XML 39 R28.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.21.2

Reserves for Credit Losses (Tables) | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2021
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Line Items] |
Schedule of Key Variables in Macroeconomic Scenarios Utilized for Computation of Reserves for Credit Losses | The following table reflects the range of macroeconomic scenario key variables used, in conjunction with other inputs, to calculate reserves for credit losses:
|  | U.S. Unemployment Rate |  | U.S. GDP Growth (Contraction) (a)
|  | June 30, 2021 |  | December 31, 2020 |  | June 30, 2021 |  | December 31, 2020
Second quarter of 2021 |  | 6% |  | 8% - 10% |  | 11% |  | 4% - (4)%
Fourth quarter of 2021 |  | 4% - 8% |  | 7% - 11% |  | 7% - (3)% |  | 6% - (2)%
Fourth quarter of 2022 |  | 4% - 9% |  | 6% - 12% |  | 2% |  | 4% - 3%
Fourth quarter of 2023 |  | 3% - 7% |  | 4% -10% |  | 3% - 2% |  | 5% - 3%
(a)Real GDP quarter over quarter percentage change seasonally adjusted to annualized rates.
Card Member Loans |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Line Items] |
Schedule of Changes in Card Member Loans and Receivables | The following table presents changes in the Card Member loans reserve for credit losses for the three and six months ended June 30:
|  | Three Months Ended June 30, |  | Six Months Ended June 30,
(Millions) |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Beginning Balance |  | $ | 4,467 |  |  | $ | 5,236 |  |  | $ | 5,344 |  |  | $ | 4,027 |
Provisions (a) |  | (396) |  |  | 969 |  |  | (969) |  |  | 2,845 |
Net write-offs (b) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal |  | (185) |  |  | (499) |  |  | (426) |  |  | (1,017) |
Interest and fees |  | (58) |  |  | (103) |  |  | (121) |  |  | (210) |
Other (c) |  | 7 |  |  | 25 |  |  | 7 |  |  | (17) |
Ending Balance |  | $ | 3,835 |  |  | $ | 5,628 |  |  | $ | 3,835 |  |  | $ | 5,628 |
(a)Provisions for principal, interest and fee reserve components. Provisions for credit losses includes reserve build (release) and replenishment for net write-offs. (b)Principal write-offs are presented less recoveries of $172 million and $134 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $340 million and $279 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Recoveries of interest and fees were not significant. Amounts include net (write-offs) recoveries from TDRs of $(43) million and $(32) million for the three months June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $(88) million and $(63) million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. (c)Primarily includes foreign currency translation adjustments of $7 million and $25 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $6 million and $(17) million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Card Member Receivables |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Line Items] |
Schedule of Changes in Card Member Loans and Receivables | The following table presents changes in the Card Member receivables reserve for credit losses for the three and six months ended June 30:
|  | Three Months Ended June 30, |  | Six Months Ended June 30,
(Millions) |  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Beginning Balance |  | $ | 202 |  |  | $ | 459 |  |  | $ | 267 |  |  | $ | 126 |
Provisions (a) |  | (125) |  |  | 355 |  |  | (135) |  |  | 952 |
Net write-offs (b) |  | (4) |  |  | (299) |  |  | (57) |  |  | (557) |
Other (c) |  | — |  |  | 4 |  |  | (2) |  |  | (2) |
Ending Balance |  | $ | 73 |  |  | $ | 519 |  |  | $ | 73 |  |  | $ | 519 |
(a)Provisions for principal and fee reserve components. Provisions for credit losses includes reserve build (release) and replenishment for net write-offs. (b)Net write-offs are presented less recoveries of $127 million and $88 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $224 million and $180 million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Amounts include net (write-offs) recoveries from TDRs of $(16) million and $(9) million for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $(36) million and $(16) million for the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. (c)Primarily includes foreign currency translation adjustments of nil and $4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and $(1) million for both the six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020.

X
- Definition Financing Receivable, Allowance For Credit Loss, Valuation Assumptions + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossValuationAssumptionsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForCreditLossesOnFinancingReceivablesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberLoansMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |