The loan portfolio, excluding PCI loans, had net recoveries of $239,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared with net charge-offs of $301,000 in the same period of 2020. Total charge-offs were $352,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $754,000 in the same period of 2020. Recoveries of previously charged-off loans were $591,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $453,000 in the same period of 2020.
Noninterest Income
Noninterest income of $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2021 was a decrease of $91,000, or 6.2%, compared with the third quarter of 2020. Other noninterest income declined by $85,000 year over year and was $297,000 in the third quarter of 2021. Gains (loss) on securities transactions decreased $85,000 year over year as securities losses of $7,000 were recognized in the third quarter of 2021 compared with gains of $78,000 in the third quarter of 2020. Offsetting these decreases to noninterest income was an increase of $58,000 in service charges and fees, which were $671,000 in the third quarter of 2021. Additionally, mortgage loan income of $255,000 in the third quarter of 2021 was an increase of $27,000 year over year.
Noninterest income was $4.5 million for the first nine months of 2021, an increase of $47,000, or 1.1%, over noninterest income of $4.4 million for the first nine months of 2020. Other noninterest income was $1.2 million for the first nine months of 2021, an increase of $205,000 over the same period in 2020. Service charges and fees of $2.0 million for the first nine months of 2021 was an increase of $184,000 over the same period in 2020, reflecting reduced transaction volumes in 2020 created by the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. Gain (loss) on securities transactions, net exhibited the greatest decline, $300,000, and reflected a net loss of $19,000 recognized for the first nine months of 2021 compared with gains of $281,000 for the same period in 2020. Income on bank owned life insurance was $499,000 for the first nine months of 2021, a decrease of $19,000 from the same period in 2020. Mortgage loan income was $810,000 for the first nine months of 2021, a decrease of $12,000 over the same period in 2020.
Noninterest Expense
Noninterest expenses of $9.1 million for the third quarter of 2021 was an increase of $584,000, or 6.8%, from noninterest expenses of $8.5 million for the third quarter of 2020. The largest component of the increase was an increase in other operating expenses, which increased by $375,000, from $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2020, to $1.8 million for the same period in 2021. This increase is comprised mainly of $147,000 in merger related expenses incurred during the third quarter of 2021, combined with increases of $59,000 in professional fees, $59,000 in marketing expense and $50,000 in telephone and data expenses. Salaries and employee benefits of $5.4 million in the third quarter of 2021 increased $367,000, or 7.3%, over the third quarter of 2020. Data processing fees of $673,000 in the third quarter of 2021 reflected an increase of $17,000 year over year. Offsetting these increases was a year-over-year decline of $82,000 in other real estate expenses, net, which were $5,000 in the third quarter of 2021. Equipment expenses were $275,000 in the third quarter of 2021 compared with $330,000 for the same period in 2020, a decrease of $55,000, or 16.7%. Occupancy expenses, $790,000 in the third quarter of 2021, declined $25,000 from the same period in 2020. FDIC assessment, which was $161,000 in the third quarter of 2021, declined by $13,000 year over year.
Noninterest expenses were $27.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021, an increase of $2.1 million, or 8.3%, compared with the same period in 2020. Other operating expenses were $5.7 million and increased by $1.4 million, or 31.7%, in the first nine months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020. Part of the increase is attributed to $717,000 in merger related expenses, a $201,000 increase in legal fees, and a $114,000 increase in professional fees incurred during the second quarter of 2021. Also, there was an assessment of the fair value of a low income housing tax credit investment that resulted in a downward adjustment of $154,000 in the second quarter of 2021. Salaries and employee benefits of $16.0 million were an increase of $1.2 million, or 7.8%, for the first nine months of 2021 over the same period in 2020. Data processing fees, which were $2.0 million, increased by $201,000, or 11.0%, for the first nine months of 2021 over the same period in 2020. Other real estate expenses, net, decreased $504,000 as a result of gains recognized in the second quarter of 2021 on the disposition of other real estate owned. Also offsetting these increases were a decline of $167,000 in equipment expenses, which was $880,000 for the first nine months of 2021, and a decrease of $33,000 in occupancy expenses, which was $2.4 million for the first nine months of 2021.