Variable interest entities and asset securitizations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Text Block [Abstract]
Variable interest entities and asset securitizations	12. Variable interest entities and asset securitizations The Company’s securitization activity has consisted of securitizing loans originated for sale into government issued or guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. The amounts of those securitizations during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 are presented in the Company’s consolidated statement of cash flows. The Company has not recognized any losses as a result of having securitized assets. As described in note 5, 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 each of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company included the junior subordinated debentures as “long-term borrowings” in its consolidated balance sheet and recognized $23 million 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 5. The Company has invested as a limited partner in various partnerships that collectively had total assets of approximately $1.4 billion at September 30, 2019 and $1.1 billion at December 31, 2018. 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 carrying amount of its investments in such partnerships at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was $604 million and $523 million, respectively, including $390 million of unfunded commitments at September 30, 2019 and $280 million of unfunded commitments at December 31, 2018. Contingent commitments to provide additional capital contributions to these partnerships were not material at September 30, 2019. The Company has not provided financial or other support to the partnerships that was not contractually required. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss from its investments in such partnerships as of September 30, 2019 was $803 million, including possible recapture of certain tax credits. 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. The Company’s investment in qualified affordable housing projects 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 $17 million and $51 million of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and recognized $21 million and $62 million of tax credits and other tax benefits during those periods. Similarly, for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, the Company amortized $13 million and $39 million, respectively, of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense and recognized $15 million and $47 million of tax credits and other tax benefits during those respective periods. The Company serves as investment advisor for certain registered money-market funds. The Company has no explicit arrangement to provide support to those funds but may waive portions of its allowable management fees because of market conditions.

Variable interest entities and asset securitizations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Variable interest entities and asset securitizations

12. Variable interest entities and asset securitizations

The Company’s securitization activity has consisted of securitizing loans originated for sale into government issued or guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. The amounts of those securitizations during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 are presented in the Company’s consolidated statement of cash flows. The Company has not recognized any losses as a result of having securitized assets.

As described in note 5, 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 each of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company included the junior subordinated debentures as “long-term borrowings” in its consolidated balance sheet and recognized $23 million 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 5.

The Company has invested as a limited partner in various partnerships that collectively had total assets of approximately $1.4 billion at September 30, 2019 and $1.1 billion at December 31, 2018. 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 carrying amount of its investments in such partnerships at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was $604 million and $523 million, respectively, including $390 million of unfunded commitments at September 30, 2019 and $280 million of unfunded commitments at December 31, 2018. Contingent commitments to provide additional capital contributions to these partnerships were not material at September 30, 2019. The Company has not provided financial or other support to the partnerships that was not contractually required. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss from its investments in such partnerships as of September 30, 2019 was $803 million, including possible recapture of certain tax credits. 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. The Company’s investment in qualified affordable housing projects 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 $17 million and $51 million of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2019, respectively, and recognized $21 million and $62 million of tax credits and other tax benefits during those periods. Similarly, for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, the Company amortized $13 million and $39 million, respectively, of its investments in qualified affordable housing projects to income tax expense and recognized $15 million and $47 million of tax credits and other tax benefits during those respective periods.

The Company serves as investment advisor for certain registered money-market funds. The Company has no explicit arrangement to provide support to those funds but may waive portions of its allowable management fees because of market conditions.