troubled debt restructuring generally involve a temporary reduction in interest rate or an extension of a loan’s stated maturity date at a below market rate. Adversely classified, non-accrual troubled debt restructurings may be returned to accrued status if principal and interest payments, under the modified terms, are current for six consecutive months after modification. All troubled debt restructured loans are classified as impaired.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss model with an expected loss model, which is referred to as the current expected credit loss model, or CECL, ASU 2016-13. We previously elected to defer the adoption of ASU 2016-13 until December 31, 2020. As permitted by the CARES Act, and based on legislation enacted in December 2020 which extended certain provision of the CARES Act, we elected to extend the adoption of CECL until January 1, 2023 in accordance with the recent legislation. This standard requires earlier recognition of expected credit losses on loans and certain other instruments, compared to the incurred loss model.
Based on management’s comprehensive analysis of the loan portfolio, management believes the allowance for loan losses is appropriate as of March 31, 2021.
Balance Sheet Analysis
General
Total assets increased by $3.1 million, or 0.3%, to $965.1 million at March 31, 2021, from $968.2 million at December 31, 2020. The increase in assets was primarily due to a decrease in cash and cash equivalents of $13.3 million, a decrease in other assets of $639,000, and a decrease in investment securities held-to-maturity of $443,000, partially offset by an increase in loans of $11.2 million.
Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $13.3 million, or 19.3%, to $55.9 million at March 31, 2021 from $69.2 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease in cash can primarily be attributed to an increase in loans of $11.2 million, a decrease in deposits of $6.7 million, cash dividends of $148,000, partially offset by a decrease in securities held-to-maturity of $443,000 and an increase in advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance of $215,000.
Securities held-to-maturity decreased by $443,000, or 6.0%, to $3.9 million at March 31, 2021 from $7.4 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily due to maturities and pay-downs of $443,000.
Loans, net of the allowance for loan losses, increased by $11.2 million, or 1.4%, to $830.9 million at March 31, 2021 from $819.7 million at December 31, 2020. The increase in loans, net of the allowance for loan losses, was primarily due to an increase in construction loans of $17.5 million. The increases were partially offset by decreases in non-residential loans of $2.7 million, mixed-use loans of $1.4 million, commercial and industrial loans of $975,000, multi-family loans of $485,000, and one- to four-family loans of $462,000, coupled with normal pay-downs and principal reductions.
Foreclosed real estate was $2.0 million at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.
Right of use assets — operating, recognized in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 842 “Leases”, decreased by $132,000 to $3.0 million at March 31, 2021 from $3.1 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease in right of use assets — operating was due to amortization.
Other assets decreased by $639,000 to $4.4 million at March 31, 2021 from $5.0 million at December 31, 2020 due to a decrease in tax assets of $1.5 million, partially offset by an increase in suspense accounts of $893,000.
Total deposits decreased by $6.7 million, or 0.9%, to $765.0 million at March 31, 2021, from $771.7 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in certificates of deposit of $22.9 million, or 6.6%, from December 31, 2020 to March 31, 2021. The decrease was partially offset by an increase in NOW/money market accounts of $13.2 million, or 13.1%, an increase in non-interest bearing demand deposits of $1.6 million, or 0.7%, and an increase in savings account balances of $1.3 million, or 1.3%, from December 31, 2020 to March 31, 2021.