Wells Fargo 2010 Annual Report Download - page 119

loans and prepayment assumptions, both of which are treated as
prospective yield adjustments included in interest income.
Resolutions of loans may include sales of loans to third
parties, receipt of payments in settlement with the borrower, or
foreclosure of the collateral. For individual PCI loans, gains or
losses on sales to third parties are included in noninterest
income and gains or losses as a result of a settlement with the
borrower are included in interest income. Our policy is to
remove an individual loan from a pool based on comparing the
amount received from its resolution with its contractual amount.
Any difference between these amounts is absorbed by the
nonaccretable difference for the entire pool. This removal
method assumes that the amount received from resolution
approximates pool performance expectations. The remaining
accretable yield balance is unaffected and any material change in
remaining effective yield caused by this removal method is
addressed by our quarterly cash flow evaluation process for each
pool. For loans that are resolved by payment in full, there is no
release of the nonaccretable difference for the pool because there
is no difference between the amount received at resolution and
the contractual amount of the loan. Modified PCI loans are not
removed from a pool even if those loans would otherwise be
deemed TDRs. Modified PCI loans that are accounted for
individually are considered TDRs, and removed from PCI
accounting if there has been a concession granted in excess of
the original nonaccretable difference.
FORECLOSED ASSETS Foreclosed assets obtained through our
lending activities primarily include real estate. These assets are
recorded at net realizable value with a charge to the allowance
for credit losses at foreclosure. We allow up to 90 days after
foreclosure to finalize determination of net realizable value.
Thereafter, changes in net realizable value are recorded to
noninterest expense. The net realizable value of these assets is
reviewed and updated periodically depending on the type of
property.
ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES The allowance for credit
losses, which consists of the allowance for loan losses and the
allowance for unfunded credit commitments, is management’s
estimate of credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio at the
balance sheet date.
Securitizations and Beneficial Interests
In certain asset securitization transactions that meet the
applicable criteria to be accounted for as a sale, assets are sold to
an entity referred to as an SPE, which then issues beneficial
interests in the form of senior and subordinated interests
collateralized by the assets. In some cases, we may retain up to
90% of the beneficial interests issued by the entity. Additionally,
from time to time, we may also re-securitize certain assets in a
new securitization transaction.
The assets and liabilities transferred to an SPE are excluded
from our consolidated balance sheet if the transfer qualifies as a
sale and we are not required to consolidate the SPE.
For transfers of financial assets recorded as sales, we
recognize and initially measure at fair value all assets obtained
(including beneficial interests) and liabilities incurred. We
record a gain or loss in other fee income for the difference
between the carrying amount and the fair value of the assets
sold. Fair values are based on quoted market prices, quoted
market prices for similar assets, or if market prices are not
available, then the fair value is estimated using discounted cash
flow analyses with assumptions for credit losses, prepayments
and discount rates that are corroborated by and independently
verified against market observable data, where possible.
Retained interests from securitizations with off-balance sheet
entities, including SPEs and VIEs where we are not the primary
beneficiary, are classified as available for sale securities, trading
account assets or loans, and are accounted for as described
herein.
Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSRs)
We recognize the rights to service mortgage loans for others, or
MSRs, as assets whether we purchase the MSRs or the MSRs
result from a sale or securitization of loans we originate (asset
transfers). We initially record all of our MSRs at fair value.
Subsequently, residential loan MSRs are carried at either fair
value or LOCOM based on our strategy for managing interest
rate risk. Currently, substantially all of our residential loan
MSRs are carried at fair value. All of our MSRs related to our
commercial mortgage loans are subsequently measured at
LOCOM.
We base the fair value of MSRs on the present value of
estimated future net servicing income cash flows. We estimate
future net servicing income cash flows with assumptions that
market participants would use to estimate fair value, including
estimates of prepayment speeds (including housing price
volatility), discount rate, default rates, cost to service (including
delinquency and foreclosure costs), escrow account earnings,
contractual servicing fee income, ancillary income and late fees.
Our valuation approach is independently validated by our
internal valuation model validation group.
Changes in the fair value of MSRs occur primarily due to the
collection/realization of expected cash flows, as well as changes
in valuation inputs and assumptions. For MSRs carried at fair
value, changes in fair value are reported in noninterest income in
the period in which the change occurs. MSRs subsequently
measured at LOCOM are amortized in proportion to, and over
the period of, estimated net servicing income. The amortization
of MSRs is reported in noninterest income analyzed monthly
and adjusted to reflect changes in prepayment speeds, as well as
other factors.
MSRs accounted for at LOCOM are periodically evaluated for
impairment based on the fair value of those assets. For purposes
of impairment evaluation and measurement, we stratify MSRs
based on the predominant risk characteristics of the underlying
loans, including investor and product type. If, by individual
stratum, the carrying amount of these MSRs exceeds fair value, a
valuation reserve is established. The valuation reserve is
adjusted as the fair value changes.
Premises and Equipment
Premises and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated
depreciation and amortization. Capital leases, where we are the
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