Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2019
Net income was $26.4 million, or $4.27 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 compared to net income of $10.5 million, or $1.63 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The increase was due largely to the increase in net interest income of $12.7 million, combined with increased non-interest income of $55.9 million, partially offset by increases in the provision for loan losses, non-interest expense, and income taxes of $7.4 million, $40.2 million, and $5.1 million, respectively.
Net interest income increased $12.7 million, or 34.8%, to $49.0 million from $36.3 million, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020. The growth in net interest income over this period reflects an increase in average interest earning assets of $447.0 million. The increase in average interest earning assets over this period was the result of the addition of PPP loans in 2020, as well as increases in the average balances of commercial real estate loans, commercial loans, small business loans, leases, and construction loans, along with an increase to the average balance of residential real estate loans held for sale. The net interest margin declined to 3.40% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 from 3.65% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 due to a decline in the yield on loans of 92 basis points, while the cost of funds also declined over this period by 79 basis points. The margin over this period was impacted 7 basis points from the effects of the PPP loan program combined with the use of PPPLF borrowings.
The provision for loan losses was $8.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, compared to a $901 thousand provision for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The provision for the current year period was due largely to qualitative provisioning for the continued economic uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and overall loan portfolio growth, combined with the impact of a $1.5 million specific reserve placed on an impaired commercial loan during the third quarter of 2020.
Total non-interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 was $ 86.9 million, up $55.9 million or 180.4%, from the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. This increase in non-interest income came primarily from our mortgage division as mortgage banking net revenue increased $52.3 million or 217.1% over the prior year period. The significant increase in the current year period came from increased levels of mortgage loan originations due to both the expansion of the division into Maryland as well as the favorable rate environment for refinance activity. Our mortgage division originated $2.4 billion in loans during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $1.8 billion, or 292.5%, from the prior year period. Refinance activity represented 60% of the total residential mortgage loans originated for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, compared to 30% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The increase in the mortgage pipeline as a result of the expansion and the refinance activity generated significant positive fair value changes in derivative instruments and loans held-for-sale. These fair value changes increased non-interest income a combined $8.7 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. These changes were offset by increases in net hedging losses of $8.6 million.
Wealth management revenue increased $230 thousand, or 6.3%, year-over-year due to the more favorable market conditions that existed in the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, compared to the prior year comparable period.
Non-interest income from the sales of investments amounted to $1.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $1.2 million from the prior year period. Income from the sales of SBA 7(a) loans increased $1.2 million, or 83.5%, from the prior year period, to $2.6 million. $41.1 million in SBA 7(a) loans were sold for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, compared to $22.4 million in loans sold for the twelve months ended December 21, 2019. Other fee income was up $934 thousand or 57.7% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, from the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 due largely to $319 thousand in swap fee income from customer loan swaps recorded in the current year period, an increase of $144 thousand in title fee income, a $149 thousand increase in wire fee income as well as $436 thousand in mortgage fee income, respectively, as loan closing activity increased period-over-period.
Total non-interest expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 was $93.1 million, up $40.2 million or 75.9%, from the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The increase is largely attributable to the variable expenses from loan originations overall, particularly mortgage commissions. Total salaries and employee benefits expense was