BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation – The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of First Financial Service Corporation (the “Corporation”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, First Federal Savings Bank (the “Bank”). First Federal Savings Bank has two wholly owned subsidiaries, First Service Corporation of Elizabethtown and Heritage Properties, LLC. Unless the text clearly suggests otherwise, references to "us," "we," or "our" include First Financial Service Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, collectively referred to as the “Company”. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may occur for the year ending December 31, 2014. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Corporation’s annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2013.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications – Some items in the prior year financial statements were reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Reclassifications had no effect on prior year operations or stockholders’ equity.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement – In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-01, Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects (ASU 2014-01). ASU 2014-01 permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met. Under the proportional amortization method, an entity amortizes the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognizes the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. This new guidance also requires new disclosures for all investors in these projects. ASU 2014-01 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014. Upon adoption, the guidance must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. However, entities that use the effective yield method to account for investments in these projects before adoption may continue to do so for these pre-existing investments. The adoption of ASU 2014-01 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-04, Receivables - Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40) – Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure (ASU 2014-04). ASU 2014-04 provides clarification when a creditor should be considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan such that the loan should be removed from the balance sheet and other real estate owned recognized. These amendments clarify that when an in-substance 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. ASU 2014-04 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after Dec 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2014-04 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue From Contracts With Customers (ASU 2014-09). The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Management is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-12 Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718) - Accounting for Share Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period (ASU 2014-12). ASU 2014-12 requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. ASU 2014-12 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The amendments can be applied prospectively to all awards granted or modified after the effective date or retrospectively to all awards with performance targets that are outstanding as of the beginning of the earliest annual period presented and to all new or modified awards thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2014-12 is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.