Commitments, Credit Risk, and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Commitments, Credit Risk, and Contingencies [Abstract]

Commitments, Credit Risk, and Contingencies

(11) Commitments, Credit Risk, and Contingencies

In the normal course of business, the Bank enters into commitments that involve 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 Bank’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 Bank 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 Bank 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 Bank 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 evaluation of the applicant’s credit. 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. Payments under 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 March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 follows:

	March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011
	(Dollars in thousands)
Commitments to extend credit	$	75,131	$	92,128
Home equity lines of credit		80,251		78,410
Standby letters of credit		8,335		8,145
Total	$	163,717	$	178,683