BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Text Block]	NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) of First BanCorp. (the “Corporation”) have been prepared in conformity with the accounting policies stated in the Corporation’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 (the “audited consolidated financial statements”) included in the 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted from these statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and, accordingly, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, which are included in the 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K. All adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods have been reflected. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations for the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year. Effective April 1, 2021, the Corporation updated its policies regarding the timing of recognition of auto loans and small personal loans charge-offs. The update requires the Corporation to charge-off auto loans, finance leases, and small personal loans, or portions of such loans, classified as “loss” when the loan becomes 120 days or more past due. Under the previous policy, the Corporation reserved the portion of auto loans and finance leases deemed “loss” once they were 120 days delinquent and charged-off an auto loan to their net realizable value when the collateral deficiency was deemed uncollectible (i.e., when foreclosure/repossession is probable) or when the loan was 365 days past due. For small personal loans, the Corporation previously reserved loans that were classified as “loss” when they were 120 days delinquent and charged-off a loan when the loan became 180 days past due. The policy update is supported by the fact that the majority of consumer loans that become 120 days or more delinquent will ultimately go to foreclosure or the borrower has demonstrated an inability or lack of willingness to meet their obligation of making timely payments to cure the delinquency. At the time we implemented the update to the charge-off policy in the second quarter of 2021, the amount of loans determined to be classified as “loss” amounted to $4.1 million, which was charged-off during the quarter. Approximately $1.1 million of such charge-off exceeded existing reserves at the time the Corporation implemented the policy update. This update to the policy did not have an impact on the approach we use to estimate the ACL for auto loans, finance leases, or small personal loans. Adoption of New Accounting Requirements Income Tax Simplification In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and the accounting related to areas such as franchise taxes, step-up in tax basis, goodwill, separate entity financial statements and interim recognition of enactment of tax laws or rate changes. For public business entities, the standard took effect for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim reporting periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2021 did not have an effect on the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements. Accounting for Equity Securities and Certain Derivatives In January 2020, the FASB issued new guidance to clarify the interaction of the accounting for equity securities under ASC Topic 321, “Investments – Equity Securities” (“ASC 321”); investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting in ASC Topic 323, “Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures”; and the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options accounted for under ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The guidance clarifies that an entity should consider observable transactions that result in either applying or discontinuing the equity method of accounting for the purpose of applying the measurement alternative provided by ASC 321, which allows certain equity securities without a readily determinable fair value to be measured at cost, less any impairment. When an entity accounts for an investment in equity securities under the measurement alternative and is required to transition to the equity method of accounting because of an observable transaction, it should remeasure the investment at fair value immediately before applying the equity method of accounting. Likewise, when an entity accounts for an investment in equity securities under the equity method of accounting and is required to transition to ASC 321 because of an observable transaction, it should remeasure the investment at fair value immediately after discontinuing the equity method of accounting. These amendments align the accounting for equity securities under the measurement alternative with that of other equity securities accounted for under ASC 321, reducing diversity in accounting outcomes. The guidance also clarifies that, when determining the accounting for nonderivative forward contracts and purchased options, an entity should not consider whether the underlying securities would be accounted for under the equity method or fair value option upon settlement or exercise. These instruments will not fail to meet the scope of ASC 815-10 solely because the securities would be accounted for under the equity method upon settlement of the contract or exercise of the option. For public business entities, the standard took effect for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim reporting periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2021 did not have an effect on the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements. Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Effective or Not Yet Adopted In July 2021, the FASB updated the Codification and amended ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” to require lessors to classify leases as operating leases if they have variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or rate and would have selling losses if they were classified as sales-type or direct financing leases. When a lease is classified as operating, the lessor does not recognize a net investment in the lease, does not derecognize the underlying asset, and, therefore, does not recognize a selling profit or loss. The leased asset continues to be subject to the measurement and impairment requirements under other applicable GAAP before and after the lease transaction. For public business entities, the amendment will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation does not expect that the amendments of this update will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Text Block]

NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) of First BanCorp. (the “Corporation”) have been prepared in conformity with the accounting policies stated in the Corporation’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 (the “audited consolidated financial statements”) included in the 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted from these statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and, accordingly, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, which are included in the 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K. All adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods have been reflected. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The results of operations for the quarter and nine-month period ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

Effective April 1, 2021, the Corporation updated its policies regarding the timing of recognition of auto loans and small personal loans charge-offs. The update requires the Corporation to charge-off auto loans, finance leases, and small personal loans, or portions of such loans, classified as “loss” when the loan becomes 120 days or more past due. Under the previous policy, the Corporation reserved the portion of auto loans and finance leases deemed “loss” once they were 120 days delinquent and charged-off an auto loan to their net realizable value when the collateral deficiency was deemed uncollectible (i.e., when foreclosure/repossession is probable) or when the loan was 365 days past due. For small personal loans, the Corporation previously reserved loans that were classified as “loss” when they were 120 days delinquent and charged-off a loan when the loan became 180 days past due. The policy update is supported by the fact that the majority of consumer loans that become 120 days or more delinquent will ultimately go to foreclosure or the borrower has demonstrated an inability or lack of willingness to meet their obligation of making timely payments to cure the delinquency.

At the time we implemented the update to the charge-off policy in the second quarter of 2021, the amount of loans determined to be classified as “loss” amounted to $4.1 million, which was charged-off during the quarter. Approximately $1.1 million of such charge-off exceeded existing reserves at the time the Corporation implemented the policy update. This update to the policy did not have an impact on the approach we use to estimate the ACL for auto loans, finance leases, or small personal loans.

Adoption of New Accounting Requirements

Income Tax Simplification

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and the accounting related to areas such as franchise taxes, step-up in tax basis, goodwill, separate entity financial statements and interim recognition of enactment of tax laws or rate changes. For public business entities, the standard took effect for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim reporting periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2021 did not have an effect on the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements.

Accounting for Equity Securities and Certain Derivatives

In January 2020, the FASB issued new guidance to clarify the interaction of the accounting for equity securities under ASC Topic 321, “Investments – Equity Securities” (“ASC 321”); investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting in ASC Topic 323, “Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures”; and the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options accounted for under ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC 815”). The guidance clarifies that an entity should consider observable transactions that result in either applying or discontinuing the equity method of accounting for the purpose of applying the measurement alternative provided by ASC 321, which allows certain equity securities without a readily determinable fair value to be measured at cost, less any impairment. When an entity accounts for an investment in equity securities under the measurement alternative and is required to transition to the equity method of accounting because of an observable transaction, it should remeasure the investment at fair value immediately before applying the equity method of accounting. Likewise, when an entity accounts for an investment in equity securities under the equity method of accounting and is required to transition to ASC 321 because of an observable transaction, it should remeasure the investment at fair value immediately after discontinuing the equity method of accounting. These amendments align the accounting for equity securities under the measurement alternative with that of other equity securities accounted for under ASC 321, reducing diversity in accounting outcomes. The guidance also clarifies that, when determining the accounting for nonderivative forward contracts and purchased options, an entity should not consider whether the underlying securities would be accounted for under the equity method or fair value option upon settlement or exercise. These instruments will not fail to meet the scope of ASC 815-10 solely because the securities would be accounted for under the equity method upon settlement of the contract or exercise of the option. For public business entities, the standard took effect for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim reporting periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2021 did not have an effect on the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Effective or Not Yet Adopted

In July 2021, the FASB updated the Codification and amended ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” to require lessors to classify leases as operating leases if they have variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or rate and would have selling losses if they were classified as sales-type or direct financing leases. When a lease is classified as operating, the lessor does not recognize a net investment in the lease, does not derecognize the underlying asset, and, therefore, does not recognize a selling profit or loss. The leased asset continues to be subject to the measurement and impairment requirements under other applicable GAAP before and after the lease transaction. For public business entities, the amendment will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation does not expect that the amendments of this update will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.