LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES | NOTE 4 – LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES Loans that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future, or until maturity or payoffs, are reported at their outstanding principal balances adjusted for any charge-offs, the allowance for loan losses, any deferred fees or costs on originated loans and unamortized premiums or discounts on purchased loans. Interest income is reported on the interest method and includes amortization of net deferred loan fees and costs over the loan term. Generally, all loan classes are placed on nonaccrual status not later than 90 days past due, unless the loan is well-secured and in the process of collection. All interest accrued, but not collected, for loans that are placed on nonaccrual or charged-off is reversed against interest income. The interest on these loans is accounted for on the cash-basis or cost-recovery method, until qualifying for return to accrual. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and future payments are reasonably assured. The following table summarizes the composition of the loan portfolio: Total Loans ($ in thousands) September 30, December 31, Commercial & industrial $ 120,325 $ 128,393 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 124,182 110,929 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 297,554 301,880 Agricultural 60,928 64,505 Residential real estate 320,306 291,368 Home equity line of credit (HELOC) 47,695 45,056 Consumer 18,031 19,944 Total loans 989,021 962,075 Allowance for credit losses (15,790 ) (13,818 ) Loans, net $ 973,231 $ 948,257 The totals shown above are net of deferred loan fees and costs, which totaled $0.44 million and $0.31 million at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. The risk characteristics of each loan portfolio segment are as follows: Commercial & Industrial and Agricultural Commercial & industrial and agricultural loans are primarily underwritten based on the identified cash flows of the borrower and secondarily on the underlying collateral provided by the borrower. The cash flows of borrowers, however, may not be as expected and the collateral securing these loans may fluctuate in value. Most commercial loans are secured by the assets being financed or other business assets, such as accounts receivable or inventory, and may include a personal guarantee. Short-term loans may be made on an unsecured basis. In the case of loans secured by accounts receivable, the availability of funds for the repayment of these loans may be substantially dependent on the ability of the borrower to collect amounts due from its customers. Commercial Real Estate (Owner and Nonowner Occupied) Commercial real estate loans are viewed primarily as cash flow loans and secondarily as loans secured by real estate. Commercial real estate lending typically involves higher loan principal amounts and the repayment of these loans is generally dependent on the successful operation of the property securing the loan or the business conducted on the property securing the loan. Commercial real estate loans may be more adversely affected by conditions in the real estate markets or in the general economy. The characteristics of properties securing the Company’s commercial real estate portfolio are diverse, but with geographic location almost entirely in the Company’s market area. Management monitors and evaluates commercial real estate loans based on collateral, geography and risk grade criteria. In general, the Company avoids financing single purpose projects unless other underwriting factors are present to help mitigate risk. In addition, management tracks the level of owner-occupied versus non-owner-occupied commercial real estate loans. Construction loans are underwritten utilizing feasibility studies, independent appraisal reviews and financial analysis of the developers and property owners. Construction loans are generally underwritten based on estimates of costs and value associated with the completed project. These estimates may be inaccurate. Construction loans often involve the disbursement of substantial funds with repayment substantially dependent on the success of the ultimate project. Sources of repayment for these types of loans may be pre-committed permanent loans from approved long-term lenders, sales of developed property or an interim loan commitment from the Company until permanent financing is obtained. These loans are closely monitored by on-site inspections and are considered to have higher risks than other real estate loans due to their ultimate repayment being sensitive to interest rate changes, governmental regulation of real property, general economic conditions and the availability of long-term financing. Residential Real Estate, HELOC and Consumer Residential and consumer loans consist of two segments – residential mortgage loans and personal loans. Residential mortgage loans are secured by 1-4 family residences and are generally owner-occupied, and the Company generally establishes a maximum loan-to-value ratio and requires private mortgage insurance if that ratio is exceeded. HELOCs are typically secured by a subordinate interest in 1-4 family residences, and consumer personal loans are secured by consumer personal assets, such as automobiles or recreational vehicles. Some consumer personal loans are unsecured, such as small installment loans and certain lines of credit. Repayment of these loans is primarily dependent on the personal income of the borrowers, which can be impacted by economic conditions in their market areas, such as unemployment levels. Repayment can also be impacted by changes in property values on residential properties. Risk is mitigated by the fact that these loans are of smaller individual amounts and spread over a large number of borrowers. Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL) The ACL is an estimate of the expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, which is measured using relevant information about past events, including historical credit loss experience on financial assets with similar risk characteristics, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the remaining cash flows over the contractual term of the financial assets. A provision for credit losses is charged to operations based on management’s periodic evaluation of these and other pertinent factors. As a result of the adoption of ASC 326, the Company recorded a $1.4 million increase to the ACL as a cumulative-effect adjustment on January 1, 2023. The following tables summarize the activity related to the ACL for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 under the CECL methodology. ($ in thousands) Balance, beginning of period Impact of Adopting ASC 326 Chargeoffs Recoveries Provision for Credit Losses Balance, end of period Commercial & industrial $ 1,957 $ - $ - $ - $ (37 ) $ 1,920 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 1,897 - - - 2 1,899 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 5,783 - - - 43 5,826 Agricultural 408 - - - 1 409 Residential real estate 4,985 - - 1 2 4,988 HELOC 523 - - - (8 ) 515 Consumer 242 - (12 ) 6 (3 ) 233 Total $ 15,795 $ - $ (12 ) $ 7 $ - $ 15,790 ($ in thousands) Balance, beginning of period Impact of Adopting ASC 326 Chargeoffs Recoveries Provision for Credit Losses Balance, end of period Commercial & industrial $ 1,663 $ 230 $ - $ - $ 27 $ 1,920 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 1,696 54 - - 149 1,899 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 4,584 1,015 - - 227 5,826 Agricultural 611 (194 ) - - (8 ) 409 Residential real estate 4,438 360 (53 ) 1 242 4,988 HELOC 547 (76 ) - - 44 515 Consumer 279 (17 ) (60 ) 24 7 233 Total $ 13,818 $ 1,372 $ (113 ) $ 25 $ 688 $ 15,790 Prior to the adoption of ASC 326 on January 1, 2023, the Company calculated the allowance for loan losses under the incurred loss methodology. The following tables contain disclosures related to the allowance for loan losses in prior periods under this methodology. ($ in thousands) Balance, beginning of period Chargeoffs Recoveries Provision for Credit Losses Balance, end of period Commercial & industrial $ 1,828 $ - $ - $ (32 ) $ 1,796 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 2,564 - - - 2,564 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 4,107 - - (21 ) 4,086 Agricultural 560 - - 12 572 Residential real estate 3,751 - - 175 3,926 HELOC 534 - - (26 ) 508 Consumer 457 (9 ) 32 (108 ) 372 Total $ 13,801 $ (9 ) $ 32 $ - $ 13,824 ($ in thousands) Balance, beginning of period Chargeoffs Recoveries Provision for Credit Losses Balance, end Commercial & industrial $ 1,890 $ - $ - $ (94 ) $ 1,796 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 2,564 - - - 2,564 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 4,217 - - (131 ) 4,086 Agricultural 599 - - (27 ) 572 Residential real estate 3,515 - - 411 3,926 HELOC 579 - - (71 ) 508 Consumer 441 (27 ) 46 (88 ) 372 Total $ 13,805 $ (27 ) $ 46 $ - $ 13,824 ($ in thousands) Balance at Beginning of Period Chargeoffs Recoveries Provision for Credit Losses Balance at Commercial & industrial $ 1,890 $ - $ - $ (227 ) $ 1,663 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 2,564 - - (868 ) 1,696 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 4,217 - - 367 4,584 Agricultural 599 - - 12 611 Residential real estate 3,515 - - 923 4,438 HELOC 579 (34 ) 47 (45 ) 547 Consumer 441 - - (162 ) 279 Total $ 13,805 $ (34 ) $ 47 $ - $ 13,818 Collateral dependent loans are loans for which the repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the collateral and the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The Company reviews individually evaluated loans for designation as collateral dependent loans, as well as other loans that management of the Company designates as having higher risk. These loans do not share common risk characteristics and are not included within the collectively evaluated loans for determining the ACL. The following table presents an analysis of collateral-dependent loans of the Company as of September 30, 2023. ($ in thousands) Collateral Type Allocated September 30, 2023 Real Estate Other Total Allowance Commercial & industrial $ 810 $ - $ 810 $ 97 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 1,865 - 1,865 - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 1,187 - 1,187 41 Agricultural - - - - Residential real estate 1,618 - 1,618 64 HELOC - - - - Consumer - - - - Total $ 5,480 $ - $ 5,480 $ 202 Under CECL, for collateral dependent loans, the Company has adopted the practical expedient to measure the ACL based on the fair value of collateral. The ACL is calculated on an individual loan basis based on the shortfall between the fair value of the loan’s collateral, which is adjusted for liquidation costs/discounts, and amortized cost. If the fair value of the collateral exceeds the amortized cost, no allowance is required. The following tables disaggregate the allowance for loan losses and recorded investment in loans by impairment methodology under the incurred loss methodology as of December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2022. December 31, 2022 Commercial & industrial Commercial real estate Agricultural Residential real estate Consumer Total Allowance for credit losses: Ending allowance attributable to loans: Individually evaluated for impairment $ - $ - $ - $ 138 $ 2 $ 140 Collectively evaluated for impairment $ 1,663 $ 6,280 $ 611 $ 4,300 $ 824 $ 13,678 Totals $ 1,663 $ 6,280 $ 611 $ 4,438 $ 826 $ 13,818 Loans: Individually evaluated for impairment $ 204 $ 347 $ - $ 2,863 $ 114 $ 3,528 Collectively evaluated for impairment $ 128,189 $ 412,462 $ 64,505 $ 288,505 $ 64,886 $ 958,547 Totals $ 128,393 $ 412,809 $ 64,505 $ 291,368 $ 65,000 $ 962,075 September 30, 2022 Commercial & industrial Commercial real estate Agricultural Residential real estate Consumer Total Allowance for credit losses: Ending allowance attributable to loans: Individually evaluated for impairment $ - $ - $ - $ 152 $ 2 $ 154 Collectively evaluated for impairment $ 1,796 $ 6,650 $ 572 $ 3,774 $ 878 $ 13,670 Totals $ 1,796 $ 6,650 $ 572 $ 3,926 $ 880 $ 13,824 Loans: Individually evaluated for impairment $ 92 $ 197 $ - $ 2,907 $ 122 $ 3,318 Collectively evaluated for impairment $ 128,171 $ 404,318 $ 60,409 $ 264,383 $ 64,200 $ 921,481 Totals $ 128,263 $ 404,515 $ 60,409 $ 267,290 $ 64,322 $ 924,799 Credit Risk Profile The Company categorizes loans into risk categories based on relevant information about the ability of borrowers to service their debt such as: current financial information, historical payment experience, credit documentation, public information and current economic trends, among other factors. The Company analyzes loans individually by classifying the loans as to credit risk. This analysis includes loans with an outstanding balance greater than $100,000 and non-homogeneous loans, such as commercial and commercial real estate loans. This analysis is performed on a quarterly basis. The Company uses the following definitions for risk ratings: Pass (grades 1 – 4): Special Mention (5): Substandard (6): Doubtful (7): Loss (8): The Company evaluates the loan risk grading system definitions and allowance for loan loss methodology on an ongoing basis. The following table presents loan balances by credit quality indicators by year of origination as of September 30, 2023. ($ in thousands) Term Loans by Year of Origination Revolving Revolving Loans Converted September 30, 2023 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 Prior Loans to Term Total Commercial & industrial Pass (1 - 4) $ 11,924 $ 19,212 $ 20,492 $ 11,013 $ 7,977 $ 6,401 $ 40,814 $ 438 $ 118,271 Special Mention (5) - 750 - 85 29 169 - 30 1,063 Substandard (6) 196 41 226 - - 119 251 51 884 Doubtful (7) - - - - 1 101 - 5 107 Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 12,120 $ 20,003 $ 20,718 $ 11,098 $ 8,007 $ 6,790 $ 41,065 $ 524 $ 120,325 Commercial real estate - owner occupied Pass (1 - 4) $ 21,954 $ 23,742 $ 27,571 $ 13,570 $ 13,310 $ 20,959 $ 111 $ 178 $ 121,395 Special Mention (5) - - - 704 188 - - - 892 Substandard (6) - - - 1,681 180 - - - 1,861 Doubtful (7) - - 33 - 1 - - - 34 Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 21,954 $ 23,742 $ 27,604 $ 15,955 $ 13,679 $ 20,959 $ 111 $ 178 $ 124,182 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied Pass (1 - 4) $ 39,881 $ 70,262 $ 55,799 $ 47,424 $ 31,012 $ 50,725 $ 88 $ - $ 295,191 Special Mention (5) - - - - - 999 - - 999 Substandard (6) - - - - 851 324 39 - 1,214 Doubtful (7) - - - - - 150 - - 150 Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 39,881 $ 70,262 $ 55,799 $ 47,424 $ 31,863 $ 52,198 $ 127 $ - $ 297,554 Agricultural Pass (1 - 4) $ 7,673 $ 16,596 $ 13,157 $ 3,204 $ 1,897 $ 10,359 $ 8,042 $ - $ 60,928 Special Mention (5) - - - - - - - - - Substandard (6) - - - - - - - - - Doubtful (7) - - - - - - - - - Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 7,673 $ 16,596 $ 13,157 $ 3,204 $ 1,897 $ 10,359 $ 8,042 $ - $ 60,928 Residential real estate Pass (1 - 4) $ 48,577 $ 111,229 $ 85,744 $ 32,249 $ 11,613 $ 24,027 $ 2,928 $ 1,600 $ 317,967 Special Mention (5) - - 369 55 935 958 - - 2,317 Substandard (6) - - - - - 22 - - 22 Doubtful (7) - - - - - - - - - Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 48,577 $ 111,229 $ 86,113 $ 32,304 $ 12,548 $ 25,007 $ 2,928 $ 1,600 $ 320,306 Home equity line of credit (HELOC) Pass (1 - 4) $ - $ - $ 191 $ 18 $ 86 $ 132 $ 40,023 $ 7,075 $ 47,525 Special Mention (5) - - - - - 62 20 73 155 Substandard (6) - - - 15 - - - - 15 Doubtful (7) - - - - - - - - - Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ - $ - $ 191 $ 33 $ 86 $ 194 $ 40,043 $ 7,148 $ 47,695 Consumer Pass (1 - 4) $ 5,477 $ 5,755 $ 1,605 $ 929 $ 291 $ 163 $ 3,797 $ - $ 18,017 Special Mention (5) - - 13 1 - - - - 14 Substandard (6) - - - - - - - - - Doubtful (7) - - - - - - - - - Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total $ 5,477 $ 5,755 $ 1,618 $ 930 $ 291 $ 163 $ 3,797 $ - $ 18,031 Total Loans Pass (1 - 4) $ 135,486 $ 246,796 $ 204,559 $ 108,407 $ 66,186 $ 112,766 $ 95,803 $ 9,291 $ 979,294 Special Mention (5) - 750 382 845 1,152 2,188 20 103 5,440 Substandard (6) 196 41 226 1,696 1,031 465 290 51 3,996 Doubtful (7) - - 33 - 2 251 - 5 291 Loss (8) - - - - - - - - - Total Loans $ 135,682 $ 247,587 $ 205,200 $ 110,948 $ 68,371 $ 115,670 $ 96,113 $ 9,450 $ 989,021 The following table presents loan balances by credit quality indicators and loan categories as of December 31, 2022. ($ in thousands) Commercial & industrial Commercial real estate - owner occupied Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied Agricultural Residential real estate HELOC Consumer Total Pass (1 - 4) $ 127,727 $ 107,999 $ 296,611 $ 64,505 $ 288,028 $ 44,746 $ 19,915 $ 949,531 Special Mention (5) 394 2,930 4,899 - - - - 8,223 Substandard (6) 158 - 160 - 3,316 310 29 3,973 Doubtful (7) 114 - 210 - 24 - - 348 Loss (8) - - - - - - - - Total Loans $ 128,393 $ 110,929 $ 301,880 $ 64,505 $ 291,368 $ 45,056 $ 19,944 $ 962,075 The following tables present the Company’s loan portfolio aging analysis as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. ($ in thousands) 30-59 Days 60-89 Days Greater Than Total Past September 30, 2023 Past Due Past Due Past Due Due Current Total Loans Commercial & industrial $ 863 $ 196 $ 424 $ 1,483 $ 118,842 $ 120,325 Commercial real estate - owner occupied - 32 - 32 124,150 124,182 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied - - 91 91 297,463 297,554 Agricultural - - - - 60,928 60,928 Residential real estate 5 245 1,047 1,297 319,009 320,306 HELOC 174 48 106 328 47,367 47,695 Consumer 35 12 15 62 17,969 18,031 Total Loans $ 1,077 $ 533 $ 1,683 $ 3,293 $ 985,728 $ 989,021 30-59 Days 60-89 Days Greater Than Total Past December 31, 2022 Past Due Past Due Past Due Due Current Total Loans Commercial & industrial $ 23 $ 108 $ 114 $ 245 $ 128,148 $ 128,393 Commercial real estate - owner occupied - - - - 110,929 110,929 Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 114 - 32 146 301,734 301,880 Agricultural - - - - 64,505 64,505 Residential real estate 98 411 1,287 1,796 289,572 291,368 HELOC 98 24 138 260 44,796 45,056 Consumer 61 26 22 109 19,835 19,944 Total Loans $ 394 $ 569 $ 1,593 $ 2,556 $ 959,519 $ 962,075 All loans past due 90 days are systematically placed on nonaccrual status. When a loan is moved to nonaccrual status, total unpaid interest accrued to date is reversed from income. Subsequent payments are applied to the outstanding principal balance with the interest portion of the payment recorded on the balance sheet as a contra-loan. Interest received on nonaccrual loans may be realized once all contractual principal amounts are received or when a borrower establishes a history of six consecutive timely principal and interest payments. It is at the discretion of management to determine when a loan is placed back on accrual status upon receipt of six consecutive timely payments. The categories of nonaccrual loans as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are presented in the following table. September 30, 2023 December 31, 2022 ($ in thousands) Nonaccrual loans with no allowance Nonaccrual loans with an allowance Total nonaccrual loans Total nonaccrual loans Commercial & industrial $ 224 $ 492 $ 716 $ 114 Commercial real estate - owner occupied 33 - 33 - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 189 - 189 210 Agricultural - - - - Residential real estate 716 1,490 2,206 3,020 Home equity line of credit (HELOC) 170 - 170 310 Consumer 15 - 15 28 Total loans $ 1,347 $ 1,982 $ 3,329 $ 3,682 Impaired Loans (Prior to the Adoption of ASC 326) Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-13, a loan was considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it was probable that the Company would be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment included payment status, collateral value and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experienced insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally were not classified as impaired. Management determined the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration each of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment was measured on a loan-by-loan basis for commercial, agricultural, and construction loans by either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. Large groups of smaller balance homogenous loans were collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Company did not separately identify individual consumer and residential loans for impairment measurements, unless such loans were the subject of a restructuring agreement due to financial difficulties of the borrower. Impaired loans less than $100,000 were included in groups of homogenous loans. These loans were evaluated based on delinquency status. Interest payments on impaired loans were typically applied to principal unless collectability of the principal amount was reasonably assured, in which case interest was recognized on a cash basis. The following table presents loans individually evaluated for impairment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022: ($ in thousands) Recorded Unpaid Principal Related Average Recorded Interest Income December 31, 2022 Investment Balance Allowance Investment Recognized With no related allowance recorded: Commercial & industrial $ 204 $ 627 $ - $ 650 $ 34 Commercial real estate - owner occupied - - - - - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 347 825 - 1,350 94 Agricultural - - - - - Residential real estate 1,491 1,558 - 1,793 65 HELOC 68 68 85 4 Consumer - - - - - With a specific allowance recorded: Commercial & industrial - - - - - Commercial real estate - owner occupied - - - - - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied - - - - - Agricultural - - - - - Residential real estate 1,372 1,372 138 1,424 43 HELOC 46 46 2 51 2 Consumer - - - - - Totals: Commercial & industrial $ 204 $ 627 $ - $ 650 $ 34 Commercial real estate - owner occupied $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied $ 347 $ 825 $ - $ 1,350 $ 94 Agricultural $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - Residential real estate $ 2,863 $ 2,930 $ 138 $ 3,217 $ 108 HELOC $ 114 $ 114 $ 2 $ 136 $ 6 Consumer $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, 2022 Average Recorded Interest Income Average Recorded Interest Income ($ in thousands) Investment Recognized Investment Recognized With no related allowance recorded: Commercial & industrial $ 191 $ 1 $ 191 $ 2 Commercial real estate - owner occupied - - - - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied 342 5 348 16 Agricultural - - - - Residential real estate 1,784 16 1,808 47 HELOC 82 1 90 3 Consumer - - - - With a specific allowance recorded: Commercial & industrial - - - - Commercial real estate - owner occupied - - - - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied - - - - Agricultural - - - - Residential real estate 1,413 7 1,419 34 HELOC 49 1 54 2 Consumer - - - - Totals: Commercial & industrial $ 191 $ 1 $ 191 $ 2 Commercial real estate - owner occupied $ - $ - $ - $ - Commercial real estate - nonowner occupied $ 342 $ 5 $ 348 $ 16 Agricultural $ - $ - $ - $ - Residential real estate $ 3,197 $ 23 $ 3,227 $ 81 HELOC $ 131 $ 2 $ 144 $ 5 Consumer $ - $ - $ - $ - Modifications made to Borrowers Experiencing Financial Difficulty In the normal course of business, the Company may execute loan modifications with borrowers. These modifications are analyzed to determine whether the modification is considered concessionary, long term and made to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty. The Company’s modifications generally include interest rate adjustments, principal reductions, and amortization and maturity date extensions. These modifications allow the borrower short-term cash relief to allow them to improve their financial condition. If a loan modification is determined to be made to a borrower experiencing financial difficulty, the loan is considered collateral dependent and evaluated as part of the ACL as described above in the Allowance for Credit Losses section of this note. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company did not modify any loans made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. The Company had no commitments to lend to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty for which the Company had modified an existing loan as of September 30, 2023. The Company monitors loan payments on an on-going basis to determine if a loan is considered to have a payment default. Determination of payment default involves analyzing the economic conditions that exist for each customer and its ability to generate positive cash flows during the loan term. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2023, the Company had no loan modifications made to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty for which there was a payment default within the 12 months following the modification date. Unfunded Loan Commitments The Company maintains an allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded balances for existing lines of credit, commitments to extend future credit, as well as both standby and commercial letters of credit when there is a contractual obligation to extend credit and when this extension of credit is not unconditionally cancellable (i.e. commitment cannot be canceled at any time). The allowance for off-balance sheet credit exposures is adjusted as a provision for credit loss expense. The estimate includes consideration of the likelihood that funding will occur, which is based on a historical funding study derived from internal information, and an estimate of expected credit losses on commitments expected to be funded over its estimated life, which are the same loss rates that are used in computing the ACL for loans. The allowance for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments of $0.9 million at September 30, 2023 is classified on the balance sheet within Other liabilities. The following table presents the balance and activity in the ACL for unfunded loan commitments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023. Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended ($ in thousands) September 30, September 30, Balance, beginning of period $ 856 $ - Adjustment for adoption of ASU 2016-13 - 1,149 Provision for unfunded commitments (6 ) (299 ) Balance, end of period $ 850 $ 850 |