INCOME TAXES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES [Text Block]	NOTE 22 - INCOME TAXES Income tax expense includes Puerto Rico and USVI income taxes, as well as applicable U.S. federal and state taxes. The Corporation is subject to Puerto Rico income tax on its income from all sources. As a Puerto Rico corporation, FirstBank is treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. and USVI income tax purposes and, accordingly, is generally subject to U.S. and USVI income tax only on its income from sources within the U.S. and USVI or income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in those jurisdictions. Any such tax paid in the U.S. and USVI is also creditable against the Corporation’s Puerto Rico tax liability, subject to certain conditions and limitations. Under the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended (the “2011 PR Code”), the Corporation and its subsidiaries are treated as separate taxable entities and are not entitled to file consolidated tax returns and, thus, the Corporation is generally not entitled to utilize losses from one subsidiary to offset gains in another subsidiary. Accordingly, in order to obtain a tax benefit from a net operating loss (“NOL”), a particular subsidiary must be able to demonstrate sufficient taxable income within the applicable NOL carry-forward period. Pursuant to the 2011 PR Code, the carry-forward period for NOLs incurred during taxable years that commenced after December 31, 2004 and ended before January 1, 2013 is 12 years; for NOLs incurred during taxable years commencing after December 31, 2012, the carryover period is 10 years. The 2011 PR Code provides a dividend received deduction of 100% on dividends received from “controlled” subsidiaries subject to taxation in Puerto Rico and 85% on dividends received from other taxable domestic corporations. The Corporation has maintained an effective tax rate lower than the maximum statutory rate of 37.5% mainly by investing in government obligations and MBS exempt from U.S. and Puerto Rico income taxes and by doing business through an international banking entity (“an IBE”) unit of the Bank, and through the Bank’s subsidiary, FirstBank Overseas Corporation, whose interest income and gains on sales is exempt from Puerto Rico income taxation. The IBE unit and FirstBank Overseas Corporation were created under the International Banking Entity Act of Puerto Rico, which provides for total Puerto Rico tax exemption on net income derived by IBEs operating in Puerto Rico on the specific activities identified in the IBE Act. An IBE that operates as a unit of a bank pays income taxes at the corporate standard rates to the extent that the IBE’s net income exceeds 20% of the bank’s total net taxable income. For the third quarter and first nine months of 2021, the Corporation recorded an income tax expense of $37.1 million and $105.2 million, respectively, compared to an income tax benefit of $4.4 million and $1.3 million for the comparable periods in 2020. The variances were primarily related to higher pre-tax income driven by credit losses reserve releases in the 2021 periods, compared to significant charges to the provision recorded during the comparable periods in 2020, and a higher level of taxable income in 2021. The income tax benefit reported in the 2020 periods also includes the effect of an $8.0 million partial reversal of the Corporation’s deferred tax asset valuation allowance recorded after consideration of significant positive evidence on the utilization of NOLs due to the acquisition of BSPR. For the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, the Corporation calculated the provision for income taxes by applying the estimated annual effective tax rate for the full fiscal year to ordinary income or loss. In the computation of the consolidated worldwide annual estimated effective tax rate, ASC Topic 740-270, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740-270”), requires the exclusion of legal entities with pre-tax losses from which a tax benefit cannot be recognized. The Corporation’s estimated annual effective tax rate in the first nine months of 2021, excluding entities from which a tax benefit cannot be recognized and discrete items, was 33%, compared to 21% for the first nine months of 2020. The estimated annual effective tax rate, including all entities, for 2021 was 34% (34% excluding discrete items), compared to 17% for the first nine months of 2020 (23% excluding discrete items). The increase in the estimated effective tax rate is primarily related to higher pre-tax income driven by credit losses reserve releases in the 2021 periods, compared to significant charges to the provision recorded during the comparable periods in 2020, a higher level of taxable income in the first nine months of 2021, and aforementioned $8.0 million partial reversal of deferred tax valuation allowance. The Corporation’s net deferred tax asset amounted to $243.4 million as of September 30, 2021, net of a valuation allowance of $106.3 million, and management concluded, based upon the assessment of all positive and negative evidence, that it was more likely than not that the Corporation will generate sufficient taxable income to realize such amount. The net deferred tax asset of the Corporation’s banking subsidiary, FirstBank, amounted to $243.4 million as of September 30, 2021, net of a valuation allowance of $65.6 million, compared to a net deferred tax asset of $329.1 million, net of a valuation allowance of $59.9 million, as of December 31, 2020. The decrease in the deferred tax assets is mainly driven by the aforementioned credit losses reserve releases and the usage of net operating losses. The increase in the valuation allowance during the first nine months of 2021 was primarily related to the change in the market value of available-for-sale securities. The Corporation maintains a full valuation allowance for its deferred tax assets associated with capital losses carry forward. Therefore, changes in the unrealized losses of available-for-sale securities result in a change in the deferred tax asset and an equal change in the valuation allowance without having an effect on earnings. In 2017, the Corporation completed a formal ownership change analysis within the meaning of Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (“Section 382”) covering a comprehensive period and concluded that an ownership change had occurred during such period. The Section 382 limitation has resulted in higher U.S. and USVI income tax liabilities than we would have incurred in the absence of such limitation. The Corporation has mitigated to an extent the adverse effects associated with the Section 382 limitation as any such tax paid in the U.S. or USVI can be creditable against Puerto Rico tax liabilities or taken as a deduction against taxable income. However, our ability to reduce our Puerto Rico tax liability through such a credit or deduction depends on our tax profile at each annual taxable period, which is dependent on various factors. For the third quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, the Corporation incurred an income tax expense of approximately $2.1 million and $4.5 million, respectively, related to its U.S. operations, compared to $1.2 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for the comparable periods in 2020. The limitation did not impact the USVI operations in the third quarter and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. The Corporation accounts for uncertain tax positions under the provisions of ASC Topic 740. The Corporation’s policy is to report interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. As of September 30, 2021, the Corporation had $0.1 million of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in the amount of $1.0 million that it acquired from BSPR, which, if recognized, would decrease the effective income tax rate in future periods. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease in the future for various reasons, including adding amounts for current tax year positions, expiration of open income tax returns due to the statute of limitations, changes in management’s judgment about the level of uncertainty, the status of examinations, litigation, and legislative activity, and the addition or elimination of uncertain tax positions. The statute of limitations under the 2011 PR code is four years; the statute of limitations for U.S. and USVI income tax purposes is three years after a tax return is due or filed, whichever is later. The completion of an audit by the taxing authorities or the expiration of the statute of limitations for a given audit period could result in an adjustment to the Corporation’s liability for income taxes. Any such adjustment could be material to the results of operations for any given quarterly or annual period based, in part, upon the results of operations for the given period. For U.S. and USVI income tax purposes, all tax years subsequent to 2017 remain open to examination. For Puerto Rico tax purposes, all tax years subsequent to 2016 remain open to examination.

INCOME TAXES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

NOTE 22 - INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense includes Puerto Rico and USVI income taxes, as well as applicable U.S. federal and state taxes. The Corporation is subject to Puerto Rico income tax on its income from all sources. As a Puerto Rico corporation, FirstBank is treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. and USVI income tax purposes and, accordingly, is generally subject to U.S. and USVI income tax only on its income from sources within the U.S. and USVI or income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in those jurisdictions. Any such tax paid in the U.S. and USVI is also creditable against the Corporation’s Puerto Rico tax liability, subject to certain conditions and limitations.

Under the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended (the “2011 PR Code”), the Corporation and its subsidiaries are treated as separate taxable entities and are not entitled to file consolidated tax returns and, thus, the Corporation is generally not entitled to utilize losses from one subsidiary to offset gains in another subsidiary. Accordingly, in order to obtain a tax benefit from a net operating loss (“NOL”), a particular subsidiary must be able to demonstrate sufficient taxable income within the applicable NOL carry-forward period. Pursuant to the 2011 PR Code, the carry-forward period for NOLs incurred during taxable years that commenced after December 31, 2004 and ended before January 1, 2013 is 12 years; for NOLs incurred during taxable years commencing after December 31, 2012, the carryover period is 10 years. The 2011 PR Code provides a dividend received deduction of 100% on dividends received from “controlled” subsidiaries subject to taxation in Puerto Rico and 85% on dividends received from other taxable domestic corporations.

The Corporation has maintained an effective tax rate lower than the maximum statutory rate of 37.5% mainly by investing in government obligations and MBS exempt from U.S. and Puerto Rico income taxes and by doing business through an international banking entity (“an IBE”) unit of the Bank, and through the Bank’s subsidiary, FirstBank Overseas Corporation, whose interest income and gains on sales is exempt from Puerto Rico income taxation. The IBE unit and FirstBank Overseas Corporation were created under the International Banking Entity Act of Puerto Rico, which provides for total Puerto Rico tax exemption on net income derived by IBEs operating in Puerto Rico on the specific activities identified in the IBE Act. An IBE that operates as a unit of a bank pays income taxes at the corporate standard rates to the extent that the IBE’s net income exceeds 20% of the bank’s total net taxable income.

For the third quarter and first nine months of 2021, the Corporation recorded an income tax expense of $37.1 million and $105.2 million, respectively, compared to an income tax benefit of $4.4 million and $1.3 million for the comparable periods in 2020. The variances were primarily related to higher pre-tax income driven by credit losses reserve releases in the 2021 periods, compared to significant charges to the provision recorded during the comparable periods in 2020, and a higher level of taxable income in 2021. The income tax benefit reported in the 2020 periods also includes the effect of an $8.0 million partial reversal of the Corporation’s deferred tax asset valuation allowance recorded after consideration of significant positive evidence on the utilization of NOLs due to the acquisition of BSPR.

For the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, the Corporation calculated the provision for income taxes by applying the estimated annual effective tax rate for the full fiscal year to ordinary income or loss. In the computation of the consolidated worldwide annual estimated effective tax rate, ASC Topic 740-270, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740-270”), requires the exclusion of legal entities with pre-tax losses from which a tax benefit cannot be recognized. The Corporation’s estimated annual effective tax rate in the first nine months of 2021, excluding entities from which a tax benefit cannot be recognized and discrete items, was 33%, compared to 21% for the first nine months of 2020. The estimated annual effective tax rate, including all entities, for 2021 was 34% (34% excluding discrete items), compared to 17% for the first nine months of 2020 (23% excluding discrete items). The increase in the estimated effective tax rate is primarily related to higher pre-tax income driven by credit losses reserve releases in the 2021 periods, compared to significant charges to the provision recorded during the comparable periods in 2020, a higher level of taxable income in the first nine months of 2021, and aforementioned $8.0 million partial reversal of deferred tax valuation allowance.

The Corporation’s net deferred tax asset amounted to $243.4 million as of September 30, 2021, net of a valuation allowance of $106.3 million, and management concluded, based upon the assessment of all positive and negative evidence, that it was more likely than not that the Corporation will generate sufficient taxable income to realize such amount. The net deferred tax asset of the Corporation’s banking subsidiary, FirstBank, amounted to $243.4 million as of September 30, 2021, net of a valuation allowance of $65.6 million, compared to a net deferred tax asset of $329.1 million, net of a valuation allowance of $59.9 million, as of December 31, 2020. The decrease in the deferred tax assets is mainly driven by the aforementioned credit losses reserve releases and the usage of net operating losses. The increase in the valuation allowance during the first nine months of 2021 was primarily related to the change in the market value of available-for-sale securities. The Corporation maintains a full valuation allowance for its deferred tax assets associated with capital losses carry forward. Therefore, changes in the unrealized losses of available-for-sale securities result in a change in the deferred tax asset and an equal change in the valuation allowance without having an effect on earnings.

In 2017, the Corporation completed a formal ownership change analysis within the meaning of Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (“Section 382”) covering a comprehensive period and concluded that an ownership change had occurred during such period. The Section 382 limitation has resulted in higher U.S. and USVI income tax liabilities than we would have incurred in the absence of such limitation. The Corporation has mitigated to an extent the adverse effects associated with the Section 382 limitation as any such tax paid in the U.S. or USVI can be creditable against Puerto Rico tax liabilities or taken as a deduction against taxable income. However, our ability to reduce our Puerto Rico tax liability through such a credit or deduction depends on our tax profile at each annual taxable period, which is dependent on various factors. For the third quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021, the Corporation incurred an income tax expense of approximately $2.1 million and $4.5 million, respectively, related to its U.S. operations, compared to $1.2 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for the comparable periods in 2020. The limitation did not impact the USVI operations in the third quarter and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.

The Corporation accounts for uncertain tax positions under the provisions of ASC Topic 740. The Corporation’s policy is to report interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. As of September 30, 2021, the Corporation had $0.1 million of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in the amount of $1.0 million that it acquired from BSPR, which, if recognized, would decrease the effective income tax rate in future periods. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease in the future for various reasons, including adding amounts for current tax year positions, expiration of open income tax returns due to the statute of limitations, changes in management’s judgment about the level of uncertainty, the status of examinations, litigation, and legislative activity, and the addition or elimination of uncertain tax positions. The statute of limitations under the 2011 PR code is four years; the statute of limitations for U.S. and USVI income tax purposes is three years after a tax return is due or filed, whichever is later. The completion of an audit by the taxing authorities or the expiration of the statute of limitations for a given audit period could result in an adjustment to the Corporation’s liability for income taxes. Any such adjustment could be material to the results of operations for any given quarterly or annual period based, in part, upon the results of operations for the given period. For U.S. and USVI income tax purposes, all tax years subsequent to 2017 remain open to examination. For Puerto Rico tax purposes, all tax years subsequent to 2016 remain open to examination.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for income taxes. Disclosures may include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information.

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