Blog

Train Your Board on the Call Report

With the current regulatory focus resulting in longer exam cycles, we know that the bulls-eye is landing squarely on the integrity and accuracy of the Call Report to assess CAMELS ratings. Board governance and understanding is crucial. We suggest that you  train board members on the Call Report to assist them with this crucial oversight. The goal is not to overwhelm them. It is to give them confidence, the confidence that they understand their role, know what regulators care about, and can ask the right questions without needing a regulatory dictionary. So, let’s talk about how.

A great training session starts with reassurance:

Be sure to let them know:

• You don’t need to be Call Report experts to be effective directors.
• You just need to understand the story it tells and your role in making sure that story is accurate.

Start on a Positive Note:

Open training by acknowledging what board members already bring to the table. They know tha...

The Three FFIEC Call Report Forms: Which One Tells Your Bank’s Story?

Every quarter, banks across the country sit down to tell their story, the real financial picture. And just like Goldilocks wandering into the bears’ cottage, that story has to fit just right.  The FFIEC Call Report is how the story gets told, but not every institution is served the same bowl of porridge.

In fact, there are three different Call Report forms, and the one your bank files depends on its size, capital standards, and whether it has any international flair. Choose the wrong one, and suddenly the porridge is too hot, too cold, or far more work than necessary.

Here’s a breakdown of the three forms, and which one belongs at your bank’s table.

FFIEC 031: Papa Bear’s Call Report (The Big One)

Papa Bear doesn’t do anything small, and neither does the FFIEC 031. This is the most comprehensive Call Report form and is required for institutions of any size that maintain at least one foreign office, incl...

Regulatory Wrap-Up: Key Changes

Now and Heading into 2026

As we close out 2025 and look toward a fresh new year, regulators have delivered a full stocking of updates that will shape our Call Report community here at Call Report Resources. First, we have new Call Report requirements as of 12/31/2025 and then potentially some impacts looking ahead in 2026.  Here are some important developments to have on your radar.

ADOPT NOW BY 12/31/2025:

FIL 30-2025: Revisions to Call Report Forms and Instructions

FIL 30-2025 clarifies that loans modified for borrowers experiencing financial difficulty must be reported for 12 months following modification. These revisions take effect on December 31, 2025. Early adoption was permitted with the September 2025 Call Report.  Be sure to adopt these changes before filing the 12/2025 Call Report.  You can see the redline for the updated Call Report instructions in Call Report Resources, or here: 

FFIEC Red Line Reporting Form 051

KEEP ON YOUR RA...

 In bank investment portfolio management, few decisions carry as much accounting and regulatory impact as how you classify securities.  There are two common designations: Held-to-Maturity (HTM) and Available-for-Sale (AFS).  While they may seem similar on the surface, the financial reporting outcomes are dramatically different. 

Whether you are managing a bond portfolio, preparing the Call Report, or answering questions from auditors and examiners, understanding these categories is critical.

Let’s break them down in a clear, practical way.

Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Securities:

HTM securities are debt securities which management has the positive intent and ability to hold until maturity.  This means they are not intended for sale before maturity.  These securities are carried at amortized cost due to the securities being held to collect contractual cash flows.  HTM securities are subject to ongoing impairment evaluation under CECL, meaning immediate loss recognition at the ...

Brokered Deposits Back in Focus

Brokered deposits are back on the radar in Washington. In September 2025, the House Financial Services Committee advanced two bipartisan bills aimed at reshaping how these deposits are defined and regulated. If enacted, the measures would loosen restrictions on certain types of deposits that community banks and fintech-partner banks rely on. If changes are made, it may have an impact on Schedules RC-E and RC-O. 

What’s Changing

1.  Expanding Reciprocal Deposit Exemptions

• A bill from Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) expands the amount of reciprocal deposits banks can hold without triggering brokered deposit treatment.
• The proposal uses a tiered “waterfall” by bank size, ultimately giving institutions more room to classify reciprocal deposits as core funding.
• Supporters argue this is a needed fix, especially after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse in 2023, when reciprocal deposits became a key tool for banks to shore up insured funding.
• The measu
...

So, you’ve made it past Schedule RC-R Part I where you are required to calculate and report various capital ratios, including the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio, and Total capital ratio, as well as the components that make up these ratios.   You’ve stacked your capital, deducted anything remotely optimistic, and now you’re left with a number that’s supposed to reflect the strength of your financial institution. You have assessed the bank's capital adequacy, ensuring it holds enough capital to absorb potential losses and remain solvent.  That’s Great.

Now it's time for Part II—designed to calculate risk-weighted assets (RWA).  This is where you match that capital from Part I against the riskiness of your assets and off-balance sheet exposures, which sounds simple until you realize you're basically trying to sort an entire balance sheet into piles labeled: Safe, Sketchy, and This Might Be a Crime Scene.

This is the part of the Call Report where financial ...

Let’s face it—Call Reports don’t exactly spark joy for most people. They’re technical, time-consuming, and loaded with numbers that could make even a calculator sweat.  But if you're in banking, you know these reports are non-negotiable.  What often gets overlooked, though, is the real MVP behind those carefully crafted submissions: the workpapers.

 Think of Call Report workpapers as the backstage crew of a rock band.  The audience (aka the regulators) sees the final performance. But without the people behind the curtain making sure every cue is hit and every set piece is in place, the whole thing falls apart.

 So why should you care deeply about these behind-the-scenes documents? Let’s break it down.

1. Receipts, Please: Proving Your Numbers

Ever been asked, “How did you get this number?” and all you had was a shrug and a vague memory of a spreadsheet?  Not a great look during a regulatory exam.

 Workpapers are your receipts.  They tell the full story of how each line item i...

Unlock the Secret Superpowers of Your Call Report Team!

Alright, let’s have some fun and talk about something that might not seem thrilling at first—Call Reports. It is about as entertaining as auditing.  But don’t be fooled! These financial documents are like the secret sauce that keeps your bank’s operations and management running smoothly. And the true heroes behind these reports? Your Call Report personnel. That’s right, these unsung champions work behind the scenes from all areas of the institution to keep everything in check. When you train them, you turn them into super-powered experts!

So why is training your call report team not just necessary, but totally awesome? Grab your cape (or coffee) and let's dive in!

1. Compliance Superpowers: They Know Every Rule Like a Jedi Master

Imagine being a Jedi in the world of financial regulations—that’s your team with proper training!  With help from Yoda, they’ll wield the power of compliance like a lightsaber, cutting throug...

Once upon a time in the enchanted land of financial services, a small but ambitious bank set off on a grand adventure, chasing the pot of gold at the end of the regulatory rainbow. But little did they know—hidden along the way were threshold traps, business combination clovers, and the mighty leprechauns of compliance!

 The Magical Growth Spell: Threshold-Based Reporting

Every St. Patrick’s Day, banks across the land celebrate their growth, raising a toast to the new opportunities that lie ahead. But beware! As your bank’s total assets and loan portfolio change or grow, call report reporting obligations sprout up faster than a field of enchanted shamrocks.

 When Can a Bank Take a Wee Leprechaun’s Nap from Reporting?

If a bank’s total assets or financial data—like agricultural loans or credit card lines—stay below the set threshold for four straight quarters, it earns the right to rest under a shimmering rainbow where golden fortunes await like shorter or fewer schedules required.