SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1 – Significant Accounting Policies Nature of Operations Sandy Spring Bancorp (the “Company”), a Maryland corporation, is the bank holding company for Sandy Spring Bank (the “Bank”). The Bank offers a broad range of commercial banking, retail banking, mortgage and trust services throughout central Maryland, Northern Virginia and the greater Washington D.C. market through its operation of 45 community offices and six financial centers across the region. The Bank also offers a comprehensive menu of insurance and wealth management services through its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation and West Financial Services, Inc. Basis of Presentation The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and prevailing practices within the financial services industry for interim financial information and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required for complete financial statements and prevailing practices within the banking industry. The following summary of significant accounting policies of the Company is presented to assist the reader in understanding the financial and other data presented in this report. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future periods or for the year ending December 31, 2016. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (comprising only normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods have been included. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts, as necessary, to conform to the current period presentation. The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the date of the issuance of its financial statements. These statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 4, 2016. There have been no significant changes to the Company’s accounting policies as disclosed in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Principles of Consolidation The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Sandy Spring Bank and its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation and West Financial Services, Inc. Consolidation has resulted in the elimination of all intercompany accounts and transactions. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements 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 affect the reported amounts of revenues earned and expenses incurred during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates that could change significantly relate to the provision for loan and lease losses and the related allowance, determination of impaired loans and the related measurement of impairment, potential impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, valuation of investment securities and the determination of whether impaired securities are other-than-temporarily impaired, valuation of other real estate owned, prepayment rates, valuation of share-based compensation, the assessment that a liability should be recognized with respect to any matters under litigation, the calculation of current and deferred income taxes and the actuarial projections related to pension expense and the related liability. Cash Flows For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks, federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits with banks (items with stated original maturity of three months or less). Pending Accounting Pronouncements The FASB issued Update No. 2014-09 in May 2014 that provides accounting guidance for all revenue arising from contracts with customers and affects all entities that enter into contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The guidance also provides for a model for the measurement and recognition of gains and losses on the sale of certain nonfinancial assets, such as property and equipment, including real estate. This standard may affect an entity’s financial statements, business processes and internal control over financial reporting. The guidance is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. The guidance must be adopted using either a full retrospective approach for all periods presented in the period of adoption or a modified retrospective approach. The Company is assessing this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The FASB issued Update No. 2016-01 in January 2016. This guidance requires entities to measure equity investments at fair value and recognize changes on fair value in net income. The guidance also provides a new measurement alternative for equity investments that don’t have readily determinable fair values and don’t qualify for the net asset value practical expedient. Entities will have to record changes in instrument –specific credit risk for financial liabilities measured under the fair value option in other comprehensive income, except for certain financial liabilities of consolidated collateralized financing entities. Entities will also have to reassess the realizability of a deferred tax asset related to an available-for-sale debt security in combination with their other deferred tax assets. For public entities, the guidance in this update is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption by public entities is permitted as of the beginning of the year of adoption for selected amendments by a cumulative effect adjustment to the balance sheet. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The FASB issued Update No. 2016-02 in February 2016. Under this guidance lessees are required to record most leases on their balance sheets but recognize expenses in the income statement. The guidance also eliminates the current real estate-specific provision and changes the guidance on sale-leaseback transactions, initial direct costs and lease executory costs. With respect to lessors, the guidance modifies the classification criteria and the accounting for sales-type and direct financing leases. All entities will classify leases to determine how to recognize lease-related revenue and expense. In applying this guidance entities will also need to determine whether an arrangement contains a lease or service agreement. Disclosures are required by lessees and lessors to meet the objective of enabling users of financials statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. For public entities, this guidance is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Entities are required to use a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements. The Company is assessing this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The FASB issued Update No. 2016-08 in March 2016. This guidance is intended to clarify a potential implementation issue with respect to determining whether an entity is a principal or an agent in an arrangement. The guidance provides indicators to assist in this evaluation when another party is involved in the arrangement to identify which party is the principal and which party is the agent. The effective date for this guidance is the same as the effective date of Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Note 1 – Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations

Sandy Spring Bancorp (the “Company”), a Maryland corporation, is the bank holding company for Sandy Spring Bank (the “Bank”). The Bank offers a broad range of commercial banking, retail banking, mortgage and trust services throughout central Maryland, Northern Virginia and the greater Washington D.C. market through its operation of 45 community offices and six financial centers across the region. The Bank also offers a comprehensive menu of insurance and wealth management services through its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation and West Financial Services, Inc.

Basis of Presentation

The accounting and reporting policies of the Company conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and prevailing practices within the financial services industry for interim financial information and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required for complete financial statements and prevailing practices within the banking industry. The following summary of significant accounting policies of the Company is presented to assist the reader in understanding the financial and other data presented in this report. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future periods or for the year ending December 31, 2016. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (comprising only normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods have been included. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts, as necessary, to conform to the current period presentation. The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the date of the issuance of its financial statements.

These statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 4, 2016. There have been no significant changes to the Company’s accounting policies as disclosed in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Sandy Spring Bank and its subsidiaries, Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation and West Financial Services, Inc. Consolidation has resulted in the elimination of all intercompany accounts and transactions.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements 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 affect the reported amounts of revenues earned and expenses incurred during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates that could change significantly relate to the provision for loan and lease losses and the related allowance, determination of impaired loans and the related measurement of impairment, potential impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, valuation of investment securities and the determination of whether impaired securities are other-than-temporarily impaired, valuation of other real estate owned, prepayment rates, valuation of share-based compensation, the assessment that a liability should be recognized with respect to any matters under litigation, the calculation of current and deferred income taxes and the actuarial projections related to pension expense and the related liability.

Cash Flows

For purposes of reporting cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash and due from banks, federal funds sold and interest-bearing deposits with banks (items with stated original maturity of three months or less).

Pending Accounting Pronouncements

The FASB issued Update No. 2014-09 in May 2014 that provides accounting guidance for all revenue arising from contracts with customers and affects all entities that enter into contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The guidance also provides for a model for the measurement and recognition of gains and losses on the sale of certain nonfinancial assets, such as property and equipment, including real estate. This standard may affect an entity’s financial statements, business processes and internal control over financial reporting. The guidance is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. The guidance must be adopted using either a full retrospective approach for all periods presented in the period of adoption or a modified retrospective approach. The Company is assessing this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The FASB issued Update No. 2016-01 in January 2016. This guidance requires entities to measure equity investments at fair value and recognize changes on fair value in net income. The guidance also provides a new measurement alternative for equity investments that don’t have readily determinable fair values and don’t qualify for the net asset value practical expedient. Entities will have to record changes in instrument –specific credit risk for financial liabilities measured under the fair value option in other comprehensive income, except for certain financial liabilities of consolidated collateralized financing entities. Entities will also have to reassess the realizability of a deferred tax asset related to an available-for-sale debt security in combination with their other deferred tax assets. For public entities, the guidance in this update is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption by public entities is permitted as of the beginning of the year of adoption for selected amendments by a cumulative effect adjustment to the balance sheet. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

The FASB issued Update No. 2016-02 in February 2016. Under this guidance lessees are required to record most leases on their balance sheets but recognize expenses in the income statement. The guidance also eliminates the current real estate-specific provision and changes the guidance on sale-leaseback transactions, initial direct costs and lease executory costs. With respect to lessors, the guidance modifies the classification criteria and the accounting for sales-type and direct financing leases. All entities will classify leases to determine how to recognize lease-related revenue and expense. In applying this guidance entities will also need to determine whether an arrangement contains a lease or service agreement. Disclosures are required by lessees and lessors to meet the objective of enabling users of financials statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. For public entities, this guidance is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. Entities are required to use a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements. The Company is assessing this guidance to determine its impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The FASB issued Update No. 2016-08 in March 2016. This guidance is intended to clarify a potential implementation issue with respect to determining whether an entity is a principal or an agent in an arrangement. The guidance provides indicators to assist in this evaluation when another party is involved in the arrangement to identify which party is the principal and which party is the agent. The effective date for this guidance is the same as the effective date of Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.