Basis of Presentation (Policy)	6 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policy)	Jun. 30, 2011
Basis of Presentation
Nature of Operations	*General* In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheets, Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity, and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows of BB&T Corporation and subsidiaries ("BB&T", the "Corporation" or the "Company"), are fair statements of BB&T's financial position at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, BB&T's results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, and BB&T's changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010. In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the consolidated financial position and consolidated results of operations have been made. These consolidated financial statements and notes are presented in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q. The information contained in the financial statements and footnotes included in BB&T's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 should be referred to in connection with these unaudited interim consolidated financial statements. The accounting and reporting policies of BB&T and its subsidiaries are in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Additionally, where applicable, the policies conform to the accounting and reporting guidelines prescribed by bank regulatory authorities. *Nature of Operations* BB&T is a financial holding company organized under the laws of North Carolina. BB&T conducts operations through its principal bank subsidiary, Branch Banking and Trust Company ("Branch Bank"), BB&T Financial, FSB ("BB&T FSB"), a federally chartered thrift institution, and its nonbank subsidiaries. Branch Bank has offices in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. Branch Bank provides a wide range of banking services to individuals and businesses, and offers a variety of loans to businesses and consumers. Such loans are made primarily to individuals residing in the market areas described above or to businesses located within BB&T's geographic footprint. Branch Bank also markets a wide range of deposit services to individuals and businesses. Branch Bank offers, either directly, or through its subsidiaries, lease financing to businesses and municipal governments; factoring; discount brokerage services, annuities and mutual funds; life insurance, property and casualty insurance, health insurance and commercial general liability insurance on an agency basis and through a wholesale insurance brokerage operation; insurance premium financing; permanent financing arrangements for commercial real estate; loan servicing for third-party investors; direct consumer finance loans to individuals; trust and comprehensive wealth advisory services and association services. BB&T FSB and the direct nonbank subsidiaries of BB&T provide a variety of financial services including credit card lending, automobile lending, equipment financing, full-service securities brokerage, asset management and capital markets services.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles *of Consolidation* The consolidated financial statements of BB&T include the accounts of BB&T Corporation and those subsidiaries that are majority owned by BB&T and over which BB&T exercises control. In consolidation, all significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated. The results of operations of companies or assets acquired are included only from the dates of acquisition. All material wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated unless GAAP requires otherwise. BB&T holds investments in certain legal entities that are considered variable interest entities ("VIE's"). VIE's are legal entities in which equity investors do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to independently finance its activities, or as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack the power through voting or similar rights to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact its economic performance, or do not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the entity or the right to receive expected residual returns of the entity. Consolidation of a VIE is considered appropriate if a reporting entity holds a controlling financial interest in the VIE. BB&T evaluates its investments in VIE's to determine if a controlling financial interest is held. This evaluation gives appropriate consideration to the design of the entity and the variability that the entity was designed to pass along, the relative power of each of the parties to the VIE, and to BB&T's relative obligation to absorb losses or receive residual returns of the entity, in relation to such obligations and rights held by other parties to the VIE. BB&T has variable interests in certain entities that were not required to be consolidated, including affordable housing partnership interests, historic tax credit partnerships, other partnership interests and trusts that have issued capital securities. Refer to Note 13 for additional disclosures regarding BB&T's significant variable interest entities. BB&T accounts for unconsolidated partnership and similar investments using the equity method of accounting. In addition to affordable housing partnerships, which represent the majority of unconsolidated investments in variable interest entities, BB&T also has investments and future funding commitments to venture capital and other entities. The maximum potential exposure to losses relative to investments in variable interest entities is generally limited to the sum of the outstanding balance, future funding commitments and any related loans to the entity. Loans to these entities are underwritten in substantially the same manner as are other loans and are generally secured. BB&T has investments in certain entities for which BB&T does not have the controlling interest. For these investments, the Company records its interest using the equity method with its portion of income or loss being recorded in other noninterest income in the Consolidated Statements of Income. BB&T periodically evaluates these investments for impairment.
Reclassifications	*Reclassifications* In certain instances, amounts reported in prior periods' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current 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	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. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change include the determination of the allowance for credit losses, determination of fair value for financial instruments, valuation of goodwill, intangible assets and other purchase accounting related adjustments, benefit plan obligations and expenses, and tax assets, liabilities and expense.
Changes in Accounting Principles and Effects of New Accounting Pronouncements	*Changes in Accounting Principles and Effects of New Accounting Pronouncements* In February 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance impacting Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The new guidance requires a gross presentation of purchases and sales of Level 3 activities and adds a new requirement to disclose transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 measurements. The guidance related to the transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 measurements was effective for BB&T on January 1, 2010. The guidance that requires increased disaggregation of the Level 3 activities was effective for BB&T on January 1, 2011. The new disclosures required by this guidance are included in Note 14 to these consolidated financial statements. In July 2010, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Receivables. The new guidance requires additional disclosures that will allow users to understand the nature of credit risk inherent in a company's loan portfolios, how that risk is analyzed and assessed in arriving at the allowance for loan and lease losses, and changes and reasons for those changes in the allowance for loan and lease losses. The new disclosures that relate to information as of the end of the reporting period were required as of December 31, 2010. The disclosures related to activity that occurs during a reporting period were effective for reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2010, except for the disclosure requirements relating to troubled debt restructurings, which are effective for reporting periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011. In April 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Receivables. The new guidance amended existing guidance for assisting a creditor in determining whether a restructuring is a troubled debt restructuring. The amendments clarify the guidance for a creditor's evaluation of whether it has granted a concession and whether a debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2011, and will be applied retrospectively to the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to be material to BB&T's consolidated financial statements. In May 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The new guidance creates a uniform framework for applying fair value measurement principles for companies around the world. It eliminates differences between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. New disclosures required by the guidance include: quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used for Level 3 measurements; a qualitative discussion about the sensitivity of recurring Level 3 measurements to changes in the unobservable inputs disclosed, including the interrelationship between inputs; and a description of the company's valuation processes. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, and all amendments are applied prospectively with any changes in measurements recognized in income in the period of adoption. BB&T is currently evaluating the impact the standard will have on the consolidated financial statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued new guidance impacting Comprehensive Income. The new guidance amends disclosure requirements for the presentation of comprehensive income. The amended guidance eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income ("OCI") as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity. All changes in OCI are to be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. The guidance does not change the items that must be reported in OCI. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim reporting periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2011 with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not impact BB&T's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows and will only impact the presentation of OCI in the consolidated financial statements.

Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.

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+ Details

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of changes in accounting principles, including adoption of new accounting pronouncements, that describes the new methods, amount and effects on financial statement line items.

+ References

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

+ References+ Details