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Commitments and Contingencies
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
We are a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of our customers. These financial instruments include loan commitments, standby letters of credit, and documentary letters of credit and involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the financial statements. Our exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party of these loan commitments and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. We use the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as we do for on-balance sheet financial instruments.
Undistributed portion of committed loans and unused lines of credit
Loan commitments are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no customer violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require a payment of a fee. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, commitments included the funding of fixed-rate loans totaling $224,266 and $191,415 and variable-rate loans totaling $1,376,746 and $1,656,434, respectively. The fixed-rate loan commitments have interest rates ranging from 1.00% to 18.00% at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, and maturities ranging from 1 month to 18 years at September 30, 2024 and from 1 month to 19 years at December 31, 2023.
Standby letters of credit
Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third-party. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. Since many of the loan commitments and letters of credit expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amount does not necessarily represent future cash requirements. We evaluate each customer’s creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary upon extension of credit, is based on our credit evaluation of the counterparty. Collateral held varies but may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, owner occupied real estate, and/or income-producing commercial properties. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our standby letters of credit commitment totaled $30,189 and $14,490, respectively.
MPF Master Commitments
The Bank has executed MPF Master Commitments (Commitments) with the FHLB to deliver mortgage loans and to guarantee the payment of any realized losses that exceed the FHLB’s first loss account for mortgages delivered under the Commitments. The Bank receives credit enhancement fees from the FHLB for providing this guarantee and continuing to manage the credit risk of the MPF Program mortgage loans. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Bank considered the amount of any of its liability for the present value of the credit enhancement fees less any expected losses in the mortgages delivered under the Commitments to be immaterial, and has not recorded a liability and offsetting receivable. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the maximum potential amount of future payments that the Bank would have been required to make under the Commitments was $3,829 and $3,810, respectively. Under the Commitments, the Bank agrees to service the loans and therefore, is responsible for any necessary foreclosure proceedings. Any future recoveries on any losses would not be paid by the FHLB under the Commitments. The Bank has not experienced any material losses under these guarantees.
Contingencies
We generally sell loans to investors without recourse; therefore, the investors have assumed the risk of loss or default by the borrower. However, we are usually required by these investors to make certain standard representations and warranties relating to credit information, loan documentation, and collateral. To the extent that we do not comply with such representations, we may be required to repurchase the loans or indemnify these investors for any losses from borrower defaults. We establish reserves for potential losses related to these representations and warranties if deemed appropriate and such reserves would be recorded within accrued expenses and other liabilities. In assessing the adequacy of the reserve, we evaluate various factors including actual write-offs during the period, historical loss experience, known delinquent and other problem loans, and economic trends and conditions in the industry.
From time to time, we are a defendant in various claims, legal actions, and complaints arising in the ordinary course of business. We periodically review all outstanding pending or threatened legal proceedings and determine if such matters will have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Litigation
Overdraft Fee Litigation:
On September 13, 2021, Samantha Besser filed a putative class action amended complaint against the Bank in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. The amended complaint alleges that the Bank improperly charged multiple insufficient funds or overdraft fees. The Plaintiff seeks unspecified restitution, actual and statutory damages, costs, attorneys’ fees, pre-judgment interest, and other relief as the Court deems proper. On September 27, 2021, the Bank filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, which was denied on March 11, 2024. The case is now in discovery. At this time, the Bank is unable to reasonably estimate the outcome of this litigation.
Check Fraud Litigation
Rodeo Electrical Services, Inc. and its owner (“RESI”) filed a civil action against the Bank on June 23, 2020 in the Santa Fe County, New Mexico District Court. The complaint alleged that the Bank conspired with or otherwise aided a former RESI employee’s embezzlement of approximately $0.4 million from RESI. The complaint sought compensatory, exemplary, statutory and punitive damages, as well as payment of RESI’s legal fees and expenses. On January 18, 2024, the jury awarded RESI approximately $2.1 million which included punitive damages. Judgment on the aforementioned jury award was formally entered on July 25, 2024. A supplemental award of RESI’s legal fees will likely be entered by January 1, 2025. We believe the judgment will be covered by insurance; therefore, such outcome will not have a material financial impact on the Bank.
We establish reserves for contingencies, including legal proceedings, when potential losses become probable and can be reasonably estimated. While the ultimate resolution of any legal proceedings, including the matters described above, cannot be determined at this time, based on information presently available, and after consultation with legal counsel, management believes that the ultimate outcome in these above legal proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial statements. It is possible, however, that future developments could result in an unfavorable outcome for or resolution of any of these proceedings, which may be material to our results of operations for a given fiscal period.