Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations in these financial statements, have been made.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could vary from these estimates. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation.

The Company evaluated subsequent events through the date its financial statements were issued.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K. There have been no significant changes to the Company’s accounting policies as disclosed in the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company sponsors various short-term incentive plans and LTI plans for eligible employees, which may be delivered through various incentive programs, such as RSUs, restricted stock, and LTI cash. AIP is the Company's short-term cash incentive plan for key employees that provides for potential annual cash awards based on the Company's performance and/or the achievement of business unit and individual performance objectives. Awards under the LTI cash plan generally cliff vest over a period of three years from the date of the award and are paid in cash. All incentive awards are subject to clawback provisions. Compensation expense for incentive plans with cash payouts was $45 million and $39 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company provides stock-based awards through the 2009 Stock Plan (as amended and restated effective January 1, 2011) under which the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors has the authority to grant stock options, restricted stock, and RSUs to key employees of the Company. Some awards may have performance or other conditions, such as vesting tied to the Company's total shareholder return relative to a peer group or vesting tied to the achievement of an absolute financial performance target. Under the 2009 Stock Plan, approximately 21 million shares of common stock are authorized and reserved for issuance, of which no more than 17 million shares may be issued as restricted stock or stock units. At March 31, 2014, approximately 17 million shares were available for grant, including approximately 6 million shares available to be issued as restricted stock or RSUs.

On February 10 and 11, 2014, the Compensation Committee and Board of Directors approved, subject to shareholder approval, an amendment to the Plan to remove the sub-limit on full value shares. On April 22, 2014, the shareholders approved the amendment to the Plan. The shares, which are already in the Plan (and available for grant as stock options) and were previously approved by the shareholders, are now available for grant as full value shares. After giving effect to the amendment, all 17 million shares available for grant under the Plan may be granted as stock options, restricted stock, or RSUs.

Stock options were granted at an exercise price that was no less than the fair market value of a share of SunTrust common stock on the grant date and were either tax-qualified incentive stock options or non-qualified stock options. Stock options typically vest pro-rata over three years and generally have a maximum contractual life of ten years. Upon exercise, shares are generally issued from treasury stock. No stock options were issued during the three months ended March 31, 2014, consistent with the Company's decision to discontinue the issuance of stock options in 2014. The weighted average fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $7.37 per share. The fair value of each option grant was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model based on the following assumptions for the three months ended March 31, 2013:



Dividend yield	1.28	%
Expected stock price volatility	30.98
Risk-free interest rate (weighted average)	1.02
Expected life of options	6 years

Accounting Policies Recently Adopted and Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-04, "Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)." The ASU requires additional disclosures about joint and several liability arrangements and requires the Company to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements as the sum of the amount the Company agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors and any additional amount the Company expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The ASU is effective for the fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company adopted the ASU at January 1, 2014 and the adoption did not have an impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or EPS.

In June 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-08, "Financial Services—Investment Companies (Topic 946): Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements." The ASU clarifies the characteristics of an investment company and requires an investment company to measure noncontrolling ownership interests in other investment companies at fair value rather than using the equity method of accounting. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company adopted the ASU at January 1, 2014 and the adoption did not have an impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or EPS.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, "Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)." The ASU allows for use of the proportional amortization method for investments in qualified affordable housing projects if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, the initial cost of the investment is amortized in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and the net investment performance is recognized in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. The ASU provides for a practical expedient, which allows for amortization of the investment in proportion to only the tax credits if it produces a measurement that is substantially similar to the measurement that would result from using both tax credits and other tax benefits. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2014. As early adoption is permitted, the Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2014, utilizing the practical expedient method. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, $13 million of investment amortization expense has been recognized on a net basis with tax credits received as a component of income tax expense. The standard is required to be applied retrospectively; therefore prior period amounts included in noninterest expense prior to adoption have been reclassified. During the three months ended March 31, 2013, $10 million of investment amortization expense was included in other noninterest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income which was reclassified to income tax expense upon adoption. No other impact is expected on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or EPS.

In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04, "Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)." The update clarifies that an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either (1) the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure or (2) the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or EPS.

In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08, "Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity." The update changes the requirements for reporting discontinued operations in Subtopic 205-20. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted only for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued. The Company adopted the ASU upon issuance for prospective transactions not previously reported. The adoption is not expected to have an impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations, or EPS.