Summary of significant accounting policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of significant accounting policies	1. Summary of significant accounting policies: Nature of operations: Peoples Financial Services Corp., a bank holding company incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania, provides a full range of financial services through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company (“Peoples Bank”), including its subsidiaries, Peoples Advisors, LLC and Penseco Realty, Inc. (collectively, the “Company” or “Peoples”). On November 30, 2013, Penseco Financial Services Corporation, a financial holding company incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania (“Penseco”), merged with and into Peoples Financial Services Corp., with Peoples Financial Services Corp. being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 28, 2013 (the “Merger Agreement”). In connection with the Merger, on December 1, 2013, Penseco’s former banking subsidiary, Penn Security Bank and Trust Company, merged with and into Peoples Neighborhood Bank (the “Bank Merger”), and the resulting institution adopted the name Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company. The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-six full-service community banking offices located within the Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania and Broome County of New York. Basis of presentation: The aforementioned merger between the Company and Penseco was accounted for as a reverse acquisition whereby Penseco was treated as the acquirer for accounting and reporting purposes. As a result, the historical financial information included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes as reported in this Form 10-Q is that of Penseco. The number of shares issued and outstanding and the amount of common stock and capital surplus have been retroactively adjusted in 2013 to reflect the equivalent number of shares issued by the Company in the merger. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP’) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10-01 of Regulation S-X. In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented have been included. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Prior-period amounts are reclassified when necessary to conform to the current year’s presentation. These reclassifications did not have any effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. Certain disclosures related to impaired and nonaccrual loans have been revised for December 31, 2013. Such revisions were not material and had no effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. The operating results and financial position of the Company for the three months ended and as of March 31, 2014, are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations and financial position that may be expected in the future. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates that are particularly susceptible to material change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, fair value of financial instruments, the valuation of real estate acquired in connection with foreclosures or in satisfaction of loans, the valuation of deferred tax assets, determination of other-than-temporary impairment losses on securities and impairment of goodwill. Actual results could differ from those estimates. For additional information and disclosures required under GAAP, reference is made to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2013. The Company has evaluated events and transactions occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date of March 31, 2014, for items that should potentially be recognized or disclosed in these consolidated financial statements. The evaluation was conducted through the date these consolidated financial statements were issued. Recent accounting standards: In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-04, “Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40)—Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure.” The amendments are intended to clarify when a creditor should be considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan such that the loan should be derecognized and the real estate recognized. These amendments clarify that an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either: (i) the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure; or (ii) the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. Additional disclosures are required. The amendments are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of ASU 2014-04 is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists.” This amendment provides that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion thereof, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except to the extent that a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date to settle any additional income taxes that would result from disallowance of a tax position, or the tax law does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, then the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability. The amendments in this Update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company.

1. Summary of significant accounting policies:

Nature of operations:

Peoples Financial Services Corp., a bank holding company incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania, provides a full range of financial services through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company (“Peoples Bank”), including its subsidiaries, Peoples Advisors, LLC and Penseco Realty, Inc. (collectively, the “Company” or “Peoples”). On November 30, 2013, Penseco Financial Services Corporation, a financial holding company incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania (“Penseco”), merged with and into Peoples Financial Services Corp., with Peoples Financial Services Corp. being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 28, 2013 (the “Merger Agreement”). In connection with the Merger, on December 1, 2013, Penseco’s former banking subsidiary, Penn Security Bank and Trust Company, merged with and into Peoples Neighborhood Bank (the “Bank Merger”), and the resulting institution adopted the name Peoples Security Bank and Trust Company. The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-six full-service community banking offices located within the Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania and Broome County of New York.

Basis of presentation:

The aforementioned merger between the Company and Penseco was accounted for as a reverse acquisition whereby Penseco was treated as the acquirer for accounting and reporting purposes. As a result, the historical financial information included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes as reported in this Form 10-Q is that of Penseco. The number of shares issued and outstanding and the amount of common stock and capital surplus have been retroactively adjusted in 2013 to reflect the equivalent number of shares issued by the Company in the merger.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP’) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10-01 of Regulation S-X. In the opinion of management, all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented have been included. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Prior-period amounts are reclassified when necessary to conform to the current year’s presentation. These reclassifications did not have any effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. Certain disclosures related to impaired and nonaccrual loans have been revised for December 31, 2013. Such revisions were not material and had no effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. The operating results and financial position of the Company for the three months ended and as of March 31, 2014, are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations and financial position that may be expected in the future.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates that are particularly susceptible to material change in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, fair value of financial instruments, the valuation of real estate acquired in connection with foreclosures or in satisfaction of loans, the valuation of deferred tax assets, determination of other-than-temporary impairment losses on securities and impairment of goodwill. Actual results could differ from those estimates. For additional information and disclosures required under GAAP, reference is made to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2013.

The Company has evaluated events and transactions occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date of March 31, 2014, for items that should potentially be recognized or disclosed in these consolidated financial statements. The evaluation was conducted through the date these consolidated financial statements were issued.

Recent accounting standards:

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-04, “Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40)—Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure.” The amendments are intended to clarify when a creditor should be considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan such that the loan should be derecognized and the real estate recognized. These amendments clarify that an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan, upon either: (i) the creditor obtaining legal title to the residential real estate property upon completion of a foreclosure; or (ii) the borrower conveying all interest in the residential real estate property to the creditor to satisfy that loan through completion of a deed in lieu of foreclosure or through a similar legal agreement. Additional disclosures are required. The amendments are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of ASU 2014-04 is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists.” This amendment provides that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion thereof, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except to the extent that a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date to settle any additional income taxes that would result from disallowance of a tax position, or the tax law does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, then the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability. The amendments in this Update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company.