Provision for Credit Losses. The Company recognized provisions for credit losses in the amount of $487,000 and $30,000 for the three-month period ending June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The increase in provision for credit losses in the 2020 period was primarily due to elevated unemployment rates, a factor in the Bank’s provision for loan loss model, resulting from the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. A provision was not recognized for the Commercial SBA PPP loans as these loans are 100% guaranteed by the SBA. As of June 30, 2020, the allowance for credit losses represented 0.84% of total loans compared to 0.84% at June 30, 2019 and is consistent with our improved credit quality. The Company recognized provisions for credit losses in the amount of $407,000 and $204,000 for the six-month period ending June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The increase for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019 was primarily due to elevated unemployment rates, a factor in the Bank’s provision for loan loss model, resulting from the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
Noninterest Income. Noninterest income decreased to $228,000 for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, from $282,000 for the corresponding period in 2019, a decrease of $54,000, or 19.15%. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in service charges on deposit accounts and other fees and commissions. Noninterest income decreased to $484,000 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, from $564,000 for the corresponding period in 2019, a decreased of $80,000, or 14.18%. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in service charges on deposit accounts and other fees and commissions.
Noninterest Expenses. Noninterest expenses for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 were $2.8 million and $3.0 million, respectively, a decrease of $183,000 or 6.13%. The decrease was driven by decreases in salary and employee benefits cost, occupancy and equipment, legal, accounting and other professional fees, and other expenses, offset by increases in data and item processing services. Noninterest expenses decreased from $6.1 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019, to $5.8 million for the corresponding period in 2020, a decrease of $221,000, or 3.62%. The decrease was driven by decreases in salary and employee benefits cost, occupancy and equipment, and other expenses, offset by increases in data and item processing services.
Income Taxes. During the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Company recorded income tax benefit of $32,000 compared to $67,000 expense for the same period in 2019, a $99,000, or 147.76%, decrease. During the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Company recorded income tax expense of $43,000 compared to $103,000 for the same period in 2019, a $60,000, or 58.25% decrease. The Company’s annualized effective tax rate at June 30, 2020 was 20.05% compared to 20.96% for the prior year. The decrease in income tax expense and the annualized effective tax rate for the three- and six-month period was due to lower income before taxes at June 30, 2020 compared to June 30, 2019 and the sale of tax-exempt municipal securities in the first quarter of 2019.
Comprehensive Income (Loss). In accordance with regulatory requirements, the Company reports comprehensive income (loss) in its financial statements. Comprehensive income (loss) consists of the Company’s net income, adjusted for unrealized gains and losses on the Bank’s portfolio of investment securities and interest rate swap contracts. For the second quarter of 2020, comprehensive income, net of tax, totaled $259,000 compared to comprehensive income of $682,000 for the same period in 2019. The decrease was due to lower net income, lower net unrealized gains on available for sale securities and lower net unrealized losses on interest rate swaps. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, comprehensive income, net of tax, totaled $689,000, compared to $1.3 million for the same period in 2019. The decrease was due to lower net income, lower net unrealized gains on available for sale securities, offset by higher net unrealized losses on interest rate swaps.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
General. The Company’s assets increased to $418.2 million at June 30, 2020 from $384.9 million at December 31, 2019, an increase of $34.5 million or 8.99%, primarily due to the net increases in cash and cash equivalents and an increase in investment securities available for sale. Loans totaled $282.6 million at June 30, 2020, a decrease of $101,000, or 0.04%, from $282.7 million at December 31, 2019. The decrease was primarily attributable to decreases in indirect and commercial real estate loans, offset by increases in residential real estate loans and commercial SBA PPP loans. Investment securities available for sale as of June 30, 2020, totaled $84.5 million, an increase of $13.0 million, or 18.25% from $71.5 million at December 31, 2019. The increase resulted primarily from the purchase of available for sale investments in the quarter due to an increase in excess liquidity from deposit growth. Cash and cash equivalents as