Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

In the normal course of business, the Corporation enters into commitments with off-balance sheet risk to meet the financing needs of its customers. These instruments are currently limited to commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. Commitments to extend credit involve elements of credit risk 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 to the commitment is represented by the contractual amount of the commitment. The Corporation uses the same credit policies in making commitments as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. Interest rate risk on commitments to extend credit results from the possibility that interest rates may have moved unfavorably from the position of the Corporation since the time the commitment was made.

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 of 30 to 120 days or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since some of the commitments may expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

The Corporation evaluates each customer’s credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained by the Bank upon extension of credit is based on management’s credit evaluation of the applicant. Collateral held is generally single-family residential real estate and commercial real estate. Substantially all of the obligations to extend credit are variable rate. Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Standby letters of credit generally are contingent upon the failure of the customer to perform according to the terms of the underlying contract with the third party.

A summary of the contractual amount of commitments at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 follows:

	September 30, 2014		December 31, 2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
Commitments to extend credit	$	85,072	$	84,283
Home equity lines of credit	91,910		89,331
Standby letters of credit	8,940		8,448
Total	$	185,922	$	182,062

The nature of the Corporation’s business may result in litigation. Management, after reviewing with counsel all actions and proceedings pending against or involving the Corporation and its subsidiaries at September 30, 2014, considers that the aggregate liability or loss, if any, resulting from them will not be material to the Corporation’s financial position, results of operation or liquidity.