increases in the cash surrender value of life insurance policies, interest on tax-exempt securities, certain expenses that are not allowed as tax deductions, and tax credits.
The following table shows the Company’s effective income tax rates for the periods indicated:
| | | | | | | | | |
| | Three Months Ended | | Nine Months Ended | |
| | September 30, | | September 30, | |
| | 2021 | | 2020 | | 2021 | | 2020 | |
Effective income tax rate | | 28.8 | % | 27.3 | % | 27.5 | % | 28.3 | % |
The difference in the effective tax rate for the periods reported compared to the combined Federal and state statutory tax rate of 29.6% is primarily the result of the Company’s investment in life insurance policies whose earnings are not subject to taxes, tax credits related to investments in low income housing limited partnerships (net of low income housing investment losses), and tax-exempt interest income earned on municipal bonds.
The Company’s Federal and state income tax expense for the third quarter of 2021 was $5.6 million, compared to $4.2 million for the third quarter of 2020. The Company’s Federal and state income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $12.8 million, compared to $9.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.
Some items of income and expense are recognized in one year for tax purposes, and another when applying generally accepted accounting principles, which leads to timing differences between the Company’s actual tax liability, and the amount accrued for this liability based on book income. These temporary differences comprise the “deferred” portion of the Company’s tax expense or benefit, which is accumulated on the Company’s books as a deferred tax asset or deferred tax liability until such time as they reverse.
Realization of the Company’s deferred tax assets is primarily dependent upon the Company generating sufficient future taxable income to obtain benefit from the reversal of net deductible temporary differences and the utilization of tax credit carryforwards and the net operating loss carryforwards for Federal and state income tax purposes. The amount of deferred tax assets considered realizable is subject to adjustment in future periods based on estimates of future taxable income. Under generally accepted accounting principles a valuation allowance is required to be recognized if it is “more likely than not” that the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The determination of the realizability of the deferred tax assets is highly subjective and dependent upon judgment concerning management’s evaluation of both positive and negative evidence, including forecasts of future income, cumulative losses, applicable tax planning strategies, and assessments of current and future economic and business conditions.
The Company had net deferred tax assets of $25.3 million at September 30, 2021, $27.8 million at September 30, 2020, and $28.2 million at December 31, 2020. After consideration of the matters in the preceding paragraph, the Company determined that it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax assets at September 30, 2021, September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2020 will be fully realized in future years.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
At September 30, 2021, total assets increased 19% to $5.46 billion, compared to $4.61 billion at September 30, 2020, and increased 18% from $4.63 billion at December 31, 2020. Total deposits at September 30, 2021 included $336.0 million of temporary deposits from one customer held in a money market account that were received late in the third quarter of 2021, resulting in higher overnight funds.
Securities available-for-sale, at fair value, were $121.0 million at September 30, 2021, a decrease of 59% from $294.4 million at September 30, 2020, and a decrease of 49% from $235.8 million at December 31, 2020. Securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost, were $537.3 million at September 30, 2021, an increase of 82% from $295.6 million at September 30, 2020, and an increase of 81% from $297.4 million at December 31, 2020.
Loans, excluding loans held-for-sale, increased $135.8 million, or 5%, to $2.83 billion at September 30, 2021, compared to $2.70 billion at September 30, 2020, and increased $213.6 million, or 8%, compared to $2.62 billion at December 31, 2020. Total loans at September 30, 2021 included $164.5 million of PPP loans, compared to $323.6 million at September 30, 2020, and $290.7 million at December 31, 2020. Total loans at September 30, 2021 included $211.5 million of residential mortgages, compared to $91.1 million at September 30, 2020 and $85.1 million at December