securities by credit rating and an external study, updated annually, that includes historical information such as probability of default and loss going back several years. Accrued interest receivable on held-to-maturity investment securities is excluded from the estimate of credit losses.
Loans held for investment. Under the current expected credit loss, or CECL, accounting standard the ACL is a valuation estimated at each balance sheet date and deducted from the amortized cost basis of loans held for investment to present the net amount expected to be collected.
The Company estimates the ACL based on the underlying assets’ amortized cost basis, which is the amount at which the financing receivable is originated or acquired, adjusted for collection of cash and charge-offs, as well as applicable accretion or amortization of premium, discount and net deferred fees or costs. In the event that collection of principal becomes uncertain, the Company has policies in place to reverse accrued interest in a timely manner. Therefore, the Company has made the policy election to exclude accrued interest from the measurement of ACL.
Expected credit losses are reflected in the ACL through a charge to provision for credit losses when the Company deems all or a portion of the financial asset will be uncollectible; the appropriate amount is written off and the ACL is reduced by the same amount. The Company applies judgement to determine when a financial asset is deemed uncollectible; however, generally, an asset will be considered uncollectible no later than when all efforts of collection have been exhausted. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ACL when received.
Upon the adoption of the CECL accounting standard, the Company elected to maintain pools of loans that were previously accounted for under ASC 310-30 and will continue to account for these pools as a unit of account. Upon the adoption of the CECL accounting standard, the ACL was determined for each pool and added to the pools’ carrying amount to establish a new amortized cost basis. Loans that do not share similar risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis.
Management estimates the ACL using relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. Historical loss experience provides the basis for estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for differences in the current loan-specific risk characteristics such as different underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, or life of the loan, as well as changes in environmental conditions, levels of economic activity, unemployment rates, property values and other relevant factors. The calculation also contemplates that the Company may not be able to make or obtain such forecasts for the entire life of the financial assets and requires a reversion to historical loss information.
Ongoing impacts of the CECL accounting standard will be dependent upon changes in economic conditions and forecasts, originated and acquired loan portfolio composition, credit performance trends, portfolio duration and other forecasts.
Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. Loans evaluated individually are not also included in the collective evaluation. The ACL on individually evaluated loans is recognized on the basis of the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate, the fair value of collateral adjusted of estimated costs to sell, or observable market price as of the relevant date.
Reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposures. In estimating expected credit losses for off-balance sheet credit exposures, the Company is required to estimate expected credit losses over the contractual period in which it is exposed to credit risk via a present contractual obligation to extend credit, unless that obligation is unconditionally cancellable by the issuer. To be considered unconditionally cancellable for accounting purposes, the Company must have the ability to, at any time, with or without cause, refuse to extend credit under the commitment. Off-balance sheet credit exposure segments share the same risk characteristics as portfolio loans. The Company incorporates a probability of funding and utilizes the ACL loss rates to calculate the reserve. The reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposure is carried on the balance sheet in accrued expenses and other liabilities rather than as a component of the allowance. The reserve for off-balance sheet credit exposure is adjusted as a provision for off-balance sheet credit exposure reported as a component of the provision for credit loss expense in the accompanying unaudited Consolidated Statements of Income.