We believe our research and development expenses will decrease for the year ended December 31, 2016, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2015, because we have completed most of our research and development work on our prepaid mobile money solutions, and we anticipate that our other projects under development, Select Mobile Account Opening and Select Mobile NowPay, will require less research and development.
General and Administrative
Total general and administrative expenses decreased 2%, or $89,110, to $3,908,976 for the year ended December 31, 2015, from $3,998,086 for the year ended December 31, 2014. Non-cash stock compensation expense included in general and administrative expenses was approximately $192,000 and $201,000 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Excluding non-cash stock compensation expense, total general and administrative expenses decreased by approximately $80,000 for 2015.
The decrease in 2015 was primarily due to an overall decrease in professional fees of approximately $73,000, a reduction in travel expenses of approximately $87,000, a reduction in employee compensation and related costs, excluding non-cash stock compensation expense, of approximately $10,000, and a reduction in employee relations expenses of approximately $44,000. These lower costs were partially offset by an increase of approximately $125,000 in insurance related costs and an increase in other miscellaneous expenses of approximately $9,000. We believe our general and administrative costs will remain approximately at the same level in 2016 as compared to 2015.
Interest Expense
Interest expense and other non-cash financing expense for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $2,446,260 compared to $5,703,963 for the year ended December 31, 2014, a decrease of $3,257,703, or 57%. The expenses in 2015 includes approximately $525,000 of cash interest expense related to the outstanding debt, approximately $212,000 of amortization of deferred financing fees, and approximately $1,709,000 related to issuing additional warrants to induce the exercise of prior warrants issued and repricing of the outstanding warrants as provided for in the warrant agreements. The expenses in 2014 includes approximately $1,997,000 of cash interest expense and approximately $891,000 of non-cash interest expense related to the outstanding debt, approximately $137,000 of amortization of deferred financing fees, and approximately $2,679,000 related to issuing additional warrants to induce the exercise of prior warrants issued and repricing the outstanding warrants as provided for in the warrant agreements.
The decrease in 2015 was primarily driven by an overall decrease in our indebtedness when compared to the prior year. Prior to July 14, 2014, our total principal and accrued interest outstanding was approximately $15,000,000. On July 14, 2014, in connection with completion of our initial public offering of common stock, approximately $6,000,000 principal amount of indebtedness and accrued interest, held primarily by two of our directors, James L. Davis and Michael J. Hanson, Trooien Capital, LLC and a number of other investors, was converted into approximately 342,600 shares of common stock.
In addition, on July 14, 2014 we repaid a total of approximately $3,200,000 of outstanding indebtedness, consisting of principal and accrued interest as of the repayment date. Of this amount, approximately $1,730,000 of the amount repaid was a short term loan in the principal amount of $1,500,000 we received from one of our directors, Michael J. Hanson, on March 4, 2014 as a bridge loan to enable us to fund the acquisition of selected assets of DeviceFidelity. In connection with that loan, we agreed to issue to Mr. Hanson shares of our common stock equal to 12.5% of the principal amount of that loan not later than April 3, 2014, and 3.125% of the principal amount of that loan on each successive fifth business day thereafter so long as any portion of the principal was outstanding on such date. We issued to Mr. Hanson a total of 25,521 shares of our common stock in connection with this loan. In addition, the initial interest rate of 24% per annum was increased to 48% per annum on April 4, 2014 until the loan was repaid in full on July 14, 2014. Total interest expense associated with this loan for the year ended December 31, 2014 totaled $1,122,405 of which $890,624 related to the fair value of common stock issued in April 2014 as part of the agreement our agreement with Mr. Hanson.
Also included in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2014 was $1,000,000 associated with agreeing to issue 44,445 shares of our common stock to Trooien Capital, LLC as part of being granted by Trooien Capital, LLC an extension of our senior secured note to May 12, 2014. We amortized the $1,000,000 of cost as interest expense through the new maturity date of the note.