Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	NOTE 1: BASIS OF PRESENTATION The consolidated financial statements include First Foundation Inc. (“FFI”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries: First Foundation Advisors (“FFA”), First Foundation Bank (“FFB” or the “Bank”) and First Foundation Insurance Services (“FFIS”), a wholly owned subsidiary of FFB (collectively referred to as the “Company”). All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations reflect any interim adjustments, all of which are of a normal recurring nature and which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim period presented. The results for the 2016 interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and prevailing practices within the banking industry. In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet and revenues and expenses for the period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all information and footnotes required for interim financial statement presentation. Those financial statements assume that readers of this Report have read the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K which contains the latest available audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2016 presentation. In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvement to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The new standard contains several amendments that will simplify the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, statutory tax withholding requirements, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The changes in the new standard eliminate the accounting for excess tax benefits to be recognized in additional paid-in capital and tax deficiencies recognized either in the income tax provision or in additional paid-in capital. The Company elected early adoption of ASU 2016-09 in the third quarter of 2016 which was applied using a modified retrospective approach. For the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recognized all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies that occurred in 2016 as income tax expense or benefit as a discrete event. An income tax benefit of approximately $0.8 million was recognized for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016 as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09. There was no change to retained earnings with respect to excess tax benefits, as this is not applicable to the Company. In addition there was no cumulative effect on retained earnings as a result of the election by the Company to adopt an accounting policy to account for forfeitures as they occur. With the early adoption of 2016-09, we have elected to present the cash flow statement on a prospective transition method and no prior periods have been adjusted. ASU 2016-09 requires the recognition of any tax benefits or deficiencies to be recognized in the period in which they occur. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, our effective tax rate for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was decreased by 4.5% and 2.5%, respectively. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15 “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” which provides guidance for eight specific cash flow issues. FASB issued the standard to clarify areas where GAAP has been either unclear or lacking in specific guidance. This update is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-15 on its financial statements and disclosures. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” which introduces new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. It also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The new model, referred to as the current expected credit losses (CECL) model, will apply to financial assets subject to credit losses and measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. Upon initial recognition of the exposure, the CECL model requires an entity to estimate the credit losses expected over the life of an exposure. This update is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-13 on its financial statements and disclosures. On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The most significant change for lessees is the requirement under the new guidance to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases not considered short-term leases, which is generally defined as a lease term of less than 12 months. This change will result in lessees recognizing right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for most leases currently accounted for as operating leases under current lease accounting guidance. The amendments in this update are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-02 on its financial statements and disclosures. On January 5, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments–Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (Subtopic 825-10). Changes made to the current measurement model primarily affect the accounting for equity securities with readily determinable fair values, where changes in fair value will impact earnings instead of other comprehensive income. The accounting for other financial instruments, such as loans, investments in debt securities, and financial liabilities is largely unchanged. The update also changes the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments including a requirement that public business entities use exit price when measuring the fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost for disclosure purposes. This update is generally effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-01 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. In September, 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. The amendments in this update require that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. For public companies, this update is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal periods. The adoption of ASU No. 2015-16 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

NOTE 1: BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The consolidated financial statements include First Foundation Inc. (“FFI”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries: First Foundation Advisors (“FFA”), First Foundation Bank (“FFB” or the “Bank”) and First Foundation Insurance Services (“FFIS”), a wholly owned subsidiary of FFB (collectively referred to as the “Company”). All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations reflect any interim adjustments, all of which are of a normal recurring nature and which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim period presented. The results for the 2016 interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and prevailing practices within the banking industry. In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet and revenues and expenses for the period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all information and footnotes required for interim financial statement presentation. Those financial statements assume that readers of this Report have read the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K which contains the latest available audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2016 presentation.

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvement to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The new standard contains several amendments that will simplify the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, statutory tax withholding requirements, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The changes in the new standard eliminate the accounting for excess tax benefits to be recognized in additional paid-in capital and tax deficiencies recognized either in the income tax provision or in additional paid-in capital. The Company elected early adoption of ASU 2016-09 in the third quarter of 2016 which was applied using a modified retrospective approach. For the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recognized all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies that occurred in 2016 as income tax expense or benefit as a discrete event. An income tax benefit of approximately $0.8 million was recognized for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016 as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09. There was no change to retained earnings with respect to excess tax benefits, as this is not applicable to the Company. In addition there was no cumulative effect on retained earnings as a result of the election by the Company to adopt an accounting policy to account for forfeitures as they occur. With the early adoption of 2016-09, we have elected to present the cash flow statement on a prospective transition method and no prior periods have been adjusted. ASU 2016-09 requires the recognition of any tax benefits or deficiencies to be recognized in the period in which they occur. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, our effective tax rate for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was decreased by 4.5% and 2.5%, respectively.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15 “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” which provides guidance for eight specific cash flow issues. FASB issued the standard to clarify areas where GAAP has been either unclear or lacking in specific guidance. This update is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-15 on its financial statements and disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” which introduces new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. It also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The new model, referred to as the current expected credit losses (CECL) model, will apply to financial assets subject to credit losses and measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. Upon initial recognition of the exposure, the CECL model requires an entity to estimate the credit losses expected over the life of an exposure. This update is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-13 on its financial statements and disclosures.

On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The most significant change for lessees is the requirement under the new guidance to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases not considered short-term leases, which is generally defined as a lease term of less than 12 months. This change will result in lessees recognizing right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for most leases currently accounted for as operating leases under current lease accounting guidance. The amendments in this update are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of ASU 2016-02 on its financial statements and disclosures.

On January 5, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments–Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (Subtopic 825-10). Changes made to the current measurement model primarily affect the accounting for equity securities with readily determinable fair values, where changes in fair value will impact earnings instead of other comprehensive income. The accounting for other financial instruments, such as loans, investments in debt securities, and financial liabilities is largely unchanged. The update also changes the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments including a requirement that public business entities use exit price when measuring the fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost for disclosure purposes. This update is generally effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-01 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In September, 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. The amendments in this update require that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. For public companies, this update is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal periods. The adoption of ASU No. 2015-16 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.