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Reserves for Losses | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2011
Reserves For Losses Cardmember Receivables And Loans Disclosure [Abstract] |
Reserve for Losses | 5. Reserves for L osses Reserves for losses relating to cardmember loans and receivables represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's outstanding portfolio of loans and recei vables. Management's evaluation process requires certain estimates and judgments. Reserves for these losses are primarily based upon models that analyze portfolio per formance and reflect management's judgment regarding overall reserve adequacy. The analytic models take into account several factors, including average losses and recoveries over an appropriate historical period. Management considers whether to adjust the analytic models for specific factors such as increased risk in certain portfolios, impact of risk management initiatives on portfolio performance and concentration of credit risk based on factors such as tenure, industry or geographic regions. In addition, management adjusts the reserves for losses on cardmember loans for other external envir onmental factors including leading econom ic and market indicators such as the unemployment rate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), home price indices, non-farm payrolls, personal consu mption expenditures index, consumer confidence index, purchasing manager s index, bankruptcy filings and the legal and regulatory environment. Generally, d ue to the short-term nature of cardmember receivables, the impact of additional external factors on the inherent losses within the cardmember receivable portfolio is not significant. As part of this evaluation process, management also considers various reserve coverage metrics, such as r eserves as a percentage of past due amounts, reserves as a percentage of cardmember receivables or loans and net write-off coverage. Cardmember loans and receivables balances are written off when management deems amounts to be uncollectible and is generally determined b y the number of days past due, which is generally no later than 180 days past due. Cardmember loans and r eceivables in bankruptcy or owed by deceased individuals are written off upon notification. Recoveries are recognized on a cash basis. Changes in Cardmember Receivables Reserve for Losses The following table presents changes in the cardmember receivables reserve for losses for the nine months ended September 30:
(Millions) |  | 2011 |  | 2010
Balance, January 1 |  | $ | 386 |  | $ | 546
Additions: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cardmember receivables provisions(a) |  |  | 404 |  |  | 292
| Cardmember receivables provisions – other(b) |  |  | 129 |  |  | 120
|  | Total provision |  |  | 533 |  |  | 412
Deductions: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cardmember receivables net write-offs(c) |  |  | (406) |  |  | (481)
| Cardmember receivables – other(d) |  |  | (125) |  |  | (113)
Balance, September 30 |  | $ | 388 |  | $ | 364
(a) Represents loss provisions for cardmember receivables consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions) and fee reserve components. (b) Primarily represents loss provisions for cardmember receivables resulting from unauthorized transactions. (c) Represents write-offs consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions) and fee components, less recoveries of $255 million and $275 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively. (d) T hese amounts include net write-offs of cardmember receivables resulting from unauthorized transactions and foreign currency translation adjustments. Cardmember R eceivables Evaluated Separately and Collectively for Impairment The following table presents cardmember receivables evaluated separat ely and collectively for impair ment and related reserves as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
(Millions) |  | 2011 |  | 2010
Cardmember receivables evaluated separately for impairment(a) |  | $ | 159 |  | $ | 114
Reserves on cardmember receivables evaluated separately for impairment(a) |  | $ | 94 |  | $ | 63
Cardmember receivables evaluated collectively for impairment |  | $ | 39,600 |  | $ | 37,152
Reserves on cardmember receivables evaluated collectively for impairment |  | $ | 294 |  | $ | 323
(a) Represents receivables modified in a TDR and related reserves. Refer to the Impaired Loans and Receivables dis cussion in N ote 4 for further information. Changes in Cardmember Loans Reserve for Losses The following table presents changes in the cardmember loans reserve for losses for the nine months ended September 30:
(Millions) |  | 2011 |  | 2010
Balance, January 1 |  | $ | 3,646 |  | $ | 3,268
Reserves established for consolidation of a variable interest entity(a) |  |  | ― |  |  | 2,531
Total adjusted balance, January 1 |  |  | 3,646 |  |  | 5,799
Additions: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cardmember loans provisions(b) |  |  | 23 |  |  | 1,429
| Cardmember loans provisions – other(c) |  |  | 81 |  |  | 61
|  | Total provision |  |  | 104 |  |  | 1,490
Deductions: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cardmember loans net write-offs – principal(d) |  |  | (1,375) |  |  | (2,630)
| Cardmember loans net write-offs – interest and fees(d) |  |  | (159) |  |  | (287)
| Cardmember loans – other(e) |  |  | (77) |  |  | (54)
Balance, September 30 |  | $ | 2,139 |  | $ | 4,318
(a) Represents the establishment of cardmember reserves for losses for cardmember loans issued by the American Expr ess Credit Account Master Trust (the Lending Trust) for the securitized loan portfolio that was consolidated under accounting guidance for consolidation of VIEs effective January 1, 2010. The establishment of the $2.5 billion reserve for losses for the securitized loan portfolio was determined by applying the same methodology as is used for the Company's unsecuritized loan portfolio. There was no incremental reserve required nor were any charge-offs recorded in conjunction with the consolidation of the Lending Trust. (b) Represents loss provisions for cardmember loans consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions), interest and fee reserves components. (c) Primarily represents loss provisions for cardmember loans resulting from unauthorized transactions. (d) Cardmember loans net write-offs – principal for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 include recoveries of $444 million and $422 million, respectively. Recoveries of interest and fees were de minimis. (e) These amounts include net write-offs related to unauthorized transactions and foreign currency translation adjustments. Cardmember Loans Evaluated Separately and Collectively for Impairment The following table presents cardmember loans evaluated separately and collectively for impairment and the related reserves as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
(Millions) |  | 2011 |  | 2010
Cardmember loans evaluated separately for impairment(a) |  | $ | 878 |  | $ | 1,087
Reserves on cardmember loans evaluated separately for impairment(a) |  | $ | 203 |  | $ | 279
Cardmember loans evaluated collectively for impairment(b) |  | $ | 57,329 |  | $ | 59,763
Reserves on cardmember loans evaluated collectively for impairment(b) |  | $ | 1,936 |  | $ | 3,367

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