Summary of significant accounting policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
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”). The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-six full-service community banking offices located within the Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties of Pennsylvania and Broome County of New York. Basis of presentation: 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. The operating results and financial position of the Company for the three months ended and as of March 31, 2015, 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, impairment of goodwill and fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations. 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, 2014. The Company has evaluated events and transactions occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date of March 31, 2015, 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 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-01 which eliminates the requirement in Subtopic 225-20 to consider whether an underlying event or transaction is extraordinary, and if so, to separately present the item in the income statement net of tax, after income from continuing operations. Items that are either unusual in nature or infrequently occurring will continue to be reported as a separate component of income from continuing operations. Alternatively, these amounts may still be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements. The same requirement has been expanded to include items that are both unusual and infrequent, i.e., they should be separately presented as a component of income from continuing operations or disclosed in the footnotes. The ASU is effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The adoption of ASU 2015-01 is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02 which changes the consolidation analysis for all reporting entities. The changes primarily affect the consolidation of limited partnerships and their equivalents (e.g., limited liability corporations), as well as structured vehicles such as collateralized debt obligations. The ASU simplifies U.S. GAAP by eliminating entity specific consolidation guidance for limited partnerships. It also revises other aspects of the consolidation analysis, including how kick-out rights, fee arrangements and related parties are assessed. The amendments rescind the indefinite deferral of FASB Statement 167 for certain investment funds and replace it with a permanent scope exception for money market funds. The ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2015-02 is not expected to 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”). The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-six full-service community banking offices located within the Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties of Pennsylvania and Broome County of New York.

Basis of presentation:

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. The operating results and financial position of the Company for the three months ended and as of March 31, 2015, 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, impairment of goodwill and fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations. 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, 2014.

The Company has evaluated events and transactions occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date of March 31, 2015, 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 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-01 which eliminates the requirement in Subtopic 225-20 to consider whether an underlying event or transaction is extraordinary, and if so, to separately present the item in the income statement net of tax, after income from continuing operations. Items that are either unusual in nature or infrequently occurring will continue to be reported as a separate component of income from continuing operations. Alternatively, these amounts may still be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements. The same requirement has been expanded to include items that are both unusual and infrequent, i.e., they should be separately presented as a component of income from continuing operations or disclosed in the footnotes. The ASU is effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The adoption of ASU 2015-01 is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02 which changes the consolidation analysis for all reporting entities. The changes primarily affect the consolidation of limited partnerships and their equivalents (e.g., limited liability corporations), as well as structured vehicles such as collateralized debt obligations. The ASU simplifies U.S. GAAP by eliminating entity specific consolidation guidance for limited partnerships. It also revises other aspects of the consolidation analysis, including how kick-out rights, fee arrangements and related parties are assessed. The amendments rescind the indefinite deferral of FASB Statement 167 for certain investment funds and replace it with a permanent scope exception for money market funds. The ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2015-02 is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results or financial position of the Company.