Off-Balance Sheet Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Off-Balance Sheet Commitments and Contingencies

The Corporation is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financial needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. Those instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated balance sheets. The Corporation's exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party of the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contract or notional amount of those instruments. The Corporation uses the same credit policies for underwriting all loans, including these commitments and conditional obligations.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Corporation did not own or trade other financial instruments with significant off-balance sheet risk including derivatives such as futures, forwards, option contracts and the like, although such instruments may be appropriate to use in the future to manage interest rate risk. See Note 17, “Derivative Instruments,” for a description of interest rate derivatives entered into by the Corporation.

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Corporation to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. The contract or notional amount of these instruments reflects the maximum amount of future payments that the Corporation could be required to pay under the guarantees if there were a total default by the guaranteed parties, without consideration for possible recoveries under recourse provisions or from collateral held or pledged. In addition, many of these commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon; therefore, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

The Corporation's maximum obligation to extend credit for loan commitments (unfunded loans and unused lines of credit) and standby letters of credit outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:


	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
	Fixed Rate		Variable Rate		Fixed Rate		Variable Rate
Commitments to make loans	$	111,526	$	370,437	$	126,594	$	441,008
Unused lines of credit	11,219		789,534		7,444		725,277
Standby letters of credit	18,649		2,480		16,124		1,603

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Corporation evaluates each customer’s creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Corporation upon extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the counterparty. Collateral that is held varies but may include securities, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, and residential and income-producing commercial properties.

Allowance for Credit Losses on Unfunded Loan Commitments

The Corporation maintains an allowance for credit losses on unfunded commercial lending commitments and letters of credit to provide for the risk of loss inherent in these arrangements. The allowance is computed using a methodology similar to that used to determine the allowance for credit losses for loans receivable, modified to take into account the probability of a draw-down on the commitment. The provision for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments is included in the provision for credit losses on the Corporation's consolidated statements of income. The allowance for unfunded commitments is included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. Note 3, "Loans Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses," in the consolidated financial statements provides more detail concerning the provision for credit losses related to the loan portfolio of the Corporation.

The following table presents activity in the allowance for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively:


	Year ended December 31,

		2023		2022		2021
Beginning balance		$	603	$	—	$	—
Provision for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments (1)		156		603		—
Ending balance		$	759	$	603	$	—

(1) Excludes provision for credit losses related to the loan portfolio.

Other Off-Balance Sheet Commitments

The Corporation makes investments in limited partnerships, including certain small business investment corporations and low income housing partnerships. Capital contributions for investments in small business companies ("SBIC") and other limited partnerships, reported in FHLB and other restricted stock holdings and investments on the consolidated balance sheet, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, were $21.7 million and $17.0 million, respectively. Unfunded capital commitments in investments in SBIC's and other limited partnerships totaled $6.8 million and $5.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. These investments are accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Qualified Affordable Housing Project Investments

The carrying value of investments in the low income housing partnerships, reported in FHLB and other restricted stock holdings and investments on the consolidated balance sheet, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $3.8 million and $4.5 million, respectively. The related amortization for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 were $747 thousand, $803 thousand, and $691 thousand, respectively. Unfunded commitments, reported in accrued interest payable and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, were $796 thousand and $1.0 million, respectively.

Litigation

The Corporation is subject to claims and lawsuits that arise primarily in the ordinary course of business. It is the opinion of management the disposition or ultimate resolution of such claims and lawsuits will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Corporation.