Variable Interest Entities	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entities	Note 28 – Variable Interest Entities Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) are defined within GAAP as entities which either have a total equity investment that is insufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or whose equity investors lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Investors that finance a VIE through debt or equity interests, or other counterparties that provide other forms of support, such as guarantees, subordinated fee arrangements, or certain types of derivative contracts, are variable interest holders in the entity and the variable interest holder, if any, that has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity and a variable interest that could potentially be significant to the entity is deemed to be the VIE’s primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE. Leveraged Leases. In leveraged leasing transactions, Northern Trust acts as lessor of the underlying asset subject to the lease and typically funds 20-30% of the asset’s cost via an equity ownership in a trust with the remaining 70-80% provided by third party non-recourse debt holders. In such transactions, the trusts, which are VIEs, are created to provide the lessee use of the property with substantially all of the rights and obligations of ownership. The lessee’s maintenance and operation of the leased property has a direct effect on the fair value of the underlying property, and the lessee also has the ability to increase the benefits it can receive and limit the losses it can suffer by the manner in which it uses the property. As a result, Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs given it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs. Northern Trust’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the leveraged lease trust VIEs is limited to the carrying amounts of its leveraged lease investments. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying amounts of these investments, which are included in loans and leases in the consolidated balance sheet, were $547.6 million and $671.2 million, respectively. Northern Trust’s funding requirements relative to the VIEs are limited to its invested capital. Northern Trust has no other liquidity arrangements or obligations to purchase assets of the VIEs that would expose Northern Trust to a loss. Tax Credit Structures. Northern Trust invests in qualified affordable housing projects and community development entities (collectively, community development projects) that are designed to generate a return primarily through the realization of tax credits. The community development projects are formed as limited partnerships and LLCs in which Northern Trust invests as a limited partner/investor member through equity contributions. The economic performance of the community development projects, which are VIEs, is subject to the performance of their underlying investment and their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of any community development projects as it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the underlying investments or to affect their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. This power is held by the general partners and managing members who exercise full and exclusive control of the operations of the VIEs. Northern Trust’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with community development projects is limited to the carrying amounts of its investments, including any undrawn commitments. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying amounts of these investments in community development projects that generate tax credits, included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet, were $208.9 million and $222.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, liabilities related to unfunded commitments on investments in tax credit community development projects, included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, were $15.6 million and $19.8 million, respectively. Northern Trust’s funding requirements are limited to its invested capital and unfunded commitments for future equity contributions. Northern Trust has no exposure to loss from liquidity arrangements and no obligation to purchase assets of the community development projects. Affordable housing tax credits and other tax benefits attributable to community development projects totaled $58.1 million as of December 31, 2014. Trust Preferred Securities. As discussed in further detail in Note 13 – Floating Rate Capital Debt, in 1997, Northern Trust issued Floating Rate Capital Securities, Series A and Series B, through NTC Capital I and NTC Capital II, respectively, statutory business trusts wholly-owned by the Corporation. The sole assets of the trusts are Subordinated Debentures of the Corporation that have the same interest rates and maturity dates as the corresponding distribution rates and redemption dates of the Floating Rate Capital Securities. NTC Capital I and NTC Capital II are considered VIEs; however, as the sole asset of each trust is a receivable from the Corporation and proceeds to the Corporation from the receivable exceed the Corporation’s investment in the VIEs’ equity shares, the Corporation is not permitted to consolidate the trusts, even though the Corporation owns all of the voting equity shares of the trusts, has fully guaranteed the trusts’ obligations, and has the right to redeem the preferred securities in certain circumstances. Northern Trust recognizes the subordinated debentures on its consolidated balance sheet as long-term liabilities. Investment Funds. Northern Trust acts as asset manager for various funds in which clients of Northern Trust are investors. As an asset manager of funds, the Corporation earns a competitively priced fee that is based on assets managed and varies with each fund’s investment objective. Based on its analysis, Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs under GAAP.

Note 28 – Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) are defined within GAAP as entities which either have a total equity investment that is insufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or whose equity investors lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Investors that finance a VIE through debt or equity interests, or other counterparties that provide other forms of support, such as guarantees, subordinated fee arrangements, or certain types of derivative contracts, are variable interest holders in the entity and the variable interest holder, if any, that has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity and a variable interest that could potentially be significant to the entity is deemed to be the VIE’s primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE.

Leveraged Leases. In leveraged leasing transactions, Northern Trust acts as lessor of the underlying asset subject to the lease and typically funds 20-30% of the asset’s cost via an equity ownership in a trust with the remaining 70-80% provided by third party non-recourse debt holders. In such transactions, the trusts, which are VIEs, are created to provide the lessee use of the property with substantially all of the rights and obligations of ownership. The lessee’s maintenance and operation of the leased property has a direct effect on the fair value of the underlying property, and the lessee also has the ability to increase the benefits it can receive and limit the losses it can suffer by the manner in which it uses the property. As a result, Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs given it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs.

Northern Trust’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the leveraged lease trust VIEs is limited to the carrying amounts of its leveraged lease investments. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying amounts of these investments, which are included in loans and leases in the consolidated balance sheet, were $547.6 million and $671.2 million, respectively. Northern Trust’s funding requirements relative to the VIEs are limited to its invested capital. Northern Trust has no other liquidity arrangements or obligations to purchase assets of the VIEs that would expose Northern Trust to a loss.

Tax Credit Structures. Northern Trust invests in qualified affordable housing projects and community development entities (collectively, community development projects) that are designed to generate a return primarily through the realization of tax credits. The community development projects are formed as limited partnerships and LLCs in which Northern Trust invests as a limited partner/investor member through equity contributions. The economic performance of the community development projects, which are VIEs, is subject to the performance of their underlying investment and their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of any community development projects as it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the underlying investments or to affect their ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. This power is held by the general partners and managing members who exercise full and exclusive control of the operations of the VIEs.

Northern Trust’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with community development projects is limited to the carrying amounts of its investments, including any undrawn commitments. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying amounts of these investments in community development projects that generate tax credits, included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet, were $208.9 million and $222.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, liabilities related to unfunded commitments on investments in tax credit community development projects, included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet, were $15.6 million and $19.8 million, respectively. Northern Trust’s funding requirements are limited to its invested capital and unfunded commitments for future equity contributions. Northern Trust has no exposure to loss from liquidity arrangements and no obligation to purchase assets of the community development projects.

Affordable housing tax credits and other tax benefits attributable to community development projects totaled $58.1 million as of December 31, 2014.

Trust Preferred Securities. As discussed in further detail in Note 13 – Floating Rate Capital Debt, in 1997, Northern Trust issued Floating Rate Capital Securities, Series A and Series B, through NTC Capital I and NTC Capital II, respectively, statutory business trusts wholly-owned by the Corporation. The sole assets of the trusts are Subordinated Debentures of the Corporation that have the same interest rates and maturity dates as the corresponding distribution rates and redemption dates of the Floating Rate Capital Securities. NTC Capital I and NTC Capital II are considered VIEs; however, as the sole asset of each trust is a receivable from the Corporation and proceeds to the Corporation from the receivable exceed the Corporation’s investment in the VIEs’ equity shares, the Corporation is not permitted to consolidate the trusts, even though the Corporation owns all of the voting equity shares of the trusts, has fully guaranteed the trusts’ obligations, and has the right to redeem the preferred securities in certain circumstances. Northern Trust recognizes the subordinated debentures on its consolidated balance sheet as long-term liabilities.

Investment Funds. Northern Trust acts as asset manager for various funds in which clients of Northern Trust are investors. As an asset manager of funds, the Corporation earns a competitively priced fee that is based on assets managed and varies with each fund’s investment objective. Based on its analysis, Northern Trust has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs under GAAP.