63.6%, driven by higher legal expense and digital deconversion expenses as the Company launched Lake City Bank Digital in March 2021. Data processing fees increased $437,000, or 15.2%, driven by the Company’s continued investment in customer-focused, technology-based solutions, such as the online PPP origination and forgiveness platform, and ongoing cybersecurity and data management enhancements. Data processing expenses associated with the PPP digital solution total $378,000 during the first quarter of 2021. Corporate and business development expense increased $398,000, or 35.8%, due to higher business and community development expenditures.
The Company’s efficiency ratio was 47.6% for the first quarter of 2021, compared to 44.5% for the first quarter of 2020 and 44.1% for the linked fourth quarter of 2020.
As previously disclosed, in the third quarter of 2019, the Bank discovered potentially fraudulent activity by a former treasury management client involving multiple banks. The former client subsequently filed several related bankruptcy cases, captioned In re Interlogic Outsourcing, Inc., et al., which are pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan. The Bank and the other banks are currently subject to document and information requests in these bankruptcy cases and other related bankruptcy cases. The debtors have also requested the examinations of various current and former bank employees as part of the debtors’ investigation. On February 5, 2021, the former client and the other debtors in related bankruptcy cases filed a joint disclosure statement and a joint plan for liquidation with the bankruptcy court. In those documents, the debtors stated that they have been investigating causes of action against three banks, including the Bank, and other parties involved with the former customer. The debtors further disclosed that they had settled potential claims against one of the other banks, KeyBank, National Association (“KeyBank”). On April 21, 2021, the debtors and the bankruptcy plan proponents filed a memorandum of law in support of their amended plan of liquidation. In that memorandum, the debtors disclosed that they had various potential state and federal claims against KeyBank, which were settled, and that they have similar potential state and federal claims against the Bank. On April 26, 2021, the bankruptcy court conducted a hearing to approve the debtors’ amended plan of liquidation. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court issued an oral ruling confirming an amended plan of liquidation and, on April 27, entered a written order approving the amended plan of liquidation. Based on current information, we have determined that a loss is neither probable nor estimable at this time, and the Bank intends to vigorously defend itself if any claim is filed.
Future noninterest expense may continue to be impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, continued economic reopening and growth may impact balance sheet growth and resulting revenue growth which could increase the amount the Company pays in incentive-based compensation. In addition, elevated provision expense may reduce net income and diluted earnings per share, another key performance metric that impacts the incentive-based compensation targets.
The Company’s income tax expense increased $1.4 million, or 38.1%, in the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The effective tax rate was 18.0% in the three-month period ended March 31, 2021, compared to 17.4% for the comparable period of 2020. The year-to-date effective tax rate for 2021 increased as compared to the prior year period primarily due a lower percentage of income being derived from tax-advantaged sources.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
Overview
Total assets of the Company were $6.017 billion as of March 31, 2021, an increase of $186.2 million, or 3.2%, when compared to $5.830 billion as of December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to a $252.0 million increase in cash and cash equivalents and a $105.6 million increase in securities available-for-sale, offset by a decrease in gross loans of $174.5, or 3.8%. Total deposits increased $193.2 million, or 3.8%, while total borrowings decreased by $10.5 million, or 12.3%. The increase in deposits was primarily driven by growth in core deposits of $198.2 million, or 4.0%, offset by a decrease in wholesale funding of $5.0 million. Core deposits were $5.220 billion as of March 31, 2021 compared to $5.022 billion as of December 31, 2020. The net decline in PPP loans was due to loan forgiveness of $159.1 million from round one loans and $143.8 million of loans originated in round two of the program. The outstanding balance of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans at March 31, 2021, was $396.7 million versus $412.0 million at December 31, 2020. Loans excluding PPP loans decreased by $159.2 million, or 3.8%, from $4.24 billion at December 31, 2020 to $4.08 billion at March 31, 2021. Additionally, commercial deposits increased by $67.3 million, or 3.5%, to $2.008 billion at March 31, 2021 compared to $1.940 billion at December 31, 2020. The increase in commercial and retail core deposits has resulted from proceeds from the PPP loan program, federal stimulus payments made to individuals and an increase in the savings rate during the pandemic.