Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Mergers

On October 1, 2019, ChoiceOne completed the merger of County Bank Corp. (“County”) with and into ChoiceOne with ChoiceOne surviving the merger. Accordingly, the reported consolidated financial condition and operating results as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 include the impact of the merger, which was effective as of October 1, 2019. For additional details regarding the merger with County, see Note 21 (Business Combination) below.

On July 1, 2020, ChoiceOne completed the merger of Community Shores Bank Corporation ("Community Shores") with and into ChoiceOne with ChoiceOne surviving the merger. Accordingly, the reported consolidated financial condition and operating results as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020 include the impact of the merger, which was effective as of July 1, 2020. For additional details regarding the merger with Community Shores, see Note 21 (Business Combination) below.

Nature of Operations, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Nature of Operations

The Bank is a full-service community bank that offers commercial, consumer, and real estate loans as well as traditional demand, savings and time deposits to both commercial and consumer clients within the Bank’s primary market areas in Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties in western Michigan and Lapeer, Macomb, and St. Clair counties in southeastern Michigan. Substantially all loans are secured by specific items of collateral including business assets, consumer assets, and real estate. Commercial loans are expected to be repaid from the cash flows from operations of businesses. Real estate loans are collateralized by either residential or commercial real estate.

Community Shores Financial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank. The primary source of revenue for Community Shores Financial is referral fee income from a local insurance agency, Lakeshore Employee Benefits. Lakeshore Employee Benefits offers, among other things, employer-sponsored benefit plans.

The Insurance Agency is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank. The Insurance Agency sells insurance policies such as life and health for both commercial and consumer clients. The Insurance Agency also offers alternative investment products such as annuities and mutual funds through a registered broker. Lakestone Financial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, which earns revenues through the sale of annuities and other third party investment products.

Together, the Bank and the other subsidiaries account for substantially all of ChoiceOne’s assets, revenues and operating income.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are defined to include cash on hand, demand deposits with other banks, and federal funds sold. Cash flows are reported on a net basis for customer loan and deposit transactions, deposits with other financial institutions, and short-term borrowings with original terms of 90 days or less.

Financing Receivable [Policy Text Block]

Loans

Loans that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff are reported at the principal balance outstanding, net of unearned interest, deferred loan fees and costs, remaining purchase accounting adjustments, and an allowance for loan losses. Loans held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or market, on an aggregate basis.

Interest income on loans is reported on the interest method and includes amortization of net deferred loan fees and costs over the estimated loan term. Interest on loans is accrued based upon the principal balance outstanding. The accrual of interest is discontinued at the time at which loans are 90 days past due unless the loan is secured by sufficient collateral and is in the process of collection. Past due status is based on the contractual terms of the loan. Loans are placed into nonaccrual status or charged off at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered doubtful. Interest accrued but not received is reversed against interest income when the loans are placed into nonaccrual status. Interest received on such loans is applied to principal until qualifying for return to accrual. Loans are returned to accrual basis when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and future payment is reasonably assured.

During 2020, the Company funded loans under the Small Business Administration's ("SBA") Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") to provide liquidity to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The loans are guaranteed by the SBA and are forgivable by the SBA if certain criteria are met. The Company originated PPP loans totaling $126.4 million during 2020. PPP processing fees received from the SBA totaling $5.0 million were deferred along with loan origination costs and recognized as interest income using the effective yield method. Upon forgiveness of a loan and resulting repayment by the SBA, any unrecognized net fee for a given loan is recognized as interest income. $3.0 million of fees from the SBA were recognized in 2020.

No allowance for loan loss is recorded for loans acquired in a business combination unless losses are incurred subsequent to the acquisition date.

Acquired loans are considered purchased credit impaired (“PCI”) if as of the acquisition date, management determines the loan has evidence of deterioration in credit quality since origination and it is probable at acquisition the Company will be unable to collect all contractually required payments. The discount related to credit quality for PCI loans is recorded as an adjustment to the loan balance as of the acquisition date and is not accreted into income. Management subsequently estimates expected cash flows on an individual loan basis. If the present value of expected cash flows is less than a loan's carrying amount, an allowance for loan loss is recorded through the provision for loan losses. If the present value of expected cash flows is greater than the carrying amount, the excess may be reclassified to an accretable difference and recognized into income over the loan's remaining life.

For non-PCI loans, the difference between acquisition date fair value and expected cash flows is accreted into income over a pool's expected life using the level yield method.

Loans and Leases Receivable, Allowance for Loan Losses Policy [Policy Text Block]

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance for loan losses is a valuation allowance for probable incurred credit losses. The allowance for loan losses is increased by the provision for loan losses and decreased by loans charged off less any recoveries of charged off loans. Management estimates the allowance for loan losses balance required based on past loan loss experience, the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, information about specific borrower situations and estimated collateral values, economic conditions, and other factors. Allocations of the allowance for loan losses may be made for specific loans, but the entire allowance for loan losses is available for any loan that, in management’s judgment, should be charged off. Loan losses are charged against the allowance for loan losses when management believes that collection of a loan balance is not possibl

The allowance for loan losses consists of general and specific components. The general component covers non-classified loans and is based on historical loss experience adjusted for current factors. The specific component relates to loans that are individually classified as impaired or loans otherwise classified as substandard or doubtful. The general component of management's estimate of the allowance for loan losses covers non-classified loans and is based on historical loss experience adjusted for current factors. Management's adjustment for current factors is based on trends in delinquencies, trends in charge-offs and recoveries, trends in the volume of loans, changes in underwriting standards, trends in loan review findings, experience and ability of lending staff, national and economic trends and conditions, industry conditions, trends in real estate values, and other conditions.

A loan is impaired when full payment under the loan terms is not expected. Troubled debt restructuring of loans is undertaken to improve the likelihood that the loan will be repaid in full under the modified terms in accordance with a reasonable repayment schedule. All modified loans are evaluated to determine whether the loans should be reported as Troubled Debt Restructurings (TDR). A loan is a TDR when the Bank, for economic or legal reasons related to the borrower’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the borrower by modifying a loan. To make this determination, the Bank must determine whether (a) the borrower is experiencing financial difficulties and (b) the Bank granted the borrower a concession. This determination requires consideration of all facts and circumstances surrounding the modification. An overall general decline in the economy or some deterioration in a borrower’s financial condition does not automatically mean the borrower is experiencing financial difficulties. Commercial loans are evaluated for impairment on an individual loan basis. If a loan is considered impaired or if a loan has been classified as a TDR, a portion of the allowance for loan losses is allocated to the loan so that it is reported, net, at the present value of estimated future cash flows using the loan’s existing rate or at the fair value of collateral if repayment is expected solely from the collateral. Large groups of smaller-balance homogeneous loans such as consumer and residential real estate mortgage loans are collectively evaluated for impairment and, accordingly, they are not separately identified for impairment disclosures.

In March of 2020, the CARES Act was passed into law. Among other things, the CARES Act provides that certain loans subject to modifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic need not be classified as TDRs. As a result of the pandemic, the Company provided a modification program to borrowers that included certain concessions such as interest only or payment deferrals. The Company granted pandemic-related modifications of loans totaling $148 million. As of December 31, 2020, there were $3.2 of loans that remained under a modification agreement but are not disclosed as TDRs pursuant to the CARES Act. Regardless of whether a modified loan is classified as a TDR, the Company continues to apply policies for risk rating, accruing interest, and classifying loans as impaired.

Real Estate Owned, Valuation Allowance, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Other Real Estate Owned

Real estate properties acquired in the collection of a loan are initially recorded at the lower of the Bank’s basis in the loans or fair value at acquisition establishing a new cost basis. Any reduction to fair value from the carrying value of the related loan is accounted for as a loan loss. After acquisition, a valuation allowance reduces the reported amount to the lower of the initial amount or fair value less costs to sell. Expenses to repair or maintain properties are included within other noninterest expenses. Gains and losses upon disposition and changes in the valuation allowance are reported net within noninterest income.

Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets, Servicing of Financial Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Loan Servicing Rights

Loan servicing rights represent the allocated value of servicing rights on loans sold with servicing retained. Servicing rights are expensed in proportion to, and over the period of, estimated net servicing revenues. Impairment is evaluated based on the fair value of the rights, using groupings of the underlying loans as to interest rates and then, secondarily, as to geographic and prepayment characteristics. Servicing rights are initially recorded at estimated fair value and fair value is determined using prices for similar assets with similar characteristics when available or based upon discounted cash flows using market-based assumptions. Any impairment of a grouping is reported as a valuation allowance.

Loan Commitments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Loan Commitments and Related Financial Instruments

Financial instruments include off-balance sheet credit instruments, such as commitments to make loans and commercial letters of credit issued to meet financing needs of customers. The face amount for these items represents the exposure to loss, before considering customer collateral or ability to repay. Such financial instruments are recorded when they are funded.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income Taxes

Income tax expense is the sum of the current year income tax due and the change in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities, computed using enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance, if needed, reduces deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. A tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income consists of net income and other comprehensive income or loss. Other comprehensive income or loss includes unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale and changes in the funded status of post-retirement plans, net of tax, which are also recognized as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.

Accumulated other comprehensive income was as follows:

(Dollars in thousands)	As of December 31,
	2020			2019
Unrealized gain (loss) on available for sale securities	$	13,959		$	1,713
Unrecognized gains on post-retirement benefits		—			158
Tax effect		(2,931	)		(393	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	$	11,028		$	1,478

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash Restrictions

Cash on hand or on deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank of $0 and $13,231,000 was required to meet regulatory reserve and clearing requirements for the Bank at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The balance in excess of the amount required was interest-bearing as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

Dividend Restrictions, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Dividend Restrictions

Banking regulations require the maintenance of certain capital levels and may limit the amount of dividends that may be paid by the Bank to ChoiceOne (see Note 20).

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Operating Segments

While ChoiceOne’s management monitors the revenue streams of various products and services for the Bank, Insurance Agency, Lakestone Financial, and Community Shores Financial, operations and financial performance are evaluated on a company-wide basis. Accordingly, all of the financial service operations are considered by management to be aggregated into one reportable operating segment.

Reclassification, Comparability Adjustment [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications
Certain amounts presented in prior year consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2020 presentation.