BankNotes ...

Feds Make a Change to Bank Capital Rules

Posted by Wendell Brock on Fri, Dec 19, 2008

The OCC, Federal Reserve Board, FDIC and OTS have collectively approved a final rule that permits banking organizations to reduce the goodwill deduction to tier 1 capital by the amount of any associated deferred tax liability. Banks, savings associations and bank holding companies are allowed to adopt this rule for the reporting period ending December 31, 2008.

 Prior to the adoption of this rule, the tier 1 capital calculation required banking organizations to deduct the full carrying amount of goodwill and other intangible assets resulting from a taxable business combination. This full deduction, however, was inconsistent with other aspects of the tier 1 capital computation. Other intangible assets acquired in nontaxable transactions, for example, could be deducted from tier 1 capital net of any associated deferred tax liability.

In a taxable business combination, the deferred tax liability arises from differences between tax treatment and book treatment of the asset. And, that deferred tax liability is not routinely settled for financial reporting purposes; it remains until the goodwill is written down, written off or otherwise derecognized. If the entire amount of the goodwill is impaired, the banking organization would also derecognize the associated deferred tax liability for financial reporting purposes. Therefore, the banking organization’s maximum exposure to loss with respect to the goodwill asset would be the full carrying value of that goodwill less the deferred tax liability. The spirit of this rule change is to improve the tier 1 capital computation by reflecting the banking organization’s actual exposure to loss with respect to goodwill arising from taxable business combinations. Also, the banking organization that deducts goodwill net of the associated deferred tax liability from tier 1 capital may not net that deferred tax liability against deferred tax assets for the computation of regulatory capital limitations on deferred tax assets.

 Comments largely positive

 On September 30, 2008, the regulatory agencies published a notice of proposed rulemaking requesting comments on this change. Of the thirteen comments received, only two opposed the change. Five comments suggested that the rule be adopted and available to banking organizations for the reporting period ending on December 31, 2008. The agencies have agreed with this request.

 Some of the comments also requested that the change be applied to other intangible assets as well, but did not provide sufficient data or analysis to support that request.

 

Other miscellaneous changes

 The OCC is also adopting other miscellaneous changes as noted in the proposed rule, including:

 

·         Clarification of the current treatment of intangible assets acquired due to a nontaxable purchase business combination

·         Replacement of the term “purchased mortgage servicing rights” with “servicing assets”

·         Clarification of OCC’s interpretation of existing regulatory text

·         Amendment of the goodwill definition to conform to GAAP

 

To review the full text of the final rule, please click here (http://www.fdic.gov/news/board/08DEC15rule4.pdf).

Topics: Bank, FDIC, OCC, OTS, capital, savings associations, tax liability, asset

Subscribe by Email

Most Popular

Browse By tag

To Obtain a White Paper

BankNotes

BankNotes© is published by De Novo Strategy as a service to clients and other friends. The information contained in this publication should not be construed as legal, accounting, or investment advice. Should further analysis or explanation of the subject matter be required, please contact De Novo Strategy at subscribe@denovostrategy.com.