Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (BancShares) is a financial holding company organized under the laws of Delaware and conducts operations through its banking subsidiary, First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (FCB), which is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. General These consolidated financial statements and notes are presented in accordance with instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, do not include all information and notes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flow activity required in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position and consolidated results of operations have been made. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in BancShares' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. Reclassifications In certain instances, amounts reported in prior years' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported cash flows, shareholders' equity or net income. Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and different assumptions in the application of these policies could result in material changes in BancShares' consolidated financial position, the consolidated results of its operations or related disclosures. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change include the determination of the allowance for loan and lease losses; determination of the fair value of financial instruments; pension plan assumptions; cash flow estimates on acquired loans; the receivable from and payable to the FDIC for loss share agreements; purchase accounting-related adjustments; and income tax assets, liabilities and expense. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU ) 2014-04, “Receivables-Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40)” This ASU 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. Additionally, the amendments require interim and annual disclosure of both (1) the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and (2) the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure according to local requirements of the applicable jurisdiction. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. We will adopt the guidance effective the first quarter of 2015, and we do not anticipate any effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations as a result of adoption. FASB ASU 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740)” This ASU states that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except as follows: to the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require BancShares to use, and BancShares does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. The assessment of whether a deferred tax asset is available is based on the unrecognized tax benefit and deferred tax asset that exist at the reporting date and should be made presuming disallowance of the tax position at the reporting date. The provisions of this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. BancShares adopted the guidance effective first quarter of 2014. The initial adoption had no effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations. FASB ASU 2013-04, “Liabilities” This ASU provides guidance for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this ASU is fixed at the reporting date, except for obligations addressed within existing guidance in GAAP. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2013. BancShares adopted the guidance effective first quarter of 2014. The initial adoption did not have any effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.

Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (BancShares) is a financial holding company organized under the laws of Delaware and conducts operations through its banking subsidiary, First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company (FCB), which is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

General

These consolidated financial statements and notes are presented in accordance with instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, do not include all information and notes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flow activity required in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position and consolidated results of operations have been made. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in BancShares' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Reclassifications

In certain instances, amounts reported in prior years' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported cash flows, shareholders' equity or net income.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and different assumptions in the application of these policies could result in material changes in BancShares' consolidated financial position, the consolidated results of its operations or related disclosures. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change include the determination of the allowance for loan and lease losses; determination of the fair value of financial instruments; pension plan assumptions; cash flow estimates on acquired loans; the receivable from and payable to the FDIC for loss share agreements; purchase accounting-related adjustments; and income tax assets, liabilities and expense.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU ) 2014-04, “Receivables-Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40)”

This ASU 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. Additionally, the amendments require interim and annual disclosure of both (1) the amount of foreclosed residential real estate property held by the creditor and (2) the recorded investment in consumer mortgage loans collateralized by residential real estate property that are in the process of foreclosure according to local requirements of the applicable jurisdiction.

The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. We will adopt the guidance effective the first quarter of 2015, and we do not anticipate any effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations as a result of adoption.

FASB ASU 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740)”

This ASU states that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except as follows: to the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require BancShares to use, and BancShares does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. The assessment of whether a deferred tax asset is available is based on the unrecognized tax benefit and deferred tax asset that exist at the reporting date and should be made presuming disallowance of the tax position at the reporting date.

The provisions of this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. BancShares adopted the guidance effective first quarter of 2014. The initial adoption had no effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.

FASB ASU 2013-04, “Liabilities”

This ASU provides guidance for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this ASU is fixed at the reporting date, except for obligations addressed within existing guidance in GAAP.

The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2013. BancShares adopted the guidance effective first quarter of 2014. The initial adoption did not have any effect on our consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.