Summary of significant accounting policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Summary of significant accounting policies
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 subsidiary, Peoples Advisors, LLC (collectively, the “Company” or “Peoples”). The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-four full-service community banking offices located within the Bucks, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, 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 and six months ended and as of June 30, 2016, 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 year ended December 31, 2015. Recent accounting standards: In May 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-11, “Revenue Recognition and Derivatives and Hedging.” ASU 2016-11 codifies the SEC’s rescission of certain SEC Staff Observer comments that were codified in Topic 605 and Topic 932. In addition, the ASU codifies SEC’s rescission of SEC Staff Announcement, “Determining the Nature of a Host Contract Related to a Hybrid Instrument Issued in the Form of a Share under Topic 815,” which was previously codified in paragraph 815-10-S99-3. The effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2016-11 are the same as the effective date and transition requirements of Topic 606 and management is currently assessing the impact, if any, on its financial condition or results of operations. In May 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-12, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The amendments do not alter the core principle of the new revenue standard, but make certain targeted changes. The effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2016-12 are the same as the effective date and transition requirements of Topic 606 and management is currently assessing the impact, if any, on its financial condition or results of operations. In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses and Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 requires credit losses on most financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain other instruments to be measured using an expected credit loss model (referred to as the current expected credit loss (CECL) model). Under this model, entities will estimate credit losses over the entire contractual term of the instrument (considering estimated prepayments, but not expected extensions or modifications unless reasonable expectation of a troubled debt restructuring exists) from the date of initial recognition of that instrument. The ASU also replaces the current accounting model for purchased credit impaired loans and debt securities. The allowance for credit losses for purchased financial assets with a more-than insignificant amount of credit deterioration since origination (“PCD assets”), should be determined in a similar manner to other financial assets measured on an amortized cost basis. However, upon initial recognition, the allowance for credit losses is added to the purchase price (“gross up approach”) to determine the initial amortized cost basis. The subsequent accounting for PCD financial assets is the same expected loss model described above Further, the ASU made certain targeted amendments to the existing impairment model for available-for-sale (AFS) debt securities. For an AFS debt security for which there is neither the intent nor a more-likely-than-not requirement to sell, an entity will record credit losses as an allowance rather than a write-down of the amortized cost basis The Update has tiered effective dates with early adoption permitted for all entities as of the fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is still evaluating the impact on its financial condition or results of operations.

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 subsidiary, Peoples Advisors, LLC (collectively, the “Company” or “Peoples”). The Company services its retail and commercial customers through twenty-four full-service community banking offices located within the Bucks, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, 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 and six months ended and as of June 30, 2016, 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 year ended December 31, 2015.

Recent accounting standards:

In May 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-11, “Revenue Recognition and Derivatives and Hedging.” ASU 2016-11 codifies the SEC’s rescission of certain SEC Staff Observer comments that were codified in Topic 605 and Topic 932. In addition, the ASU codifies SEC’s rescission of SEC Staff Announcement, “Determining the Nature of a Host Contract Related to a Hybrid Instrument Issued in the Form of a Share under Topic 815,” which was previously codified in paragraph 815-10-S99-3. The effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2016-11 are the same as the effective date and transition requirements of Topic 606 and management is currently assessing the impact, if any, on its financial condition or results of operations.

In May 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-12, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The amendments do not alter the core principle of the new revenue standard, but make certain targeted changes.

The effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2016-12 are the same as the effective date and transition requirements of Topic 606 and management is currently assessing the impact, if any, on its financial condition or results of operations.

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses and Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 requires credit losses on most financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain other instruments to be measured using an expected credit loss model (referred to as the current expected credit loss (CECL) model). Under this model, entities will estimate credit losses over the entire contractual term of the instrument (considering estimated prepayments, but not expected extensions or modifications unless reasonable expectation of a troubled debt restructuring exists) from the date of initial recognition of that instrument. The ASU also replaces the current accounting model for purchased credit impaired loans and debt securities. The allowance for credit losses for purchased financial assets with a more-than insignificant amount of credit deterioration since origination (“PCD assets”), should be determined in a similar manner to other financial assets measured on an amortized cost basis. However, upon initial recognition, the allowance for credit losses is added to the purchase price (“gross up approach”) to determine the initial amortized cost basis. The subsequent accounting for PCD financial assets is the same expected loss model described above Further, the ASU made certain targeted amendments to the existing impairment model for available-for-sale (AFS) debt securities. For an AFS debt security for which there is neither the intent nor a more-likely-than-not requirement to sell, an entity will record credit losses as an allowance rather than a write-down of the amortized cost basis The Update has tiered effective dates with early adoption permitted for all entities as of the fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is still evaluating the impact on its financial condition or results of operations.