44. Any amounts set aside in respect of losses on loans and advances in addition to impairment losses recognised under IAS 39 on loans and advances shall be accounted for as appropriations of retained earnings. Any credits resulting from the reduction of such amounts result in an increase in retained earnings and are not included in the determination of profit or loss for the period.
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "Any amounts set aside in respect of losses on loans and advances in addition to those losses that have been specifically identified or potential losses which experience indicates are present in the portfolio of loans and advances should be accounted for as appropriations of retained earnings. Any credits resulting from the reduction of such amounts result in an increase in retained earnings and are not included in the determination of net profit or loss for the period."

45. […]
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "It is inevitable that in the ordinary course of business, banks suffer losses on loans, advances and other credit facilities as a result of their becoming partly or wholly uncollectable. The amount of losses which have been specifically identified is recognised as an expense and deducted from the carrying amount of the appropriate category of loans and advances as a provision for losses on loans and advances. The amount of potential losses not specifically identified but which experience indicates are present in the portfolio of loans and advances is also recognised as an expense and deducted from the total carrying amount of loans and advances as a provision for losses on loans and advances. The assessment of these losses depends on the judgement of management; it is essential, however, that management applies its assessments in a consistent manner from period to period."

46. Local circumstances or legislation may require or allow a bank to set aside amounts for impairment losses on loans and advances in addition to those losses that have been recognised under IAS 39. Any such amounts set aside represent appropriations of retained earnings and not expenses in determining profit or loss. Similarly, any credits resulting from the reduction of such amounts result in an increase in retained earnings and are not included in the determination of profit or loss.
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "Local circumstances or legislation may require or allow a bank to set aside amounts for losses on loans and advances in addition to those losses which have been specifically identified and those potential losses which experience indicates are present in the portfolio of loans and advances. Any such amounts set aside represent appropriations of retained earnings and not expenses in determining net profit or loss for the period. Similarly, any credits resulting from the reduction of such amounts result in an increase in retained earnings and are not included in the determination of net profit or loss for the period."

47. Users of the financial statements of a bank need to know the impact that impairment losses on loans and advances have had on the financial position and performance of the bank; this helps them judge the effectiveness with which the bank has employed its resources. Therefore a bank discloses the aggregate amount of any allowance account for impairment losses on loans and advances at the balance sheet date and the movements in the allowance account during the period. The movements in the allowance account, including the amounts previously written off that have been recovered during the reporting period, are shown separately.
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "Users of the financial statements of a bank need to know the impact that losses on loans and advances have had on the financial position and performance of the bank; this helps them judge the effectiveness with which the bank has employed its resources. Therefore a bank discloses the aggregate amount of the provision for losses on loans and advances at the balance sheet date and the movements in the provision during the period. The movements in the provision, including the amounts previously written off that have been recovered during the period, are shown separately."

48. […]
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "A bank may decide not to accrue interest on a loan or advance, for example when the borrower is more than a particular period in arrears with respect to the payment of interest or principal. A bank discloses the aggregate amount of loans and advances at the balance sheet date on which interest is not being accrued and the basis used to determine the carrying amount of such loans and advances. It is also desirable that a bank discloses whether it recognises interest income on such loans and advances and the impact which the non-accrual of interest has on its income statement."

49. When loans and advances cannot be recovered, they are written off and charged against any allowance account for impairment losses. In some cases, they are not written off until all the necessary legal procedures have been completed and the amount of the impairment loss is finally determined. In other cases, they are written off earlier, for example when the borrower has not paid any interest or repaid any principal that was due in a specified period. As the time at which uncollectible loans and advances are written off differs, the gross amount of loans and advances and of the allowance account for impairment losses may vary considerably in similar circumstances. As a result, a bank discloses its policy for writing off uncollectible loans and advances.
Editorial note: Substituted by improvements project standard IAS 39 with effect for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies this Standard for an earlier period, these amendments shall be applied for that earlier period. Previously "When loans and advances cannot be recovered, they are written off and charged against the provision for losses. In some cases, they are not written off until all the necessary legal procedures have been completed and the amount of the loss is finally determined. In other cases, they are written off earlier, for example when the borrower has not paid any interest or repaid any principal that was due in a specified period. As the time at which uncollectable loans and advances are written off differs, the gross amount of loans and advances and of the provisions for losses may vary considerably in similar circumstances. As a result, a bank discloses its policy for writing off uncollectable loans and advances."

General Banking Risks
50. Any amounts set aside for general banking risks, including future losses and other unforeseeable risks or contingencies should be separately disclosed as appropriations of retained earnings. Any credits resulting from the reduction of such amounts result in an increase in retained earnings and should not be included in the determination of net profit or loss for the period.
51. Local circumstances or legislation may require or allow a bank to set aside amounts for general banking risks, including future losses or other unforeseeable risks, in addition to the charges for losses on loans and advances determined in accordance with paragraph 45. A bank may also be required or allowed to set aside amounts for contingencies. Such amounts for general banking risks and contingencies do not qualify for recognition as provisions under IAS 37, Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets. Therefore, a bank recognises such amounts as appropriations of retained earnings. This is necessary to avoid the overstatement of liabilities, understatement of assets, undisclosed accruals and provisions and the opportunity to distort net income and equity.

52. The income statement cannot present relevant and reliable information about the performance of a bank if net profit or loss for the period includes the effects of undisclosed amounts set aside for general banking risks or additional contingencies, or undisclosed credits resulting from the reversal of such amounts. Similarly, the balance sheet cannot provide relevant and reliable information about the financial position of a bank if the balance sheet includes overstated liabilities, understated assets or undisclosed accruals and provisions.
Assets Pledged as Security
53. A bank should disclose the aggregate amount of secured liabilities and the nature and carrying amount of the assets pledged as security.
54. In some countries, banks are required, either by law or national custom, to pledge assets as security to support certain deposits and other liabilities. The amounts involved are often substantial and so may have a significant impact on the assessment of the financial position of a bank.

Trust Activities
55. Banks commonly act as trustees and in other fiduciary capacities that result in the holding or placing of assets on behalf of individuals, trusts, retirement benefit plans and other institutions. Provided the trustee or similar relationship is legally supported, these assets are not assets of the bank and, therefore, are not included in its balance sheet. If the bank is engaged in significant trust activities, disclosure of that fact and an indication of the extent of those activities is made in its financial statements because of the potential liability if it fails in its fiduciary duties. For this purpose, trust activities do not encompass safe custody functions.
Related Party Transactions
56. IAS 24, Related Party Disclosures, deals generally with the disclosures of related party relationships and transactions between a reporting enterprise and its related parties. In some countries, the law or regulatory authorities prevent or restrict banks entering into transactions with related parties whereas in others such transactions are permitted. IAS 24, is of particular relevance in the presentation of the financial statements of a bank in a country that permits such transactions.

57. Certain transactions between related parties may be effected on different terms from those with unrelated parties. For example, a bank may advance a larger sum or charge lower interest rates to a related party than it would in otherwise identical circumstances to an unrelated party; advances or deposits may be moved between related parties more quickly and with less formality than is possible when unrelated parties are involved. Even when related party transactions arise in the ordinary course of a bank's business, information about such transactions is relevant to the needs of users and its disclosure is required by IAS 24.