Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Taxes	NOTE 15 — INCOME TAXES Oriental is subject to the provisions of the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended (the “Code”), which imposes a maximum statutory corporate tax rate of 37.5% on a corporation’s net taxable income. Under the Code, all corporations are treated as separate taxable entities and are not entitled to file consolidated tax returns. Such entities are subject to Puerto Rico regular income tax or the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”) on income earned from all sources pursuant to the Code. The AMT is payable if it exceeds regular income tax. The excess of AMT over regular income tax paid in any one year may be used to offset regular income tax in future years, subject to certain limitations. Oriental also has operations in the United States mainland through its wholly owned subsidiary, OPC, a retirement plan administrator based in Florida. In October 2017, Oriental expanded its operations in the United States through the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary, OFG USA. In addition, on December 31, 2019, Oriental established a new branch in USVI acquired as a result of the Scotiabank PR & USVI Acquisition. The United States subsidiaries are subject to federal income taxes at the corporate level, while the USVI branch is subject to the federal income taxes under a mirror system and a 10% surtax included in the maximum tax rate. OPC is subject to Florida state taxes and OFG USA is subject to North Carolina state taxes. At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, Oriental’s net deferred tax asset amounted to $179.0 million and $176.7 million, respectively. In assessing the realizability of the deferred tax asset, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The ultimate realization of the deferred tax asset is mainly dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based upon the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax asset is deductible, management believes it is more likely than not that Oriental will realize the deferred tax asset, net of the existing valuation allowances recorded at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The amount of the deferred tax asset that is considered realizable could be reduced in the near term if there are changes in estimates of future taxable income. On June 30, 2020, Oriental Financial Services (a wholly owned subsidiary of OFG) made the election to be taxed as a partnership effective on January 1, 2019. As a result of this change in tax status, a valuation allowance of $1.3 million was recorded on certain deferred tax assets during the second quarter of 2020. Oriental maintained an effective tax rate lower than the statutory rate for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 of 21.4% and 30.5%, respectively. The estimated annual effective tax rate for 2020 was 22.3%. The current effective tax rate of 21.4% was lower than the 2019 effective tax rate of 30.5% because of higher levels of exempt income and income taxed at preferential tax rates. Oriental classifies unrecognized tax benefits in other liabilities. These gross unrecognized tax benefits would affect the effective tax rate if realized. At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, unrecognized tax benefits amounted to $711 thousand and $2.7 million, respectively. This decrease is related to new information that resulted in the reassessment of unrecognized tax benefits and the release of a liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Oriental had accrued $15 thousand at September 30, 2020 (December 31, 2019 - $51 thousand) for the payment of interest and penalties relating to unrecognized tax benefits. Income tax expense for the quarters ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, was $6.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. Income tax expense for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, was $13.9 million and $23.5 million, respectively.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

NOTE 15 — INCOME TAXES

Oriental is subject to the provisions of the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011, as amended (the “Code”), which imposes a maximum statutory corporate tax rate of 37.5% on a corporation’s net taxable income. Under the Code, all corporations are treated as separate taxable entities and are not entitled to file consolidated tax returns. Such entities are subject to Puerto Rico regular income tax or the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”) on income earned from all sources pursuant to the Code. The AMT is payable if it exceeds regular income tax. The excess of AMT over regular income tax paid in any one year may be used to offset regular income tax in future years, subject to certain limitations.

Oriental also has operations in the United States mainland through its wholly owned subsidiary, OPC, a retirement plan administrator based in Florida. In October 2017, Oriental expanded its operations in the United States through the Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary, OFG USA. In addition, on December 31, 2019, Oriental established a new branch in USVI acquired as a result of the Scotiabank PR & USVI Acquisition. The United States subsidiaries are subject to federal income taxes at the corporate level, while the USVI branch is subject to the federal income taxes under a mirror system and a 10% surtax included in the maximum tax rate. OPC is subject to Florida state taxes and OFG USA is subject to North Carolina state taxes.

At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, Oriental’s net deferred tax asset amounted to $179.0 million and $176.7 million, respectively. In assessing the realizability of the deferred tax asset, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The ultimate realization of the deferred tax asset is mainly dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based upon the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the

deferred tax asset is deductible, management believes it is more likely than not that Oriental will realize the deferred tax asset, net of the existing valuation allowances recorded at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The amount of the deferred tax asset that is considered realizable could be reduced in the near term if there are changes in estimates of future taxable income.

On June 30, 2020, Oriental Financial Services (a wholly owned subsidiary of OFG) made the election to be taxed as a partnership effective on January 1, 2019. As a result of this change in tax status, a valuation allowance of $1.3 million was recorded on certain deferred tax assets during the second quarter of 2020.

Oriental maintained an effective tax rate lower than the statutory rate for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 of 21.4% and 30.5%, respectively. The estimated annual effective tax rate for 2020 was 22.3%. The current effective tax rate of 21.4% was lower than the 2019 effective tax rate of 30.5% because of higher levels of exempt income and income taxed at preferential tax rates.

Oriental classifies unrecognized tax benefits in other liabilities. These gross unrecognized tax benefits would affect the effective tax rate if realized. At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, unrecognized tax benefits amounted to $711 thousand and $2.7 million, respectively. This decrease is related to new information that resulted in the reassessment of unrecognized tax benefits and the release of a liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Oriental had accrued $15 thousand at September 30, 2020 (December 31, 2019 - $51 thousand) for the payment of interest and penalties relating to unrecognized tax benefits.

Income tax expense for the quarters ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, was $6.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. Income tax expense for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, was $13.9 million and $23.5 million, respectively.