Income taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

(In thousands)		2015		2014		2013
Current income tax expense:
Puerto Rico	$	16,675	$	7,814	$	27,118
Federal and States		7,281		6,953		10,309
Subtotal		23,956		14,767		37,427
Deferred income tax expense (benefit):
Puerto Rico		63,808		12,569		(90,796)
Federal and States		(582,936)		2,861		(491)
Valuation allowance - Initial recognition		-		8,034		-
Adjustment for enacted changes in income tax laws		-		20,048		(197,467)
Subtotal		(519,128)		43,512		(288,754)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	$	(495,172)	$	58,279	$	(251,327)

Schedule Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities Table Text Block

(In thousands)			December 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Deferred tax assets:
Tax credits available for carryforward		$	13,651	$	12,056
Net operating loss and other carryforward available			1,262,197		1,261,413
Postretirement and pension benefits			116,036		110,794
Deferred loan origination fees			6,420		7,720
Allowance for loan losses			670,592		710,666
Deferred gains			5,966		7,500
Accelerated depreciation			8,335		7,915
Intercompany deferred gains			2,743		2,988
Difference in outside basis from pass-through entities			12,684		16,094
Other temporary differences			29,208		30,667
	Total gross deferred tax assets		2,127,832		2,167,813
Deferred tax liabilities:
FDIC-assisted transaction			90,778		81,335
Indefinite-lived intangibles			63,573		53,797
Unrealized net gain on trading and available-for-sale securities			22,281		20,817
Other temporary differences			6,670		20,223
	Total gross deferred tax liabilities		183,302		176,172
Valuation allowance			642,727		1,212,748
Net deferred tax asset		$	1,301,803	$	778,893

Summary of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block]

(In thousands)
2018	$	1,369
2019		259
2021		76
2022		2,853
2023		1,248
2024		9,547
2025		14,021
2027		63,163
2028		504,976
2029		174,338
2030		171,897
2031		133,908
2032		25,043
2033		1,757
2034		66,268
	$	1,170,723

Summary Of Income Tax Contingencies Text Block

(In millions)
Balance at January 1, 2014	$	9.8
Additions for tax positions related to 2014		1.1
Reduction as a result of lapse of statute of limitations		(2.5)
Reduction for tax positions of prior years		(0.4)
Balance at December 31, 2014	$	8.0
Additions for tax positions related to 2015		1.5
Reduction as a result of settlements		(0.5)
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	9.0

PUERTO RICO

Schedule Of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Table Text Block

			2015				2014				2013
(In thousands)			Amount	% of pre-tax income			Amount	% of pre-tax income			Amount	% of pre-tax income
Computed income tax at statutory rates		$	155,542	39	%	$	(51,570)	39	%		135,720	39	%
Benefit of net tax exempt interest income			(51,812)	(13)			(55,862)	43			(36,993)	(11)
Effect of income subject to preferential
	tax rate [1]		(10,010)	(3)			(21,909)	18			(137,793)	(40)
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance			(586,159)	(147)			(4,281)	3			(32,990)	(9)
Non-deductible expenses [2]			-	-			178,219	(135)			32,115	9
Difference in tax rates due to multiple
	jurisdictions		(11,244)	(3)			(14,178)	10			(12,029)	(3)
Initial adjustment in deferred tax due to
	change in tax rate		-	-			20,048	(16)			(197,467)	(57)
Unrecognized tax benefits			-	-			(3,601)	3			(7,727)	(2)
Others			8,511	2			11,413	(9)			5,837	2
Income tax (benefit) expense		$	(495,172)	(125)	%	$	58,279	(44)	%	$	(251,327)	(72)	%