partners. The partnership investments also assist the Company in achieving its community reinvestment initiatives. As a limited partner, there is no recourse to the Company by creditors of the partnerships. However, the tax credits that result from the Company’s investments in such partnerships are generally subject to recapture should a partnership fail to comply with the respective government regulations. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss of its investments in such partnerships was $295 million, including $78 million of unfunded commitments, at December 31, 2015 and $243 million, including $56 million of unfunded commitments, at December 31, 2014. Contingent commitments to provide additional capital contributions to these partnerships were not material at December 31, 2015. The Company has not provided financial or other support to the partnerships that was not contractually required. Management currently estimates that no material losses are probable as a result of the Company’s involvement with such entities. The Company, in its position as limited partner, does not direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the partnerships and, therefore, in accordance with the accounting provisions for variable interest entities, the partnership entities are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. As described in note 1, effective January 1, 2015 the Company retrospectively adopted for all periods presented amended accounting guidance on the accounting for investments in qualified affordable housing projects whereby the Company’s investment cost is amortized to income taxes in the consolidated statement of income as tax credits and other tax benefits resulting from deductible losses associated with the projects are received. The Company amortized $47 million, $53 million and $48 million of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense during 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and recognized $62 million, $68 million and $66 million of federal tax credits and other federal tax benefits during those respective periods.

19. Variable interest entities and asset securitizations

During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company securitized one-to-four family residential real estate loans that had been originated for sale in guaranteed mortgage securitizations with Ginnie Mae totaling $65 million and $135 million, respectively, and retained those securities in its investment securities portfolio. Pre-tax gains on such transactions were not material. During 2013, the Company securitized approximately $3.0 billion of one-to-four family residential mortgage loans in guaranteed mortgage securitizations with Ginnie Mae. Approximately $1.3 billion of such loans were formerly held in the Company’s loan portfolio, whereas the remaining loans were newly originated. The Company recognized pre-tax gains of $42 million related to loans previously held for investment, which were recorded in “other revenues from operation,” and pre-tax gains of $28 million on newly originated loans, which were reflected in “mortgage banking revenues.” As a result of the securitization structures, the Company does not have effective control over the underlying loans and expects no material credit-related losses on the retained securities as a result of the guarantees by Ginnie Mae. Additionally, in 2013 the Company securitized and sold approximately $1.4 billion of automobile loans that had been held in its loan portfolio. The Company recognized a gain of $21 million related to the sale, which was recorded in “other revenues from operations.” The Company continues to service the automobile loans, but has no other financial interest in the securitization trust that the loans were sold into. The Company has securitized loans to improve its regulatory capital ratios and strengthen its liquidity and risk profile as a result of changing regulatory liquidity and capital requirements.

In accordance with GAAP, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary of a residential mortgage loan securitization trust considering its role as servicer and its retained subordinated interests in the trust. As a result, the Company has included the one-to-four family residential mortgage loans that were included in the trust in its consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the carrying values of the loans in the securitization trust were $81 million and $98 million, respectively. The outstanding principal amount of mortgage-backed securities issued by the qualified special purpose trust that was held by parties unrelated to M&T at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $13 million and $15 million, respectively. Because the transaction was non-recourse, the Company’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its association with the trust at December 31, 2015 is limited to realizing the carrying value of the loans less the amount of the mortgage-backed securities held by third parties.

As described in note 9, M&T has issued junior subordinated debentures payable to various trusts that have issued Capital Securities. M&T owns the common securities of those trust entities. The Company is not considered to be the primary beneficiary of those entities and, accordingly, the trusts are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company included the junior subordinated debentures as “long-term borrowings” in its consolidated balance sheet and recognized $24 million and $34 million, respectively, in other assets for its “investment” in the common securities of the trusts that will be concomitantly repaid to M&T by the respective trust from the proceeds of M&T’s repayment of the junior subordinated debentures associated with preferred capital securities described in note 9.

The Company has invested as a limited partner in various partnerships that collectively had total assets of approximately $1.1 billion at December 31, 2015 and $1.2 billion at December 31, 2014. Those partnerships generally construct or acquire properties for which the investing partners are eligible to receive certain federal income tax credits in accordance with government guidelines. Such investments may also provide tax deductible losses to the partners. The partnership investments also assist the Company in achieving its community reinvestment initiatives. As a limited partner, there is no recourse to the Company by creditors of the partnerships. However, the tax credits that result from the Company’s investments in such partnerships are generally subject to recapture should a partnership fail to comply with the respective government regulations. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss of its investments in such partnerships was $295 million, including $78 million of unfunded commitments, at December 31, 2015 and $243 million, including $56 million of unfunded commitments, at December 31, 2014. Contingent commitments to provide additional capital contributions to these partnerships were not material at December 31, 2015. The Company has not provided financial or other support to the partnerships that was not contractually required. Management currently estimates that no material losses are probable as a result of the Company’s involvement with such entities. The Company, in its position as limited partner, does not direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the partnerships and, therefore, in accordance with the accounting provisions for variable interest entities, the partnership entities are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

As described in note 1, effective January 1, 2015 the Company retrospectively adopted for all periods presented amended accounting guidance on the accounting for investments in qualified affordable housing projects whereby the Company’s investment cost is amortized to income taxes in the consolidated statement of income as tax credits and other tax benefits resulting from deductible losses associated with the projects are received. The Company amortized $47 million, $53 million and $48 million of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense during 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and recognized $62 million, $68 million and $66 million of federal tax credits and other federal tax benefits during those respective periods.