(18)COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES, CONTINUED
Operating Leases
The Company leases real estate under noncancelable operating leases. Total rent expense was approximately $570,000 and $344,000 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
The future minimum lease payments for these leases are as follows:
| | | | |
2022 | | $ | 672,006 | |
2023 | | | 687,863 | |
2024 | | | 554,328 | |
2025 | | | 364,215 | |
2026 | | | 327,555 | |
| | $ | 2,605,967 | |
(19)RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Company has granted loans to certain employees, executive officers, directors, and significant stockholders, as well as companies in which the Bank’s executive officers or directors were principal owners. The aggregate dollar amount of these loans was $20,336,481 and $22,221,553 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In management’s opinion, loans and other extensions of credit and deposits were made in the ordinary course of business and were made on substantially the same terms (including interest rates and collateral) as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons. Further, in management’s opinion, these loans do not involve more than normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.
In the normal course of business, the Bank regularly sells and purchases participations in loans with an affiliated bank. Participations purchased from the affiliated bank totaled $16,987,969 and $32,537,470, at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Participations sold to the affiliated bank totaled $39,344,301 and $32,390,485, at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Deposits of executive officers, directors, and significant shareholders of the Company and their related associates totaled $9,648,945 and $6,398,650 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
The Bank also has a shared services agreement with an affiliated bank whereas certain employees serve similar roles at both banks. Included in salaries and employee benefits expense on the accompany consolidated statements of income, the Bank paid $860,985 and $498,525, for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, to reimburse the affiliated bank for the net shared services.