CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss) attributable to First Banks, Inc.	$ 241,744	$ 26,278	$ (41,150)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary	179	(297)	(2,950)
Less: net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	21,223	(8,821)	(9,394)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	220,700	34,802	(34,706)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) from continuing operations to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of bank premises and equipment	11,814	12,030	13,378
Goodwill impairment	107,267	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	3,024
Amortization and accretion of investment securities	25,595	17,412	11,934
Originations of loans held for sale	(278,668)	(470,119)	(274,254)
Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale	319,175	442,476	301,343
Provision (benefit) for loan losses	(5,000)	2,000	69,000
(Benefit) provision for current income taxes	(241)	(32)	181
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	42,793	8,019	(22,291)
(Decrease) increase in deferred tax asset valuation allowance	(331,053)	(8,126)	11,456
Decrease in accrued interest receivable	673	3,982	3,864
Increase in accrued interest payable	14,564	12,118	7,915
Gain on loans sold and held for sale	(5,041)	(12,931)	(5,176)
Net gain on investment securities	(36)	(1,306)	(5,335)
(Increase) decrease in fair value of servicing rights	(439)	5,475	7,652
Write-downs on other real estate and repossessed assets	2,402	14,510	16,922
Other operating activities, net	4,763	4,356	20,945
Net cash provided by operating activities – continuing operations	129,268	64,666	125,852
Net cash used in operating activities – discontinued operations	(6,303)	(8,484)	(9,499)
Net cash provided by operating activities	122,965	56,182	116,353
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net cash paid for sale of assets and liabilities of discontinued operations, net of cash and cash equivalents sold	(602,792)	0	(51,339)
Cash paid for sale of branches, net of cash and cash equivalents sold	0	0	(16,256)
Proceeds from sales of investment securities available for sale	143,675	315,238	283,713
Maturities and calls of investment securities available for sale	362,385	684,639	341,179
Maturities and calls of investment securities held to maturity	137,888	107,061	1,660
Purchases of investment securities available for sale	(369,585)	(1,296,857)	(1,587,313)
Purchases of investment securities held to maturity	(22,561)	0	(3,450)
Net (purchases) redemptions of Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank stock	(28)	(251)	3,043
Proceeds from sales of commercial loans	9,406	55,081	65,867
Cash paid for purchase of one-to-four-family residential real estate loans	0	(141,048)	0
Net (increase) decrease in loans	(38,761)	361,980	877,336
Recoveries of loans previously charged-off	20,266	29,962	22,304
Purchases of bank premises and equipment	(7,533)	(5,896)	(5,170)
Net proceeds from sales of other real estate and repossessed assets	33,927	48,531	65,398
Other investing activities, net	5,640	295	2,109
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities – continuing operations	(328,073)	158,735	(919)
Net cash provided by investing activities – discontinued operations	1,817	5,151	9,704
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(326,256)	163,886	8,785
Cash flows from financing activities:
Increase (decrease) in demand, savings and money market deposits	34,770	69,504	(125,679)
Decrease in time deposits	(171,698)	(253,363)	(531,514)
Increase (decrease) in other borrowings	17,118	(25,145)	19,416
Net cash used in financing activities – continuing operations	(119,810)	(209,004)	(637,777)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities – discontinued operations	(5,310)	34,642	(9,979)
Net cash used in financing activities	(125,120)	(174,362)	(647,756)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(328,411)	45,706	(522,618)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	518,846	473,140	995,758
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	190,435	518,846	473,140
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest on liabilities	9,540	17,493	35,723
Cash received for income taxes	213	661	239
Noncash investing and financing activities:
Reclassification of investment securities from available for sale to held to maturity	242,540	729,142	0
Loans transferred to other real estate and repossessed assets	9,483	24,223	69,941
Bank premises and equipment transferred to other real estate and repossessed assets	$ 0	$ 0	$ 6,537