Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation [Policy Text Block]

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include accounts of BOK Financial and its subsidiaries, principally BOKF, NA (“the Bank”), BOSC, Inc., The Milestone Group, Inc. and Cavanal Hill Investment Management Inc. Operating divisions of the Bank include Bank of Albuquerque, Bank of Arizona, Bank of Arkansas, Bank of Oklahoma, Bank of Texas, Colorado State Bank and Trust, Bank of Kansas City, BOK Financial Mortgage and the TransFund electronic funds network.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Certain reclassifications have been made to conform to the current period presentation.

Newly Adopted and Pending Accounting Policies [Policy Text Block]

Newly Adopted and Pending Accounting Policies

Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”)

FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-08, Financial Services – Investment Companies (Topic 946): Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements (ASU 2013-08)

On June 7, 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-08 which amends the criteria an entity would need to meet to qualify as an investment company under ASC 946, Financial Services - Investment Companies. ASU 2013-08 also provides additional implementation guidance for the assessment and requires additional disclosures. ASU 2013-08 was effective prospectively during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2013, with early adoption prohibited. The adoption of ASU 2013-08 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-01, Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects (ASU 2014-01)

On January 15, 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01 to simplify the amortization method an entity uses and modify the criteria to elect a measurement and presentation alternative, including the simplified amortization method, for certain investments in qualified affordable housing projects. This alternative permits the entity to present the investment's performance net of the related tax benefits as part of income tax expense. ASU 2014-01 is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption of ASU 2014-01 may affect income statement presentation, but otherwise is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-04, Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans Upon Foreclosure

On January 17, 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-04 to clarify when an entity is considered to have obtained physical possession (from an in-substance possession or foreclosure) of a residential real estate property collateralizing a mortgage loan. Upon physical possession of such real property, an entity is required to reclassify the nonperforming mortgage loan to other real estate owned. ASU 2014-04 is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted. Adoption of ASU 2014-04 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Derivative instruments may be used by the Company as part of its interest rate risk management programs or may be offered to customers. All derivative instruments are carried at fair value and changes in fair value are reported in earnings as they occur. Credit risk is also considered in determining fair value.

When bilateral netting agreements or similar arrangements exist between the Company and its counterparties that create a single legal claim or obligation to pay or receive the net amount in settlement of the individual derivative contracts, the Company reports derivative assets and liabilities on a net by derivative contract type by counterparty basis.

Derivative contracts may require the Company to provide or receive cash margin as collateral for derivative assets and liabilities. Derivative assets and liabilities are reported net of cash margin when certain conditions are met. In addition, derivative contracts executed with customers under Customer Risk Management Programs may be secured by non-cash collateral in conjunction with a credit agreement with that customer. Access to collateral, in the event of default is reasonably assured. As of March 31, 2014, a decrease in BOK Financial's credit rating to below investment grade would increase our obligation to post cash margin on existing contracts by approximately $26 million.

None of these derivative contracts have been designated as hedging instruments.

Customer Risk Management Programs

BOK Financial offers programs to permit its customers to manage various risks, including fluctuations in energy, cattle and other agricultural products, and foreign exchange rates, or to take positions in derivative contracts. Customers may also manage interest rate risk through interest rate swaps used by borrowers to modify interest rate terms of their loans or to-be-announced securities used by mortgage banking customers to hedge their loan production. Derivative contracts are executed between the customers and BOK Financial. Offsetting contracts are executed between BOK Financial and other selected counterparties to minimize the risk of changes in commodity prices, interest rates or foreign exchange rates. The counterparty contracts are identical to customer contracts, except for a fixed pricing spread or fee paid to BOK Financial as profit and compensation for administrative costs and credit risk which is recognized over the life of the contracts and included in other operating revenue – brokerage and trading revenue in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

Interest Rate Risk Management Programs

BOK Financial may use derivative contracts in managing its interest rate sensitivity and as part of its economic hedge of the change in the fair value of mortgage servicing rights. Interest rate swaps are generally used to reduce overall asset sensitivity by converting specific fixed-rate liabilities to floating-rate based on LIBOR. As of March 31, 2014, BOK Financial had interest rate swaps with a notional value of $47 million used as part of the economic hedge of the change in the fair value of the mortgage servicing rights.

As discussed in Note 6, certain derivative contracts not designated as hedging instruments related to mortgage loan commitments and forward sales contracts are included in Residential mortgage loans held for sale on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 6 for additional discussion of notional, fair value and impact on earnings of these contracts. Forward sales contracts are not considered swaps under the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission final rules.

Loans and Allowances for Credit Losses, Loans [Policy Text Block]

Loans

Loans are either secured or unsecured based on the type of loan and the financial condition of the borrower. Repayment is generally expected from cash flow or proceeds from the sale of selected assets of the borrower. BOK Financial is exposed to risk of loss on loans due to the borrower’s difficulties, which may arise from any number of factors, including problems within the respective industry or local economic conditions. Access to collateral, in the event of borrower default, is reasonably assured through adherence to applicable lending laws and through sound lending standards and credit review procedures. Accounting policies for all loans, excluding residential mortgage loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, are as follows.

Interest is accrued at the applicable interest rate on the principal amount outstanding. Loans are placed on nonaccruing status when, in the opinion of management, full collection of principal or interest is uncertain. Internally risk graded loans are individually evaluated for nonaccruing status quarterly. Non-risk graded loans are generally placed on nonaccruing status when more than 90 days past due or within 60 days of being notified of the borrower's bankruptcy filing. Interest previously accrued but not collected is charged against interest income when the loan is placed on nonaccruing status. Payments on nonaccruing loans are applied to principal or recognized as interest income, according to management’s judgment as to the collectability of principal. Loans may be returned to accruing status when, in the opinion of management, full collection of principal and interest, including principal previously charged off, is probable based on improvements in the borrower’s financial condition or a sustained period of performance.

Loans to borrowers experiencing financial difficulties may be modified in troubled debt restructurings ("TDRs"). All TDRs are classified as nonaccruing. Modifications generally consist of extension of payment terms or interest rate concessions and may result either voluntarily through negotiations with the borrower or involuntarily through court order. Generally, principal and accrued but unpaid interest is not voluntarily forgiven.

Performing loans may be renewed under then current collateral value, debt service ratio and other underwriting standards. Nonaccruing loans may be renewed and will remain classified as nonaccruing. 

All loans are charged off when the loan balance or a portion of the loan balance is no longer supported by the paying capacity of the borrower or when the required cash flow is reduced in a TDR. The charge-off amount is determined through a quarterly evaluation of available cash resources and collateral value and charge-offs are taken in the quarter in which the loss is identified. Non-risk graded loans that are past due between 60 and 180 days, based on the loan product type, are charged off. Loans to borrowers whose personal obligation has been discharged through Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings are charged off within 60 days of notice of the bankruptcy filing, regardless of payment status.

Loan origination and commitment fees and direct loan acquisition and origination costs are deferred and amortized as an adjustment to yield over the life of the loan or over the commitment period, as applicable.

Qualifying residential mortgage loans guaranteed by U.S. government agencies have been sold into GNMA pools. Under certain performance conditions specified in government programs, the Company may have the right, but not the obligation to repurchase loans from GNMA pools. These loans no longer qualify for sale accounting and are recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Guaranteed loans are considered impaired because we do not expect to receive all principal and interest based on the loan's contractual terms. The principal balance continues to be guaranteed; however, interest accrues at a curtailed rate as specified in the programs. The carrying value of these loans is reduced based on an estimate of the expected cash flows discounted at the original note rate plus a liquidity spread. Guaranteed loans may be modified in TDRs in accordance with U.S. government agency guidelines. Interest continues to accrue based on the modified rate. Guaranteed loans may either be resold into GNMA pools after a performance period specified by the programs or foreclosed and conveyed to the guarantors.

Loans are disaggregated into portfolio segments and further disaggregated into classes. The portfolio segment is the level at which the Company develops and documents a systematic method for determining its allowance for credit losses. Classes are a further disaggregation of portfolio segments based on the risk characteristics of the loans and the Company’s method for monitoring and assessing credit risk.

Loans and Allowances for Credit Losses, Allowances for Credit Losses [Policy Text Block]

Allowances for Credit Losses

BOK Financial maintains an allowance for loan losses and an accrual for off-balance sheet credit risk. The accrual for off-balance sheet credit risk is maintained at a level that is appropriate to cover estimated losses associated with credit instruments that are not currently recognized as assets such as loan commitments, standby letters of credit or guarantees. As discussed in greater detail in Note 6, the Company also has separate accruals for off-balance sheet credit risk related to residential mortgage loans previously sold with full or partial recourse and for residential mortgage loans sold to government sponsored agencies under standard representations and warranties.

The appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses and accrual for off-balance sheet credit losses (collectively "allowance for credit losses") is assessed by management based on an on-going quarterly evaluation of the probable estimated losses inherent in the portfolio, including probable losses on both outstanding loans and unused commitments.

The allowance for loan losses consists of specific allowances attributed to impaired loans that have not yet been charged down to amounts we expect to recover, general allowances for unimpaired loans based on estimated loss rates by loan class and nonspecific allowances based on general economic conditions, risk concentration and related factors. There have been no material changes in the approach or techniques utilized in developing the allowance for loan losses and the accrual for off-balance sheet credit losses for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

Loans are considered to be impaired when it becomes probable that BOK Financial will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreements. Internally risk graded loans are evaluated individually for impairment. Substantially all commercial and commercial real estate loans and certain residential mortgage and consumer loans are risk graded based on evaluation of the borrowers' ability to repay. Certain commercial loans and most residential mortgage and consumer loans are small balance, homogeneous pools of loans that are not risk graded. Non-risk graded loans are identified as impaired based on performance status. Generally, non-risk graded loans 90 days or more past due or modified in a TDR or in bankruptcy are considered to be impaired.

Specific allowances for impaired loans are measured by an evaluation of estimated future cash flows discounted at the loans’ initial effective interest rate or the fair value of collateral for certain collateral dependent loans. Collateral value of real property is generally based on third party appraisals that conform to Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, less estimated selling costs. Appraised values are on an "as-is" basis and are generally not adjusted by the Company. Updated appraisals are obtained at least annually or more frequently if market conditions indicate collateral values have declined. Collateral value of mineral rights is generally determined by our internal staff of engineers based on projected cash flows under current market conditions. Collateral values and available cash resources that support impaired loans are evaluated quarterly. Historical statistics may be used as a practical way to estimate impairment in limited situations, such as when a collateral dependent loan is identified as impaired at the end of a reporting period, until an updated appraisal of collateral value is received or a full assessment of future cash flows is completed. Estimates of future cash flows and collateral values require significant judgments and may be volatile.

General allowances for unimpaired loans are based on estimated loss rates by loan class. The gross loss rate for each loan class is determined by the greater of the current gross loss rate based on the most recent twelve months or a ten-year gross loss rate. Recoveries are not directly considered in the estimation of loss rates. Recoveries generally do not follow predictable patterns and are not received until well after the charge-off date as a result of protracted legal actions. For risk graded loans, gross loss rates are adjusted for changes in risk grading. For each loan class, the current weighted average risk grade is compared to the long-term average risk grade. This comparison determines whether credit risk in each loan class is increasing or decreasing. Loss rates are adjusted upward or downward in proportion to changes in average risk grading. General allowances for unimpaired loans also consider inherent risks identified for each loan class. Inherent risks consider loss rates that most appropriately represent the current credit cycle and other factors attributable to specific loan classes which have not yet been represented in the gross loss rates or risk grading. These factors include changes in commodity prices or engineering imprecision, which may affect the value of reserves that secure our energy loan portfolio, construction risk that may affect commercial real estate loans, changes in regulations and public policy that may disproportionately impact health care loans and changes in loan products.

Nonspecific allowances are maintained for risks beyond factors specific to a particular loan or loan class. These factors include trends in the economy of our primary lending areas, concentrations in large balance loans and other relevant factors.

An accrual for off-balance sheet credit losses is included in Other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The appropriateness of this accrual is determined in the same manner as the allowance for loan losses.

A provision for credit losses is charged against or credited to earnings in amounts necessary to maintain an appropriate allowance for credit losses. Recoveries of loans previously charged off are added to the allowance when received.