Background and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Background and Basis of Presentation	Background and Basis of Presentation Description of Business Discover Financial Services (“DFS” or the “Company”) is a digital banking and payment services company. The Company is a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and a financial holding company under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Therefore, the Company is subject to oversight, regulation and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). The Company provides digital banking products and services and payment services through its subsidiaries. The Company offers its customers credit card loans, personal loans, home loans and deposit products. The Company also operates the Discover Network, the PULSE network (“PULSE”) and Diners Club International (“Diners Club”), collectively known as the Discover Global Network. The Discover Network processes transactions for Discover-branded credit and debit cards and provides payment transaction processing and settlement services. PULSE operates an electronic funds transfer network, providing financial institutions issuing debit cards on the PULSE network with access to automated teller machines (“ATMs”) domestically and internationally, as well as merchant acceptance throughout the United States of America (“U.S.”) for debit card transactions. Diners Club is a global payments network of licensees, which are generally financial institutions, that issue Diners Club branded credit and charge cards and/or provide card acceptance services. The Company manages its business activities in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services, based on the products and services provided. See Note 22: Segment Disclosures for a detailed description of each segment’s operations and the allocation conventions used in business segment reporting. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. The Company believes that the estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are reasonable. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or changes in stockholders’ equity. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s policy is to consolidate all entities in which it owns more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock unless it does not control the entity. However, the Company did not have a controlling voting interest in any entity other than its wholly-owned subsidiaries in the periods presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. It is also the Company’s policy to consolidate any VIEs for which the Company is the primary beneficiary, as defined by GAAP. On this basis, the Company consolidates the Discover Card Master Trust I (“DCMT”) and the Discover Card Execution Note Trust (“DCENT”) as well as the student loan securitization trust. The Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of each of these trusts since it is, for each, the trust Servicer and the holder of both the residual interest and the majority of the most subordinated interests. Because of those involvements, the Company has, for each trust, (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the trust and (ii) the obligation (or right) to absorb losses (or receive benefits) of the trust that could potentially be significant. The Company has determined that it was not the primary beneficiary of any other VIE during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021. For investments in any entities in which the Company owns 50% or less of the outstanding voting stock but in which the Company has significant influence over operating and financial decisions, the Company applies the equity method of accounting. The Company also applies the equity method to its investments in qualified affordable housing projects and similar tax credit partnerships. In cases where the Company’s equity investment is less than 20% and significant influence does not exist, such investments are carried at cost as they typically do not have readily determinable fair values, and are adjusted for any impairment in value. Investments in actively traded stock are carried at fair value with changes in fair value recorded as an adjustment to earnings. Restatement of Financial Statements As reported in the second quarter of 2023, beginning in 2007, the Company incorrectly classified certain credit card accounts into its highest merchant and merchant acquirer pricing tier. The card product classification impacts the pricing and charging of discount and interchange revenue, which is recorded within discount and interchange revenue, net, on the consolidated statements of income. The Company determined that corrections to the financial statements for the impacts of the card product misclassification were required for all impacted prior periods presented in this Form 10-K/A. Therefore, the Company has reflected these corrections in the consolidated financial statements for the periods presented in this Form 10-K/A and the restated condensed information for the condensed consolidated financial statements previously included in each of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Additionally, current and prior period amounts in the applicable notes to the consolidated financial statements have been corrected. The impacts of the misclassification and subsequent corrections are contained entirely within the Digital Banking segment. See Note 26: Restatement of Annual Financial Statements and Note 28: Restated Information for Prior Period Quarterly Financial Statements (Unaudited) for additional information and quantification of the restatement impacts. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements (Not Yet Adopted) In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU enhances the transparency of income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. Entities are required to disaggregate the rate reconciliation (including percentages and reported amounts) by certain specified categories with additional disaggregation by nature and/or jurisdiction for items over a designated threshold. Income taxes paid (net of refunds received) must be disaggregated by federal (national), state, and foreign taxes and separately by individual jurisdiction in which that amount for a particular jurisdiction is equal to or greater than five percent of total income taxes paid (net of refunds received). This annual disclosure guidance is effective for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2025 and requires prospective application. Retrospective application is also permitted. Management will consider which method is appropriate for the Company. While the ASU implements further income tax disclosure requirements, it does not change how an entity determines its income tax obligation, and it will have no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. The ASU requires disclosure of additional segment level information, particularly regarding significant segment expenses. Entities must disclose significant expense categories and amounts that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) and included in the reported segment measure of profit or loss. Other segment items must also be reported, which are those items that make up the difference between segment revenues less significant segment expenses and reported segment profit or loss. Additionally, entities must disclose the identity of the CODM and how they use the reported measures of segment profit or loss for decision making and assessing segment performance. The guidance is effective for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2024, and interim periods thereafter and requires retrospective application. While the ASU implements further segment disclosure requirements, it does not change how an entity identifies its operating or reportable segments, and it will have no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-02, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Tax Credit Structures Using the Proportional Amortization Method. The ASU expands the use of the proportional amortization method of accounting for tax credit investments. Currently, the method is limited to Low Income Housing Tax Credit investments. Under the amended guidance, use of proportional amortization will be available to any qualifying tax credit investments, including but not limited to investments in New Markets Tax Credit and Renewable Energy Tax Credit programs. The ASU is effective for the Company on January 1, 2024. The Company will elect the proportional amortization method for any of its qualifying tax credit investments. Management has chosen a modified-retrospective application, meaning a cumulative-effect adjustment will be recorded to the opening balance of retained earnings as of the effective date without adjusting comparative periods. Management determined that the standard will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The ASU eliminated the troubled debt restructuring ("TDR") recognition and measurement guidance and enhanced disclosures for modifications of receivables to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. Under ASU 2022-02, the use of a discounted cash flow method is no longer required when measuring expected credit losses on modified loans. The ASU also refined existing credit-related disclosures by requiring disclosure of current-period gross charge-offs of receivables by year of origination. The amendments in the ASU were applied prospectively to modifications and disclosures of gross charge-offs; however, adoption on a modified retrospective basis was applied for the effect on the allowance for credit losses related to the elimination of the TDR recognition and measurement guidance. The ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2023. Upon adoption, the Company recorded an adjustment to reduce the beginning balance of its allowance for credit losses by $68 million to reflect the elimination of the measurement guidance related to TDRs with an offsetting increase, net of tax, to beginning retained earnings.

Discover Financial Services (“DFS” or the “Company”) is a digital banking and payment services company. The Company is a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and a financial holding company under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Therefore, the Company is subject to oversight, regulation and examination by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). The Company provides digital banking products and services and payment services through its subsidiaries. The Company offers its customers credit card loans, personal loans, home loans and deposit products. The Company also operates the Discover Network, the PULSE network (“PULSE”) and Diners Club International (“Diners Club”), collectively known as the Discover Global Network. The Discover Network processes transactions for Discover-branded credit and debit cards and provides payment transaction processing and settlement services. PULSE operates an electronic funds transfer network, providing financial institutions issuing debit cards on the PULSE network with access to automated teller machines (“ATMs”) domestically and internationally, as well as merchant acceptance throughout the United States of America (“U.S.”) for debit card transactions. Diners Club is a global payments network of licensees, which are generally financial institutions, that issue Diners Club branded credit and charge cards and/or provide card acceptance services.

The Company manages its business activities in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services, based on the products and services provided. See Note 22: Segment Disclosures for a detailed description of each segment’s operations and the allocation conventions used in business segment reporting.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. The Company believes that the estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are reasonable. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s policy is to consolidate all entities in which it owns more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock unless it does not control the entity. However, the Company did not have a controlling voting interest in any entity other than its wholly-owned subsidiaries in the periods presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

It is also the Company’s policy to consolidate any VIEs for which the Company is the primary beneficiary, as defined by GAAP. On this basis, the Company consolidates the Discover Card Master Trust I (“DCMT”) and the Discover Card Execution Note Trust (“DCENT”) as well as the student loan securitization trust. The Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of each of these trusts since it is, for each, the trust Servicer and the holder of both the residual interest and the majority of the most subordinated interests. Because of those involvements, the Company has, for each trust, (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the trust and (ii) the obligation (or right) to absorb losses (or receive benefits) of the trust that could potentially be significant. The Company has determined that it was not the primary beneficiary of any other VIE during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

For investments in any entities in which the Company owns 50% or less of the outstanding voting stock but in which the Company has significant influence over operating and financial decisions, the Company applies the equity method of accounting. The Company also applies the equity method to its investments in qualified affordable housing projects and similar tax credit partnerships. In cases where the Company’s equity investment is less than 20% and significant influence does not exist, such investments are carried at cost as they typically do not have readily

As reported in the second quarter of 2023, beginning in 2007, the Company incorrectly classified certain credit card accounts into its highest merchant and merchant acquirer pricing tier. The card product classification impacts the pricing and charging of discount and interchange revenue, which is recorded within discount and interchange revenue, net, on the consolidated statements of income. The Company determined that corrections to the financial statements for the impacts of the card product misclassification were required for all impacted prior periods presented in this Form 10-K/A. Therefore, the Company has reflected these corrections in the consolidated financial statements for the periods presented in this Form 10-K/A and the restated condensed information for the condensed consolidated financial statements previously included in each of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023. Additionally, current and prior period amounts in the applicable notes to the consolidated financial statements have been corrected. The impacts of the misclassification and subsequent corrections are contained entirely within the Digital Banking segment. See Note 26: Restatement of Annual Financial Statements and Note 28: Restated Information for Prior Period Quarterly Financial Statements (Unaudited) for additional information and quantification of the restatement impacts.

In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU enhances the transparency of income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. Entities are required to disaggregate the rate reconciliation (including percentages and reported amounts) by certain specified categories with additional disaggregation by nature and/or jurisdiction for items over a designated threshold. Income taxes paid (net of refunds received) must be disaggregated by federal (national), state, and foreign taxes and separately by individual jurisdiction in which that amount for a particular jurisdiction is equal to or greater than five percent of total income taxes paid (net of refunds received). This annual disclosure guidance is effective for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2025 and requires prospective application. Retrospective application is also permitted. Management will consider which method is appropriate for the Company. While the ASU implements further income tax disclosure requirements, it does not change how an entity determines its income tax obligation, and it will have no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. The ASU requires disclosure of additional segment level information, particularly regarding significant segment expenses. Entities must disclose significant expense categories and amounts that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) and included in the reported segment measure of profit or loss. Other segment items must also be reported, which are those items that make up the difference between segment revenues less significant segment expenses and reported segment profit or loss. Additionally, entities must disclose the identity of the CODM and how they use the reported measures of segment profit or loss for decision making and assessing segment performance. The guidance is effective for the Company for the year ending December 31, 2024, and interim periods thereafter and requires retrospective application. While the ASU implements further segment disclosure requirements, it does not change how an entity identifies its operating or reportable segments, and it will have no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In March 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-02, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Tax Credit Structures Using the Proportional Amortization Method. The ASU expands the use of the proportional amortization method of accounting for tax credit investments. Currently, the method is limited to Low Income Housing Tax Credit investments. Under the amended guidance, use of proportional amortization will be available to any qualifying tax credit investments, including but not limited to investments in New Markets Tax Credit and Renewable Energy Tax Credit programs. The ASU is effective for the Company on January 1, 2024. The Company will elect the proportional amortization method for any of its qualifying tax credit investments. Management has chosen a modified-retrospective application, meaning a cumulative-effect adjustment will be recorded to the opening balance of retained earnings as of the effective date without adjusting comparative periods. Management determined that the standard will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures. The ASU eliminated the troubled debt restructuring ("TDR") recognition and measurement guidance and enhanced disclosures for modifications of receivables to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. Under ASU 2022-02, the use of a discounted cash flow method is no longer required when measuring expected credit losses on modified loans. The ASU also refined existing credit-related disclosures by requiring disclosure of current-period gross charge-offs of receivables by year of origination. The amendments in the ASU were applied prospectively to modifications and disclosures of gross charge-offs; however, adoption on a modified retrospective basis was applied for the effect on the allowance for credit losses related to the elimination of the TDR recognition and measurement guidance. The ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2023. Upon adoption, the Company recorded an adjustment to reduce the beginning balance of its allowance for credit losses by $68 million to reflect the elimination of the measurement guidance related to TDRs with an offsetting increase, net of tax, to beginning retained earnings.