UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(X) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(  ) TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year endedDecember 31, 2018Commission file number 001-15985
UNION BANKSHARES, INC.
For the fiscal year endedVERMONTDecember 31, 2021Commission file number03-0283552 001-15985
UNION BANKSHARES, INC.
VT03-0283552
P.O. BOX 667
20 LOWER MAIN STREET
MORRISVILLE, VT 05661-0667
Registrant's telephone number:   802-888-6600
Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report: Not applicable
Securities registered pursuant to section 12(b) of the Act:
Common Stock, $2.00 par value    UNBThe NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
(Title of class)(Trading Symbol(s))(Exchanges registered on)
Securities registered pursuant to Sections 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes [  ] No [X]
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes [  ] No [X]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes [X ] No [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). YES [X]Yes NO [ ]
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” ”accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer [  ]Accelerated filer [X]
Non-accelerated filer [  ] (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)Smaller reporting company [X]
Emerging growth company [ ]
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards proviced pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
Yes [  ] No [X]





The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 30, 20182021 was $200,451,696$142,919,988 based on the closing price on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC on such date of $51.90$18.99 per share. For purposes of this calculation, all directors, executive officers, and named executives of the Registrant are assumed to be affiliates. Such assumption, however, shall not be deemed to be an admission of such status as to any such individual.

On February 28, 2022, there were 4,494,065 shares of common stock, $2.00 par value, outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Specifically designated portions of the following documents are incorporated by reference in the indicated Part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
DocumentPart
Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of ShareholdersIII





UNION BANKSHARES, INC.
Table of Contents

Part I
Item 1 -Business
Item 1A -Risk Factors
Item 1B -Unresolved Staff Comments
Item 2 -Properties
Item 3 -Legal Proceedings
Item 4 -Mine Safety Disclosures
Part II
Item 5 -Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Item 6 -Selected Financial Data[Reserved]
Item 7 -Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 7A -Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Item 8 -Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Item 9 -Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures
Item 9A -Controls and Procedures
Item 9B -Other Information
Item 9C -Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Part III
Part III
Item 10 -Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance (a)
Item 11 -Executive Compensation (a)
Item 12 -Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters (a)
Item 13 -Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence (a)
Item 14 -Principal Accountant Fees and Services (a)
Part IV
Item 15 -Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K
Item 16 -
SignaturesForm 10-K Summary
Exhibit Index

____________________

(a)SignaturesThe information required by Part III Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 is incorporated herein by reference, in whole or in part, from the Company's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 15, 2019. The incorporation by reference herein of portions of the Proxy Statement shall not be deemed to specifically incorporate by reference the information referred to in Items 407(d)(1)-(3) of Regulation S-K. Incorporation by reference of this report into any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended shall not be deemed to incorporate by reference the information referred to in Item 201(e) of Regulation S-K.
Exhibit Index



____________________

(a)The information required by Part III Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 is incorporated herein by reference, in whole or in part, from the Company's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 18, 2022. The incorporation by reference herein of portions of the Proxy Statement shall not be deemed to specifically incorporate by reference the information referred to in Items 407(d)(1)-(3) of Regulation S-K. Incorporation by reference of this report into any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended shall not be deemed to incorporate by reference the information referred to in Item 201(e) of Regulation S-K.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS


The Company may from time to time make written or oral statements that are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include financial projections, statements of plans and objectives for future operations, estimates of future economic performance or conditions and assumptions relating thereto. The Company may include forward-looking statements in its filings with the SEC, in its reports to stockholders, including this Annual Report, in press releases, other written materials, and in statements made by senior management to analysts, rating agencies, institutional investors, representatives of the media and others.

Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainties, both general and specific, and risk exists that actual results will differ from those predictions, forecasts, projections and other estimates contained in forward-looking statements. These risks cannot be readily quantified. When management uses any of the terms “believes,” “expects,” “predicts,” “anticipates,” “intends,” "projects," "potential," “plans,” “seeks,” “estimates,” "targets," "goals," “may,” “might,” “could,” “would,” “should,” or similar expressions, they are making forward-looking statements. Many possible events or factors, including those beyond the control of management, could affect the future financial results and performance of the Company.

Factors that may cause results or performance to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
General economic conditionsthe impact of COVID-19 on our business, including the impact of actions taken by governmental authorities to try to contain the virus or address the impact of the virus on the United States economy and the resulting effect of all such items on our operations, liquidity and capital position, and on the financial instability, either nationally, internationally, regionally or locally;condition of our borrowers and other customers;
Increased competitive pressures, including those from tax-advantaged credit unions and other financial service providers in the Company's northern Vermont and New Hampshire market area or in the financial services industry generally, from increasing consolidation and integration of financial service providers, and from changes in technology and delivery systems;
Interest rates change in such a way that puts pressure onreduces the Company's margins,interest income, or that results in lower fee income and lower gain on sale of real estate loans, or that increases interest costs;
Changes in tax or banking laws or government rules, or the way in which courts or government agencies interpret or implement those laws or rules,and regulations that increaseincreases our compliance and other costs of doing business or otherwise adversely affect the Company's business;
Further changes in federal or state tax policy;
ChangesIncreases in the level of nonperforming assets and charge-offs;
Changes in depositor behavior resulting in movement of funds out of bank deposits and into the stock market or other higher-yielding investments;
Changes in estimates of future reserve requirements based upon relevant regulatory and accounting requirements;
Changes in information technology that require increased capital spending or that result in new or increased risks;
Changes in consumer and business spending, borrowing and savings habits;
Changes in accounting principles, including those governing the manner of estimating our credit risk and calculating our loan loss reserve;reserve, as may be adopted by the regulatory agencies as well as the FASB, and other accounting standard setters;
Volatility in the securities markets that could adversely affect the value or credit quality of the Company's assets, impairment of goodwill, or the availability and terms of funding necessary to meet the Company's liquidity needs, and that could lead to impairment in the value of the securities in the Company's investment portfolio;
Further changes to the regulations governing the calculation of the Company’s regulatory capital ratios;
Increased competitive pressures affecting the ability of the Company to attract, develop and retain senior management and other employees;
Increased cybersecurity threats;
The effects of inflation and higher energy costs on our borrowers and other customers; and
The effect of and changesChanges in the United Statestrade, monetary, and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies and regulation of the money supply by the FRB.


When evaluating forward-looking statements to make decisions about the Company and our stock, investors and others are cautioned to consider these and other risks and uncertainties, and are reminded not to place undue reliance on such statements. Investors should not consider the foregoing list of factors to be a complete list of risks or uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them to reflect new or changed information or events, except as may be required by federal securities laws.


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PART I

Item 1.    Business


Certain Definitions: Capitalized terms used in the following discussion and not otherwise defined below have the meanings assigned to them in Note 1 to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, item 8, page 53 of this Annual Report.

General: Union Bankshares, Inc. (“Company”) is a one-bank holding company whose sole subsidiary is Union Bank (“Union”). It was incorporated in the State of Vermont in 1982.1982 to serve as a holding company for Union Bank. The Company's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "UNB". Union Bank was organized and chartered as a State bank in 1891 and became a wholly owned


subsidiary of the Company upon completion of the holding company reorganization in 1982 upon its formation.1982. Both Union Bankshares, Inc. and Union Bank are headquartered in Morrisville, Vermont.

The Company's business is that of a community bank in the financial services industry. The Company has one definable business segment, Union Bank, which provides full retail, commercial, municipal banking, and asset management and trust services throughout its 18 banking offices, twothree loan centers, and several ATMs covering northern Vermont and northern New Hampshire. Also, many of Union's services are provided via the telephone, mobile devices, and through its website, www.ublocal.com. Union seeks to make a profit for the Company while providing quality retail banking services to individuals and commercial banking services to small and medium sized corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships, as well as nonprofit organizations, local municipalities and school districts within its market area.

The Company's income is derived principally from interest and fees on loans and earnings on other investments. Its primary expenses arise from interest paid on deposits and borrowings, salaries and wages, health insurance and other employee benefits and other general overhead expenses, including occupancy and equipment expenses. Our profitability depends primarily on net interest income, which is the difference between interest and dividend income on interest-earning assets and interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities. Interest-earning assets include loans, investment securities, and interest-earning deposits in banks. Interest-bearing liabilities primarily include customer deposit accounts and borrowings. Net interest income is dependent upon the level of interest rates and the extent to which such rates change, as well as changes in the volume of various categories of assets and liabilities. Our profitability is also dependent on the level of noninterest income (primarily gains on sale of real estate loans, loan servicing income, and service fees), provision for loan losses, noninterest expenses and income taxes. Our operations and profitability are subject to changes in interest rates, applicable statutes and regulations, changes in corporate tax rates, general economic conditions, the competitive environment, as well as other factors beyond our control.

Employees: The Company itself does not have any paid employees.Human Capital. Our employees play a vital role in our company-wide vision of delivering the best banking experience to all of our customers, employees, communities, and shareholders. As of December 31, 2018,2021, Union employed 195194 full time equivalent employees. UnionGuided by our core values, we are committed to creating a company culture where everyone is included and respected, and where we support each other in reaching our full potential. To attract, engage, and retain top talent, we strive to create a supportive workplace, with opportunities for our employees to grow and develop in their careers. We provide numerous training and development opportunities, as well as a robust tuition reimbursement program. We are not represented by any collective bargaining group. Union maintains comprehensive employee benefit programs for its employees, includingalso deeply committed to the health and well-being of our employees. This includes market-competitive compensation, medical and dental insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance,paid time off, life insurance, short term and long-term disability, and a 401(k) plan. Management considers its employee relationsWe maintain a number of human resources and other policies, including a harassment and retaliation policy, to be good.promote a workplace that is safe for all and supports a culture where people feel they can report incidents that threaten that safety. In addition, we have a confidential whistleblower program that forwards complaints to the audit committee and the Board of Directors, and we will work to take necessary action as quickly as possible after a complaint is received. We also prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation (including gender identity and gender expression), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. We employ based on talent and potential for growth, and we value a diversity of backgrounds and ideas.


Description of Services: Services or products offered to our customers include, but are not limited to, the following:
Commercial loans for business purposes to business owners and investors for plant and equipment, working capital, real estate renovation and other sound business purposes;
Commercial real estate loans on income producing properties, including commercial construction loans;
SBA guaranteed loans;
Residential construction and mortgage loans;
Online cash management services, including account reconciliation, credit card depository, Automated Clearing House origination, wire transfers and night depository;
Merchant credit card services for the deposit and immediate credit of sales drafts,drafts;
Remote deposit capture for merchants;
Online mortgage applications;
Business checking accounts;
Standby letters of credit, bank checks or money orders, and safe deposit boxes;
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ATM services;
Debit MasterCard and ATM cards;
Telephone, internet, and mobile banking services, including bill pay;
Home improvement loans and overdraft checking privileges against preauthorized lines of credit;
Retail depository services including personal checking accounts, checking accounts with interest, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, IRA/SEP/KEOGH accounts and Health Savings accounts; and
Asset management and trust services to individuals and organizations.

Consistent with the objective of the Company to serve the financial needs of individuals, businesses and others within the communities served,its market areas, the Company seeks to concentrate its assets in loans. However, the Company has increased its level of investment securities to increase the yield obtained from the influx of customer deposit monies. For the year ended December 31, 2018,2021, the Company's rate of average loans to average deposits was 95.6%78.7%. To be consistent with the requirements of prudent banking practices, adequate levels of assets are invested in high-grade securities, FDIC insured certificates of deposits, or other prudent investment alternatives such as company-owned life insurance and investments in real estate limited partnerships for affordable housing. Deposits are the primary source of funds for use in lending, investing and for other general operating purposes. In addition we obtain funds from principal repayments, sales and prepayments of loans, securities and FDIC insured certificates of deposit. Other funding sources may include brokered deposits purchased through CDARS, ICS or through other deposit brokers, and borrowings from the FHLB, correspondent banks or the Federal Reserve discount window.




Competition: The Company and Union face substantial competition for loans and deposits in northern Vermont and New Hampshire from local and regional commercial banks, savings banks, tax exempt credit unions, mortgage brokers, and financial services affiliates of bank holding companies, as well as from national financial service providers such as mutual funds, brokerage houses, insurance companies, consumer finance companies and internet banks. Within the Company's market area are branches of several commercial and savings banks that are substantially larger than Union. Union focuses on its community banking niche and on providing convenient locations, hours and modes of delivery to provide superior customer service. We have seen over the last few years, a trend by customers to turn to local community banks to fulfill their financial needs with organizations and people they know and trust. Also, with the onset of COVID-19, customers have looked to perform traditional banking transactions electronically either via the internet or Union's mobile app. We are hopeful that this trendthese trends will continue. The Company seeks to capitalize upon the extensive business and personal contacts and relationships of its directors, advisory board members and officers to continue to develop the Company's customer base, as well as relying on director and advisory board referrals, officer-originated calling programs and customer and shareholder referrals.

In order to compete with the larger financial institutions in its service area, Union capitalizes on the flexibility and local autonomy which is accorded by its independent status. This includes an emphasis on personal service, timely decision making, local promotional activity, and personal contacts and community service by Union's officers, directors and employees. The Company strives to inform the public about the strength of the Company, the variety and flexibility of services offered, as well as the strength of the local economy relative to the national economy and global problems in the real estate market and provides information on financial topics of interest. The Company also strives to educate future generations by helping them to cultivate sound personal financial habits through its "Save for Success" program for children.

The Company competes for deposit accounts by offering customers competitive products and rates, personal service, local area expertise, convenient locations and access, and an array of financial services and products. HigherThe Company experienced significant deposit growth during 2021 and 2020 due to deposits by customers of PPP loan proceeds and COVID-19 related government assistance payments resulting in abundant liquidity and also a reduction in the interest rates willing to be paid on those deposit monies. In previous years, higher interest rates and deposit “specials” offered by competitors as well aswere utilized to compliment the variety of nonbanking investment avenues openproduct offerings to our customers and the public makeattract customers. Union has opted not to offer deposit growth challenging.

specials in this interest rate environment.
The competition in originating real estate and other loans comes principally from commercial banks, savings banks, mortgage banking companies and tax exempt credit unions. The Company competes for loan originations primarily through the interest rates and loan fees it charges, the types of loans it offers, and the efficiency and quality of services it provides. In addition to residential mortgage lending and municipal loans, the Company also emphasizes commercial real estate, construction, and both conventional and SBA guaranteed commercial lending. Factors that affect the Company's ability to compete for loans include general and local economic conditions, prevailing interest rates including the “prime”Federal Home Loan Bank rates, prime rate, and pricing volatility of the secondary loan markets. The Company promotes an increased level of personal service and expertise within the community to position itself as a lender to small to middle market business and residential customers, which tend to be under-served by larger institutions.

The Company, through Union's Asset Management Group division, competes for personal and institutional asset management and trust business with trust companies, commercial banks having trust departments, investment advisory firms, brokerage firms, mutual funds and insurance companies.


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Regulation and Supervision
General
The following discussion addresses elements of the regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies and their subsidiaries. This regulatory framework is intended primarily for the protection of depositors, the Federal Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”), and the banking system as a whole, rather than the protection of shareholders or non-depository creditors of a bank holding company such as the Company.
As a bank holding company, registered under the BHCA, the Company is subject to regulation, supervision and supervisionexamination by the BoardFRB under the Bank Holding Company Act of Governors of the FRB.1956, as amended (“BHCA”). As a state chartered commercial bank, Union Bank is subject to the regulation and supervision by the FDIC and the DFR.
The following is a summary of certain aspects of various statutes and regulations applicable to the Company and its subsidiary. This summary is not a comprehensive analysis of all applicable laws, and you should refer to the applicable statutes and regulations for more information. Changes in applicable laws or regulations, and in their interpretation and application by regulatory framework is intended primarily for the protectionagencies and other governmental authorities, cannot be predicted, but may have a material effect on our business, financial condition or results of depositors, federal deposit insurance funds and the banking system as a whole, and not for the protection of security holders. operations.
This regulation and supervision establishes a comprehensive framework of activities in which a bank holding company or a bank can engage. The prior approval of the FDIC and DFR is required, among other things, for Union to establish or relocate a branch office, assume deposits or engage in any merger, consolidation, purchase or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of any bank. This regulatory structure also gives the regulatory authorities extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to classification of assets and establishment of adequate credit loss reserves for regulatory purposes. To the extent that this information describes statutory and regulatory provisions, it is qualified in its entirety by reference to those provisions.

The Company is also under the jurisdiction of the SEC for matters relating to the offer and sale of its securities as well as investor reporting requirements. The Company is subject to restrictions, reporting requirements, and review procedures under federal securities laws and regulations. The Company's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol “UNB” and accordingly, the Company is subject to the rules of NASDAQ for listed companies.

Financial Regulatory Reform Legislation


The Dodd-Frank Act. The Dodd-Frank Act, enacted in 2010, comprehensively reformed the regulation of financial institutions and the products and services they offer. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act:
granted the FRB increased supervisory authority and codified the source of strength doctrine,
provided new capital standards applicable to the Company,
modified the scope and costs associated with deposit insurance coverage,
permitted well capitalized and well managed banks to acquire other banks in any state subject to certain deposit concentration limits and other conditions,
permitted the payment of interest on business demand deposit accounts,
established the CFPB and transferred rulemaking authority to it under various consumer protection laws relating to financial products and services,
established new minimum mortgage underwriting standards for residential mortgages,
barred banking organizations, such as the Company, from engaging in proprietary trading and from sponsoring and investing in hedge funds and private equity funds, except as permitted under certain circumstances, and
established the Financial Stability Oversight Council to designate certain activities as posing a risk to the United States financial systems and recommended new or heightened standards and safeguards for financial institutions engaging in such activities.

While the Dodd-Frank Act is focused principally on changes to the financial regulatory system, it includes several corporate governance, disclosure and compensation provisions applicable to public companies. Those provisions include:
A requirement that public companies solicit an advisory vote on executive compensation ("Say-on-Pay"), an advisory vote on the frequency of Say-on-Pay votes and, in the event of a merger or other extraordinary transaction, an advisory vote on certain "golden parachute" payments. The Company's last Say-on-Pay vote was held at the 20162019 annual meeting with shareholders approving the Company's executive compensation program by a wide margin, andwith the Company will again hold anext Say-on-Pay vote scheduled to occur at its 2019the 2022 annual shareholders meeting, as well as a "Say-on-Frequency" vote,
Requirements that the SEC adopt rules directing the securities exchanges to adopt listing standards with respect to compensation committee independence and the use of consultants,
Provisions calling for the SEC to adopt expanded disclosure requirements for annual proxy statements and other filings, particularly in the area of executive compensation, such as disclosure of pay versus performance, policies with
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regard to hedging transactions conducted by employees and directors, and, for public companies other than smaller reporting companies, the ratio of CEO pay to the pay of a median employee, and policies with regard to hedging transactions conducted by employees and directors,
Provisions requiring the adoption or revision of certain other corporate policies, such as compensation "clawback" policies providing for the recovery of executive compensation in the event of a financial restatement, and
A provision clarifying the SEC's authority to adopt rules requiring issuers to include in their proxy statements solicitations for shareholder nominations for directors.
Although disclosure requirements for public companies increased under the Dodd-Frank Act, the Company is a “smaller reporting company” and as permitted under the rules and regulations of the SEC, has elected to provide certain scaled disclosures in this Annual Report and in its annual meeting proxy statement, including scaled disclosures regarding executive compensation.

COVID-19 Related Legislation and Other Initiatives
The CARES Act and other Legislation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARES Act was signed into law in March, 2020 to provide national emergency economic relief measures. In March 2021 the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law, providing additional COVID-19 relief measures. Many of the federal government's COVID-19 related programs are dependent upon the direct involvement of U.S financial institutions and have been implemented through rules and guidance adopted by federal departments and agencies, including the U.S Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserves, and other federal banking agencies. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, additional regulatory guidance continues to be issued. The Company will continue to assess the impact of the CARES Act and other legislation and regulatory guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paycheck Protection Program. Section 1102 of the CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA to provide loans to small businesses for payroll and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans are eligible to be forgiven if certain conditions are satisfied and are fully guaranteed by the SBA. Additionally, loan payments were deferred for the first six months of the loan term. The PPP commenced on April 3, 2020 and was initially available to qualified borrowers through August 8, 2020. No collateral or personal guarantees were required. Neither the government nor lenders are permitted to charge the recipients any fees. On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law omnibus federal spending and economic stimulus legislation titled the "Consolidated Appropriations Act" that included the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (the "HHSB Act"). Among other things, the HHSB Act renewed the PPP, allocating $284.45 billion for both new first time PPP loans under the existing PPP and the expansion of existing PPP loans for certain qualified, existing PPP borrowers. In addition to extending and amending the PPP, the HHSB Act also created a new grant program for "Shuttered venue operators." The Company will continue to assess the impact of these programs.

Guidance on Non-TDR Loan Modifications due to COVID-19. On March 22, 2020, a statement was issued by our banking regulators and titled the "Interagency Statement on Loans Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus" (the "Interagency Statement") that encouraged financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provided that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a TDR as defined by GAAP, from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak, declared by the President of the United States under the National Emergencies Act terminates. Section 541 of the "Consolidated Appropriation Act" extends this relief to the earlier of January 1, 2022 to 60 days after the national emergency termination date. The Interagency Statement was subsequently revised in April 2020 to clarify the interaction of the original guidance with Section 4013 of the CARES Act, as well as setting forth the banking regulators' views on consumer protection consideration. The Company will continue to assess the impact of this guidance related to the CARES Act and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bank Holding Company Regulation
As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the FRB, which has the authority, among other things, to order bank holding companies to cease and desist from unsafe or unsound banking practices; to assess civil money penalties; and to order termination of non-banking activities or termination of ownership and control of a non-banking subsidiary by a bank holding company.
Source of Strength. Under long-standing FRB policy and now codified in the Dodd-Frank Act, bank holding companies, such as Union Bankshares, are required to act as a source of financial and management strength to their subsidiary banks, such as Union, and to commit resources to support them. This support may be called for at times when a bank holding company may not have the required resources to do so.

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Acquisitions and Activities. Under the BHCA, the activities of bank holding companies, such as Union Bankshares Inc., and those of companies that they control, such as Union, or in which they hold more than 5% of the voting stock, are limited to banking, managing or controlling banks, furnishing services to or performing services for their subsidiaries, or certain activities that the FRB has determined to be so closely related to banking, managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. Satisfactory capital ratios, CRA ratings and anti-money laundering policies are generally prerequisites to obtaining Federal regulatory approval to make acquisitions. Financial holding companies may engage in certain nonbanking activities not permitted for bank holding companies. Union Bankshares Inc. has not elected to become a financial holding company.

Enforcement Powers. The FRB has the authority to issue cease and desist orders against bank holding companies to prevent or terminate unsafe or unsound banking practices, violations of law and regulations, or conditions imposed by, or violations of agreements with, or commitments to, the FRB. The FRB is also empowered to assess civil money penalties against companies or individuals who violate the BHCA or orders or regulations thereunder, to order termination of nonbanking activities of nonbanking subsidiaries of bank holding companies, and to order termination of ownership and control of a nonbanking subsidiary by a bank holding company. There are no enforcement actions currently in place against the Company.

The FRB has the power to prohibit dividends by bank holding companies if their actions constitute unsafe or unsound practices. The FRB has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the FRB's view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the company's net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and rate of earnings retention that is consistent with the company's capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition.



Regulation of Union Bank

Union is subject to regulation, supervision, and examination by the FDIC and the DFR. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the FRB may directly examine the subsidiary of the Company. The enforcement powers available to the federal banking regulators include, among other things, the ability to issue cease and desist or removal orders; to terminate insurance of deposits; to assess civil money penalties; to issue directives to increase capital; to place the Bank into receivership; and to initiate injunctive actions against banking organizations and institution-affiliated parties. The DFR possesses similar enforcement powers under Vermont law. There are no such enforcement actions currently in place against Union.
Deposit Insurance. As a member of the FDIC, the deposits of Union are permanently insured under the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) maintained by the FDIC up to $250,000 per ownership category. Under applicable federal laws and regulations, deposit insurance premium assessments to the DIF are based on a supervisory risk rating system, with the most favorably rated institutions paying the lowest premiums. Under this assessment system, risk is defined and measured using an institution's supervisory ratings, combined with certain other risk measures, including certain financial ratios and long-term debt issuer ratings. For the year ended December 31, 2018,2021, the Bank's total FDIC insurance assessment expense was $350$644 thousand.

Brokered Deposits. The FDICIA restricts the ability of an FDIC insured bank to accept brokered deposits unless it is a well capitalized institution under FDICIA's prompt corrective action guidelines. Union accepts brokered time and money market deposits primarily through its membership with the Promontory InterfinancialIntraFi Network in CDARS and ICS, respectively. Additionally, Union has established an account with one of its approved investment brokers to accept brokered deposits as an approved liquidity source. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 allows the Company to hold reciprocal deposits up to 20 percent of total liabilities without those deposits being treated as brokered for regulatory purposes.

Community Reinvestment Act ("CRA"). Union is subject to the federal CRA, which requires banks to demonstrate their commitment to serving the credit needs of low and moderate income residents of their communities. Union participates in a variety of direct and indirect lending programs and other investments for the benefit of low and moderate income residents in its local communities. The FDIC conducts examinations of insured banks' compliance with CRA requirements and rates institutions as "Outstanding," "Satisfactory," "Needs to Improve," and "Substantial NonCompliance." Failure of an institution to receive at least a "Satisfactory" CRA rating could adversely affect its ability to undertake certain activities, such as branching and acquisitions of other financial institutions, which require regulatory approval based, in part, on the institution's record of CRA compliance. In addition, failure of a bank subsidiary to receive at least a "Satisfactory" rating would disqualify a bank holding company from eligibility to become or remain a financial holding company under the GLBA. Union has received at least a "Satisfactory"an "Outstanding" rating from allits most recent CRA compliance examinationsexamination by the FDIC.

Federal Reserve Board Policies and Reserve Requirements.Policies.The monetary policies and regulations of the FRB have had a significant effect on the operating results of banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. FRB policies affect the levels of bank earnings on loans and investments and the levels of interest paid on bank deposits and borrowings through the Federal Reserve System's open-market operations in United States government securities, regulation of the discount rate and terms on bank borrowings from Federal Reserve Banks and regulation of nonearning reserve requirements. Regulation D promulgated by the FRB requires all depository institutions to maintain reserves against their transaction accounts (generally, demand deposits, NOW accounts and certain other types of accounts that permit payments or transfers to third parties) and nonpersonal nontime deposits (generally, money market deposit accounts or other savings deposits held by corporations or other depositors that are not natural persons, and certain types of time deposits), subject to certain exemptions. As of December 31, 2018, Union's reserve requirement was approximately $1.0 million, which was satisfied by vault cash.Banks.


Enforcement Powers. The FDIC and the DFR have the authority to issue orders to banks under their supervision to cease and desist from unsafe or unsound banking practices, violations of law and regulation, or conditions imposed by, or violations of agreements with, or commitments to, the FDIC or DFR. The FDIC and the DFR are also empowered to assess civil money penalties against companies or individuals who violate banking laws, orders or regulations. There are no such enforcement actions currently in place against Union.
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Capital Adequacy and Safety and Soundness
Capital Adequacy Guidelines.The FDIC and other federal bank regulatory agencies adopted a final rule for leverage and risk-based capital requirements and the method for calculating risk-weighted assets which is consistent with agreements that were reached by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision under the so-called Basel III framework and certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act.Act that became effective on January 1, 2015. Among other things, the rule established a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio with a minimum requirement of 4.5%, increased the minimum Tier 1 risk based ratio from 4.0% to 6.0%, and assigned a higher risk weight of 150% to exposures that are more than 90 days past due or in nonaccrual status as well as certain commercial real estate loans that finance the acquisition, development or construction of real property. The final rule also required accumulated OCI be included for purposes of calculating regulatory capital unless a one time opt-out election was made during the first quarter of 2015. The Company and Union both made the election. The rule limits a banking organization's capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments if the banking organization does not hold a "capital conservation buffer" of 2.5% above the minimum capital ratio requirements. The 2.5% capital conservation buffer requirement became effective for the Company and Union on January 1, 2019. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 rolls back certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 providing that a bank with less than $10 billion in assets may be exempt from current leverage and risk-based capital ratio requirements and will be deemed well capitalized under the FDIC's Prompt Corrective Action capital framework (described below)


if it maintains a community bank leverage ratio ("CBLR") above a threshold to be set by federal banking regulators between eight and 10 percent. The bank will be deemed "well capitalized" if it meets the CBLR. As of December 31, 2018, the banking regulators had not yet taken final action to establish the percentage for the CBLR. Please refer to Note 21(Regulatory Capital Requirements) to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K for the regulatory capital ratios for the Company and Union as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

A financial institution's failure to meet minimum regulatory capital standards can lead to other penalties, including termination of deposit insurance or appointment of a conservator or receiver for the financial institution. Risk based capital ratios are the primary measure of regulatory capital presently applicable to bank holding companies. Risk based capital guidelines are designed to make regulatory capital requirements more sensitive to differences in risk profiles among banks and bank holding companies, to account for off-balance-sheet exposure and to minimize disincentives for holding liquid assets.

Federal bank regulatory agencies require banking organizations that engage in significant trading activity to calculate a capital charge for market risk. Significant trading activity means trading activity of at least 10% of total assets or $1 billion, whichever is smaller, calculated on a consolidated basis for bank holding companies. Federal bank regulators may apply the market risk measure to other bank holding companies, as the agency deems necessary or appropriate for safe and sound banking practices. Each agency may exclude organizations that it supervises that otherwise meet the criteria under certain circumstances. The market risk charge will be included in the calculation of an organization's risk based capital ratio. Neither the Company nor Union is currently subject to this special capital charge.

Prompt Corrective Action. FDICIA, among other things, identifies five capital categories for insured depository institutions (well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized) and requires the respective federal banking agencies to implement systems for “prompt corrective action” for insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. FDICIA imposes progressively more restrictive constraints on operations, management and capital distributions, depending on the category in which an institution is classified. Failure to meet the capital guidelines could also subject a banking institution to capital raising requirements. An “undercapitalized” bank must develop a capital restoration plan and its parent holding company must guarantee that bank's compliance with the plan. The liability of the parent holding company under any such guarantee is limited to the lesser of 5% of the bank's assets at the time it became undercapitalized or the amount needed to comply with the plan. Furthermore, in the event of the bankruptcy of the parent holding company, such guarantee would take priority over the parent's general unsecured creditors. In addition, FDICIA requires the various federal banking agencies to prescribe certain noncapital standards for safety and soundness related generally to operations and management, asset quality and executive compensation, and permits regulatory action against a financial institution that does not meet such standards.

The various federal banking agencies have adopted substantially similar regulations that define the five capital categories identified by FDICIA, using the Tier 1 Capital, Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, Total Capital and Leverage Ratios as the relevant capital measures. Such regulations establish various degrees of corrective action to be taken when an institution is considered undercapitalized. Under the regulations as in effect during 2018,2021, a “well capitalized” institution must have a Tier 1 capital ratio of at least 8.0%, a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 6.5%, a total capital ratio of at least 10% and a leverage ratio of at least 5% and not be subject to a capital directive order.

At December 31, 2018,2021, Union's Tier I and Total Risk Based Capital Ratios were 11.8%14.1% and 12.8%15.3% respectively, and its Leverage Capital Ratio was 8.0%8.4%, and it is considered well capitalized under applicable regulatory guidelines in effect as of such date. However, an increase in the amount of capital that the Company or Union must maintain in order to support a given level of assets would reduce the amount of leverage that our capital could support and increased volatility could be problematic. Our ability to increase our level of interest earning assets or to allocate those assets in the best manner to generate interest income may be adversely affected.

Safety and Soundness Standards.FDICIA, as amended, directs each Federal banking agency to prescribe safety and soundness standards for depository institutions relating to internal controls, information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, compensation, asset quality, earnings and stock valuation. The Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 amended FDICIA by allowing Federal banking regulators to publish guidelines rather than regulations concerning safety and soundness.

FDICIA also contains a variety of other provisions that may affect Union's operations, including reporting requirements, regulatory guidelines for real estate lending, “truth in savings” disclosure provisions, and a requirement to provide 90 days prior notice to customers and regulatory authorities before closing any branch. Union is subject to §112 of FDICIA, which requires an additional annual reporting to the FDIC, FRB, and DFR regarding preparation of the annual financial statements, the
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maintenance of an


internal control structure for financial reporting and compliance with certain designated banking laws, as well as imposition of increased responsibilities on the Company's external auditor and audit committee.

Dividend Restrictions
As a bank holding company, the Company's ability to pay dividends to its stockholders is largely dependent on the ability of its subsidiary to pay dividends to it. Payment of dividends by Vermont-chartered banks, such as Union, is subject to applicable state and federal laws. Under Vermont banking laws, a Vermont-chartered bank may not authorize dividends or other distributions that would reduce the bank's capital below the amount of capital required in the bank's Certificate of General Good or under any capital or surplus standards established by the Commissioner of the DFR. Union does not have any capital restrictions in its Certificate of General Good and, to date, the Commissioner of the DFR has not adopted capital or surplus standards. Nevertheless, the capital standards established by the FDIC, described above under "Prompt Corrective Action" apply to Union, and the capital standards of the FRB apply to the Company on a consolidated basis. In addition, the FRB, the FDIC and the Commissioner of the DFR are authorized under applicable federal and state laws to prohibit payment of dividends that are determined to be an unsafe or unsound practice. Payment of dividends that significantly deplete the capital of a bank or a bank holding company, or render it illiquid, could be found to be an unsafe or unsound practice. Further, the Basel III capital standards limit a financial institution's ability to pay dividends if it does not maintain a required capital conservation buffer.

Consumer Protection Regulation
WeThe Company and Union are subject to a number of federal and state laws designed to protect consumers and prohibit unfair or deceptive business practices, including, but not limited to, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Home Ownership Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (the “FACT Act”), GLBA, the Truth in Lending Act, CRA, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the National Flood Insurance Act and various state law counterparts. Union is also subject to laws and regulations to protect consumers in connection with their deposit or electronic transactions. These laws include the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and the Expedited Funds Availability Act. These laws and regulations mandate certain disclosure requirements and regulate the manner in which financial institutions must interact with customers when taking deposits, making loans, collecting loans and providing other services. Further, the Dodd-Frank Act established the CFPB, which has the responsibility for making rules and regulations under the federal consumer protection laws relating to financial products and services. The CFPB also has a broad mandate to prohibit unfair or deceptive acts and practices and is specifically empowered to require certain disclosures to consumers and draft model disclosure forms under the various federal consumer protection laws. The CFPB is charged with examiningenforcing consumer protection laws against banks with assets in excess of $10 billion, while community banks continue to be subject to the enforcement authority of their primary regulator. This supervisory structure may lead to conflicting regulatory guidance for community banks versus larger banks and increase regulatory costs and burdens. Failure to comply with consumer protection laws and regulations can subject financial institutions to enforcement actions, fines and other penalties.
Mortgage Reform.The Dodd-Frank Act prescribes certain standards that mortgage lenders must consider before making a residential mortgage loan, including verifying a borrower’s ability to repay such mortgage loan, and allows borrowers to assert violations of certain provisions of the Truth-in-Lending Act as a defense to foreclosure proceedings. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, prepayment penalties are prohibited for certain mortgage transactions and creditors are prohibited from financing credit life/disability insurance policies in connection with a residential mortgage loan or home equity line of credit. In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act prohibits mortgage originators from receiving compensation based on the terms of residential mortgage loans and generally limits the ability of a mortgage originator to be compensated by others if compensation is received from a consumer. The Dodd-Frank Act requires mortgage lenders to make additional disclosures prior to the extension of credit, in each billing statement, and for negative amortization loans and hybrid adjustable rate mortgages. Additionally, the CFPB publishedadopted rules and forms that combinedcombine certain disclosures that consumers receive in connection with applying for and closing on a residential mortgage loan under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X), also known as the TILA and RESPA Integrated Disclosures, or TRID. TRID established new disclosure timing requirements and applies to most closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by real property.
Privacy and Customer Information Security. The GLBA requires financial institutions to implement policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of nonpublic personal information about consumers to nonaffiliated third parties. In general, we must provide our consumer customers with an annuala disclosure that explains our policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of such nonpublic personal information orinformation. We must also provide an updated notice as to whereif we change our policies and procedures may be accessed.information-sharing practices. Except as otherwise required or permitted by law, we are prohibited from disclosing nonpublic personal information except as provided in such policies and procedures. The GLBA also requires that we develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program designed to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information (as defined under the GLBA), to protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information; and to protect
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against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer. We are also required to send a notice to customers whose “sensitive information” has been compromised if unauthorized use of this information is “reasonably possible.” Most of the states, including the states where we operate, have enacted legislation concerning breaches of data security


and our duties in response to a data breach. Congress continues to consider federal legislation that would require consumer notice of data security breaches. Pursuant to the FACT Act, we have developed and implemented a written identity theft prevention program to detect, prevent, and mitigate identity theft in connection with the opening of certain accounts or certain existing accounts.
Additionally, the FACT Act amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to generally prohibit a person from using information received from an affiliate to make a solicitation for marketing purposes to a consumer, unless the consumer is given notice and a reasonable opportunity and simple method to opt out of the making of such solicitations.
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (“HMDA”).HMDA makes information available to the public that helps to show whether financial institutions are serving the housing credit needs of their neighborhoods and communities. The Act requires institutions to gather and compile data about loan applications secured by a lien on a residential dwelling for home purchase, home improvement, refinances and refinances where both the old loan and new loan are secured by a dwelling.certain other borrowing purposes. The information must be compiled each calendar year on a Loan/Application Register, and submitted to the FFIEC by March 1st of the following year and made available to the public no later than March 31st. The Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council prepares a series of tables that comprise the disclosure statement for each reporting institution. HMDA applies to financial institutions that have their main office or any branch in a Metropolitan Statistical Area ("MSA"). Union is subject to HMDA as it has branch offices within the Burlington, Vermont MSA. In accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB adopted new regulations effective for covered loan applications with action taken dates on or after January 1, 2018. The new rules expand coverage to include the majority of loan applications secured by a dwelling, including many applications for open-end loans. Additionally, the CFPB has increased the number of data points that must be collected and reported upon, to include information regarding geographical data, loan terms, underwriting practices and loan pricing.

Regulation of Other Activities
Transactions with Related Parties.The Company's and Union's authority to extend credit, purchase or sell an asset from or to their directors, executive officers and 10% or more stockholders, as well as to entities controlled by such persons, is governed by the requirements of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation O of the FRB thereunder. Among other things, these provisions require that extensions of credit to insiders (i) be made on terms that are substantially the same as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are not less stringent than those prevailing for comparable transactions with unaffiliated persons and that do not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features and (ii) not exceed certain limitations on the amount of credit extended to such persons, individually and in the aggregate, which limits are based in part, on the amount of the bank's capital. Under applicable guidelines, any related party transaction, including a loan, must be reviewed by the Company's Audit Committee. In addition, under the federal SOX Act (discussed below), the Company, itself, may not extend or arrange for any personal loans to its directors and executive officers. The Company has a Related Persons Transactions Approval Policy administered by the Company's Audit Committee which incorporates applicable regulatory guidelines and requirements.

Interstate Banking. The Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 authorized an adequately capitalized and managed bank holding company to acquire banks based outside its home state, generally without regard to whether the state's law would permit the acquisition, and also authorized banks to merge across state lines thereby creating interstate branches. In addition, this Act authorized banks to acquire existing interstate branches (short of merger) or to establish new interstate branches. States were given the right, exercisable before June 1, 1997, to prohibit altogether or impose certain limitations on interstate mergers and the acquisition or establishment of interstate branches. The Dodd-Frank Act removed remaining state law impediments to de novo interstate branching. Although interstate banking and branching may resulthave resulted in increased competitive pressures in the markets in which the Company operates, interstate branching may also present competitive opportunities for locally-owned and managed banks, such as Union, that are familiar with the local markets and that emphasize personal service and prompt, local decision-making. The ability to branch interstate has also benefited Union, as it permitted the expansion of its banking operations into New Hampshire, with the conversion of its loan production office in Littleton to a full service branch in March of 2006, the May 2011 acquisition of three New Hampshire branches, the opening of a full service branch in Lincoln in 2014, and the opening of a loan production office in North Conway New Hampshire in 2018.

Affiliate Restrictions.Bank holding companies and their affiliates are subject to certain restrictions under the Federal Reserve Act in their dealings with each other, such as in connection with extensions of credit, transfers of assets, and purchase of services among affiliated parties. The Dodd-Frank Act further tightened these restrictions. Generally, loans or extensions of credit, issuances of guarantees or letters of credit, investments or purchases of assets by a subsidiary bank from a bank holding company or its affiliates are limited to 10% of the bank's capital and surplus (as defined by federal regulations) with respect to each affiliate and to 20% in the aggregate for all affiliates, and borrowings are also subject to certain collateral requirements. These transactions, as well as other transactions between a subsidiary bank and its holding company or other affiliates must generally be on arms-length terms, that is, on terms comparable to those involving nonaffiliated companies. Further, under the Federal Reserve Act and FRB regulations, a bank holding company and its subsidiaries are prohibited from engaging in certain tie-in-arrangements in connection with extensions of credit or lease or sale of property, furnishing of property or services to third parties. The Company and Union are subject to these restrictions in their intercompany transactions.



Bank Secrecy Act. Union is subject to federal laws establishing record keeping, customer identification and reporting requirements pertaining to large or suspicious cash transactions, purchases of other monetary instruments and the international
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transfer of cash or monetary instruments that may signify money laundering. Provisions designed to help combat international terrorism, were added to the Bank Secrecy Act by the 2001 USA Patriot Act. These provisions require banks to avoid establishing or maintaining correspondent accounts of foreign off-shore banks and banks in jurisdictions that have been found to fall significantly below international anti-money laundering standards. U.S. banks are also prohibited from opening correspondent accounts for off-shore shell banks, defined as banks that have no physical presence and that are not part of a regulated and recognized banking company. The USA Patriot Act requires all financial institutions to adopt an anti-money laundering program and to establish due diligence policies, procedures and controls that are reasonably designed to detect and report instances of money laundering in United States private banking accounts and correspondent accounts maintained for non-U.S. persons or their representatives. Effective May 11, 2018, banks are required to comply with enhanced customer due diligence regulations requiring collection of information on beneficial owners and control persons of legal entity customers.

The due diligence requirements issued by the Department of Treasury require minimum standards to verify customer identity and maintain accurate records, encourage information sharing cooperation among financial institutions, federal banking agencies and law enforcement authorities regarding possible money laundering or terrorist activities, prohibit the anonymous use of “concentration accounts” and require all covered financial institutions to have in place an anti-money laundering compliance program. In addition, the USA Patriot Act amended certain provisions of the federal Right to Financial Privacy Act to facilitate the access of law enforcement to bank customer records in connection with investigating international terrorism.

The Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering statutory regime was significantly amended by the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (“AMLA”), which became effective on January 1, 2021. Among other provisions, AMLA establishes a new beneficial ownership database, codifies various information-sharing practices among financial institutions, law enforcement and FinCEN that have developed since enactment of the USA Patriot Act, enhances law enforcement subpoena powers with regard to foreign financial institutions that maintain correspondent accounts in the United States, and emphasizes the use of technology and automation in identifying financial crimes.
The USA Patriot Act also amendsamended the BHC Act and the Bank Merger Act to require the federal banking agencies to consider the effectiveness of a financial institution's anti-money laundering program when reviewing applications under these acts for mergers, acquisitions, and certain other expansion activities.

SOX Act. This far reaching federal legislation, enacted in 2002, was generally intended to protect investors by strengthening corporate governance and improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures made pursuant to federal securities laws. The SOX Act includes provisions addressing, among other matters, the duties, functions and qualifications of audit committees for all public companies; certification of financial statements by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer; the forfeiture of bonuses or other incentive-based compensation and profits from the sale of an issuer’s securities by directors and senior officers in the twelve month period following initial publication of any financial statements that later require restatement; disclosure of off-balance sheet transactions; a prohibition on personal loans to directors and officers, except (in the case of banking companies) loans in the normal course of business; expedited filing requirements for reports of beneficial ownership of company stock by insiders; disclosure of a code of ethics for senior officers, and of any change or waiver of such code; the formation of a public accounting oversight board; auditor independence; disclosure of fees paid to the company's auditors for non-audit services and limitations on the provision of such services; attestation requirements for company management and external auditors, relating to internal controls and procedures; and various increased criminal penalties for violations of federal securities laws.

NASDAQ. In response to the SOX Act, the NASDAQ Exchange on which the Company's common stock is listed, implemented newcomprehensive corporate governance listing standards, including rules strengthening director independence requirements for boards and committees of the board, the director nomination process and shareholder communication avenues. These rules require the Company to annually certify to the NASDAQ, after each annual meeting, that the Company is in compliance and will continue to comply with the NASDAQ corporate governance requirements.

Taxing Authorities. The Company and Union are subject to income taxes at the Federal level and are individually subject to state taxation based on the laws of each state in which they operate. The Company and Union file a consolidated federal tax return with a calendar year end. The Company and Union have filed separate tax returns for each state jurisdiction affected for 20172020 and will do the same for 2018.2021. No tax return is currently being examined or audited by any taxing authority that the Company is aware of. The taxing authorities also regulate the information reporting requirements that Union is subject to, and which continue to increase and require resources to comply with.


Available Information
The Company files annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other documents with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). These reports, proxy statements, and other documents are available to the public on the internet website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Our Internet website address is www.ublocal.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d), proxy

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statements filed pursuant to Section 14(a) and reports filed pursuant to Section 16, 13(d) and 13(g) of the Exchange Act are available free of charge through the Investor Relations page of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this report.

The Company will also provide copies of its 2018this 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K, free of charge, upon written request to its Treasurer at the Company's main address, PO Box 667, Morrisville, VT 05661-0667. Shareholder meeting materials for our 20192022 Annual Meeting are available at www.materials.proxyvote.com/905400 no later than the date on which they are mailed to shareholders.


Item 1A. Risk Factors

An investment in the Company involves risk, some of which, including market, liquidity, credit, operational, legal, compliance, reputational and strategic risks, could be substantial and is inherent in our business. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect the Company are described below. Any of the following risks could affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and could be material and/or adverse in nature. You should consider all of the following risks together with all of the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Credit and Interest Rate Risks
Our loans are concentrated in certain areas of Vermont and New Hampshire and adverse conditions in those markets could adversely affect our operations.
We are exposed to real estate and economic factors throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. Further, because a substantial portion of our loan portfolio is secured by real estate in Vermont and New Hampshire, the value of the associated collateral is subject to real estate market conditions in those states and in the northern New England region more generally. Adverse economic, political and business developments or natural hazards may affect these areas and the ability of property owners in these areas to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages. If these areas experience adverse economic, political or business conditions, or significant natural hazards, we would likely experience higher rates of loss and delinquency on our loan portfolio than if the portfolio were more geographically diverse.


If our allowance for loan losses is not sufficient to cover actual loan losses, our earnings could decrease.
We make various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of our loan portfolio, including the creditworthiness of our borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many of our loans. On a quarterly basis the allowance for loan loss is presented to Union's Board of Directors for discussion, review, and approval. We rely on our loan reviews, our experience, and our evaluation of economic conditions, among other factors, in determining the amount of the allowance for loan losses. If our assumptions prove to be incorrect, our allowance for loan losses may not be sufficient to cover the losses we could experience, resulting in additions to our allowance and a related charge to our income. In addition, bank regulators periodically review our allowance for loan losses and may require us to increase our provision for loan losses or recognize further loan charge-offs, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.


Our commercial, commercial real estate and construction loan portfolio may expose us to increased credit risks.
At December 31, 2018,2021, approximately 50% of our loan portfolio was comprised of commercial and commercial real estate loans. In general, commercial and commercial real estate loans have historically posed greater credit risks than owner occupied residential mortgage loans. The repayment of commercial real estate loans depends on the business and financial condition of borrowers. Economic events and changes in government regulations, which we and our borrowers cannot control or reliably predict, could have an adverse impact on the cash flows generated by the businesses and properties securing our commercial and commercial real estate loans and on the values of the collateral securing those loans. Repayment of commercial loans depends substantially on the borrowers’ underlying business, financial condition and cash flows. Commercial loans are generally collateralized by equipment, inventory, accounts receivable and other fixed assets.  Compared to real estate, that type of collateral is more difficult to monitor, its value is harder to ascertain, it may depreciate more rapidly and it may not be as readily saleable if repossessed.


Changes in interest rates and interest rate volatility may reduce our profitability.
Our consolidated earnings and financial condition are primarily dependent upon net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned from loans and investments and interest paid on deposits and borrowings. Net interest income can be affected significantly by changes in market interest rates. In particular, changes in relative interest rates may reduce our net interest income as the difference between interest income and interest expense decreases. As a result, we have adopted asset and liability management policies to minimize the potential adverse effects of changes in interest rates on net interest income, primarily by altering the mix and maturity of loans, investments and funding sources. However, there can be no assurance that a
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change in interest rates will not negatively impact our results of operations or financial condition. Because market interest rates may change by differing magnitudes and at different times, significant changes in interest rates over an extended period of time could reduce overall net interest income. An increase inA prolonged low interest ratesrate environment could also have a negative impact on our results of operations by reducingdue to continued asset yield compression. Asset yield compression could outpace funding cost relief as deposit costs are nearing implied floor levels while assets continue to adjust downward in the ability of borrowers to repay their current loan obligations, which could not only result in increased loan defaults, foreclosures and write-offs, but also necessitate further increases to our allowance for loan losses. Higher interest rates could also cause depositors to shift funds from accounts that have a comparatively lower cost, to accounts with a higher cost.low rate environment. If the cost of interest-bearing deposits increasesyield on average earning assets decreases at a rate greater than the yields on interest-earning assets,interest-bearing liabilities, net interest income will be negatively affected.


Our cost of funds for banking operations may increase as a result of loss of deposits or a change in deposit mix.
Deposits are a lowlower cost and stable source of funding. We compete with banks and other financial institutions for deposits. Funding costs may increase if we lose deposits and are forced to replace them with more expensive sources of funding, if clientscustomers shift their


deposits into higher cost products or if we need to raise interest rates to avoid losing deposits. Higher funding costs reduce our net interest margin, net interest income and net income.


Wholesale funding sources may prove insufficient to replace deposits at maturity and support our operations and future growth.
We and our bank subsidiary must maintain sufficient funds to respond to the needs of depositors and borrowers. To manage liquidity, we draw upon a number of funding sources in addition to core deposit growth and repayments and maturities of loans and investments. These sources include Federal Home Loan BankFHLB advances, liquidity lines of credit with correspondent banks, proceeds from the sale of investments and loans, and liquidity resources at the holding company. Our ability to manage liquidity will be severely constrained if we are unable to maintain access to funding or if adequate financing is not available to accommodate future growth at acceptable costs. In addition, if we are required to rely more heavily on more expensive funding sources to support future growth, our revenues may not increase proportionately to cover our costs. In this case, operating margins and profitability would be adversely affected. Turbulence in the capital and credit markets may adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and the willingness of certain counterparties and customers to do business with us.


Prepayments of loans may negatively impact our business.
Generally, our customers may prepay the principal amount of their outstanding loans at any time. The speed at which such prepayments occur, as well as the size of such prepayments, are within our customers’ discretion. If customers prepay the principal amount of their loans, and we are unable to lend those funds to other borrowers or invest the funds at the same or higher interest rates, our interest income will be reduced. A significant reduction in interest income could have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

Environmental liability associated with our lending activities could result in losses.
In the course of business, we may acquire, through foreclosure, properties securing loans we have originated or purchased that are in default. Particularly in commercial real estate lending, there is a risk that material environmental violations could be discovered at these properties. In this event, we might be required to remedy these violations at the affected properties at our sole cost and expense. The cost of remedial action could substantially exceed the value of affected properties. We may not have adequate remedies against the prior owners or other responsible parties and could find it difficult or impossible to sell the affected properties. These events could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Relating to Regulation of the Industry
We operate in a highly regulated environment and may be adversely affected by changes in laws, regulations and monetary policy.
We are subject to regulation and supervision by the FRB and Union Bank is subject to regulation and supervision by the FDIC and the DFR. Federal and state laws and regulations govern numerous matters affecting us, including changes in the ownership or control of banks and bank holding companies, maintenance of adequate capital and sound financial condition, branching activities, permissible types, amounts and terms of loans and investments, permissible nonbanking activities, the level of reserves against deposits and restrictions on dividend payments. The FDIC and the DFR possess the power to issue cease and desist orders against banks subject to their jurisdiction to prevent or remedy unsafe or unsound banking practices or violations of law, and the FRB possesses similar powers with respect to bank holding companies. These and other restrictions limit the manner in which we may conduct business and obtain financing.

We are also affected by the monetary policies of the FRB. Changes in monetary or legislative policies may affect the interest rates we must offer to attract deposits and the interest rates we must charge on our loans, as well as the manner in which we offer deposits and make loans. These monetary policies have had, and are expected to continue to have, significant effects on the operating results of depository institutions generally, including Union Bank.

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The laws, rules, regulations, and supervisory guidance and policies applicable to us are subject to regular modification and change. It is impossible to predict the competitive impact that any such changes would have on the banking and financial services industry in general or on our business in particular. Such changes may, among other things, increase the cost of doing business, limit permissible activities, or affect the competitive balance between banks and other financial institutions. The Dodd-Frank Act instituted major changes to the banking and financial institutions regulatory regimes in light of government intervention in the financial services sector. Other changes to statutes, regulations, or regulatory policies, including changes in interpretation or implementation of statutes, regulations, or policies, could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such changes could subject us to additional costs, limit the types of financial services and products we may offer, and/or increase the ability of non-banks to offer competing financial services and products, among other things. Failure to comply with laws, regulations, or policies could result in sanctions by regulatory agencies, civil money penalties, and/or reputational damage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations.


Additional requirements imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act could adversely affect us.
The Dodd-Frank Act comprehensively reformed the regulation of financial institutions, products and services. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act established the CFPB as an independent bureau of the FRB. The CFPB has the authority to prescribe rules for all depository institutions governing the provision of consumer financial products and services, which may result in rules and regulations that reduce the profitability of such products and services or impose greater costs and restrictions on us and our subsidiaries. The Dodd-Frank Act also established new minimum mortgage underwriting standards for residential mortgages, and the regulatory agencies have focused on the examination and supervision of mortgage lending and servicing activities.

The CFPB’s qualified mortgage rule, or “QM Rule,” became effective on January 10, 2014. The QM Rule requires mortgage lenders, prior to originating most residential mortgage loans, to make a determination of a borrower’s ability to repay the loan and establishes protections from liability under this requirement for so-called “qualified mortgages” that meet certain heightened criteria. If a mortgage lender does not appropriately establish a borrower’s ability to repay the loan, the borrower may be able to assert against the originator of the loan or any subsequent transferee, as a defense to foreclosure by way of recoupment or setoff, a violation of the ability-to-repay requirement. Loans that meet the definition of “qualified mortgage” will be presumed to have complied with the ability-to-repay standard. TheAlthough amendments to the QM Rule adopted by the CFPB in March 2021 will make it less challenging for a loan to meet the definition, the QM Rule and related ability-to-repay requirements and similar rules could nevertheless still limit


Union's ability to make certain types of loans or loans to certain borrowers, or could make it more expensive and time-consuming to make these loans, which could limit the Bank’s growth or profitability.

Current and future legal and regulatory requirements, restrictions, and regulations, including those imposed under the Dodd-Frank Act, may adversely impact our profitability and may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations; may require us to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make any changes required by the legislation and related regulations; and may make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified executive officers and employees.


We may become subject to more stringent capital requirements.
The federal banking agencies issued a joint final rule, or the “Final Capital Rule,” that implemented the Basel III capital standards and established the minimum capital levels required under the Dodd-Frank Act which became effective as of January 1, 2015. The Final Capital Rule established a minimum common equity Tier I capital ratio of 6.5% of risk-weighted assets for a “well capitalized” institution and increased the minimum Tier I capital ratio for a “well capitalized” institution from 6.0% to 8.0%. Additionally, subject to a transition period, the Final Capital Rule requires an institution to maintain a 2.5% common equity Tier I capital conservation buffer over the 6.5% minimum risk-based capital requirement for “adequately capitalized” institutions, or face restrictions on the ability to pay dividends or discretionary bonuses, and engage in share repurchases. The Final Capital Rule increased the required capital for certain categories of assets, including high-volatility construction real estate loans and certain exposures related to securitizations; however, the Final Capital Rule retained the current capital treatment of residential mortgages. Under the Final Capital Rule, we made a one-time, permanent election to continue to exclude accumulated other comprehensive income from capital. If we had not made this election, unrealized gains and losses would be included in the calculation of our regulatory capital. Further increasesAn increase in the amount of capital requirements may adversely affectthat the Company or Union must maintain in order to support a given level of assets would reduce the amount of leverage that our capital could support and increased volatility could be problematic. Our ability to pay dividends,increase our level of interest earning assets or require us to reduce business levels or raise capital, includingallocate those assets in ways thatthe best manner to generate interest income may be adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.affected.


We may incur fines, penalties and other negative consequences from regulatory violations, possibly even inadvertent or unintentional violations.
We maintain systems and procedures designed to ensure that we comply with applicable laws and regulations. However, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance
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was inadvertent or unintentional and even though there was in place at the time systems and procedures designed to ensure compliance. For example, we are subject to regulations issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or “OFAC,” that prohibit financial institutions from participating in the transfer of property belonging to the governments of certain foreign countries and designated nationals of those countries and certain other persons or entities whose interest in property is blocked by OFAC-administered sanctions. OFAC may impose penalties for inadvertent or unintentional violations even if reasonable processes are in place to prevent the violations. There may be other negative consequences resulting from a finding of noncompliance, including restrictions on certain activities. Such a finding may also damage our reputation and could restrict the ability of institutional investment managers to invest in our securities.


We face significant legal risks, both from regulatory investigations and proceedings and from private actions brought against us.
From time to time we are named as a defendant or are otherwise involved in various legal proceedings. There is no assurance that litigation with private parties will not increase in the future. Future actions against us may result in judgments, settlements, fines, penalties or other results adverse to us, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, or cause serious reputational harm to us. As a participant in the financial services industry, we are exposed to a high level of litigation related to our businesses and operations. Although we maintain insurance, the scope of this coverage may not provide us with full, or even partial, coverage in any particular case. As a result, a judgment against us in any such litigation could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.

Our businesses and operations are also subject to increasing regulatory oversight and scrutiny, which could lead to regulatory investigations or enforcement actions. These and other initiatives from federal and state officials could result in judgments, settlements, fines or penalties, or cause us to be required to restructure our operations and activities, all of which could lead to reputational issues,damage, or higher operational costs, thereby reducing our revenue.


OurChanges in accounting standards can be difficult to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations have been adversely affected,operations.
Our accounting policies and may continuemethods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. From time to time, the FASB changes the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. These changes can be adversely affected, by general markethard to anticipate and economic conditions.implement and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. For example, effective for the Company in 2023, the FASB’s current financial instruments project will significantly change the way the Company's loan loss provision is determined, from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model.
We have been,
Our financial statements are based in part on assumptions and continue to be, impacted by general business and economic conditionsestimates, which, if wrong, could cause unexpected losses in the United Statesfuture.
Pursuant to GAAP, we are required to use certain assumptions and estimates in preparing our financial statements, including in determining credit loss reserves, reserves related to a lesser extent, abroad.  These conditions include short-term and long-term interest rates, inflation, money supply, political issues, legislative and regulatory changes, fluctuations in both debt and equity capital markets, broad trends in industry and finance, unemploymentlitigation and the strength of the U.S. economy and the local economies in which we operate, all of which are beyond our


control. Deterioration or continued weakness in any of these conditions could result in increases in loan delinquencies and nonperforming assets, decreases in loan collateral values, thefair value of certain assets and liabilities, among other items. If the assumptions or estimates underlying our investment portfolio and demand for our products and services.

Competition in the local banking industry may impair our ability to attract and retain customers at current levels.
Competition in the markets in which we operate may limit our ability to attract and retain customers. In particular, we compete for loans, deposits and other financial products and services with local independent banks, thrift institutions, savings institutions, mortgage brokerage firms, credit unions, finance companies, trust companies, mutual funds, insurance companies and brokerage and investment banking firms operating locally as well as nationally. Additionally, banks and other financial institutions with larger capitalization, as well as financial intermediaries not subject to bank regulatory restrictions, have larger lending limits andstatements are able to serve the credit and investment needs of larger customers. There is also increased competition by out-of-market competitors through the Internet. If we are unable to attract and retain customers,incorrect, we may be unableexperience material losses.

Risks Relating to continue our loan growth and our results of operations and financial condition may otherwise be negatively impacted.

the Company's Stock
If we do not maintain net income growth, the market price of our common stock could be adversely affected.
Our return on stockholders’ equity and other measures of profitability, which affect the market price of our common stock, depend in part on our continued growth and expansion. Our growth strategy has two principal components: internal growth and external growth. Our ability to generate internal growth is affected by the competitive factors described below as well as by the primarily rural characteristics and related demographic features of the markets we serve. Our ability to continue to identify and invest in suitable acquisition candidates on acceptable terms is an important component of our external growth strategy. In pursuing acquisition opportunities, we may be in competition with other companies having similar growth strategies. As a result, we may not be able to identify or acquire promising acquisition candidates on acceptable terms. Competition for these acquisitions could result in increased acquisition prices and a diminished pool of acquisition opportunities. An inability to find suitable acquisition candidates at reasonable prices could slow our growth rate and have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock.


PrepaymentsWe are a holding company and depend on Union Bank for dividends, distributions and other payments.
We are a legal entity that is separate and distinct from Union Bank. Our revenue (on a parent company only basis) is derived primarily from interest and dividends paid to us by Union Bank. Our right, and consequently the right of loans may negatively impact our business.
Generally, our customers may prepayshareholders, to participate in any distribution of the principal amountassets or earnings of their outstanding loans at any time. The speed at which such prepayments occur, as well assubsidiary through the sizepayment of such prepayments,dividends or otherwise is necessarily subject to the prior claims of creditors (including depositors, in the case of Union Bank), except to the extent that certain claims of Union in a creditor capacity may be recognized.

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Our stockholders may not receive dividends on our common stock.
Holders of our common stock are withinentitled to receive dividends only when, as and if declared by our customers’ discretion. If customers prepay the principal amountboard of their loans, anddirectors. Although we have historically declared cash dividends on our common stock, we are unablenot required to lend those fundsdo so and our board of directors may reduce or eliminate our common stock dividend in the future. The FRB has the authority to other borrowersprohibit a bank holding company, such as us, from paying dividends if it deems such payment to be an unsafe or investunsound practice. The FDIC has the funds atauthority to use its enforcement powers to prohibit Union from paying dividends to us if, in its opinion, the samepayment of dividends would constitute an unsafe or higher interest rates,unsound practice. Federal law also prohibits the payment of dividends by a bank that will result in the bank failing to meet its applicable capital requirements on a pro forma basis. Further, our interest income willability to pay dividends would be reduced.restricted if we do not maintain a required capital conservation buffer under applicable regulatory capital rules. A significant reduction in interest incomeor elimination of dividends could have a negative impact onadversely affect the market price of our results of operations and financial condition.common stock.

We may incur significant losses as a result of ineffective risk management processesneed to raise additional capital in the future and strategies.
We seek to monitor and control our risk exposure through a risk and control framework encompassing a variety of separate but complementary financial, credit, operational, compliance and legal reporting systems, internal controls, management review processes and other mechanisms. While we employ a broad and diversified set of risk monitoring and risk mitigation techniques, those techniques and the judgments that accompany their applicationsuch capital may not be effective and may not anticipate every economic and financial outcome in all market environmentsavailable when needed or the specifics and timingon acceptable terms.
As a bank holding company, we are required by regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of such outcomes. Market conditions over the last several years have involved unprecedented dislocations and highlight the limitations inherent in using historical datacapital to manage risk.

Environmental liability associated with our lending activities could result in losses.
In the course of business, we may acquire, through foreclosure, properties securing loans we have originated or purchased that are in default. Particularly in commercial real estate lending, there is a risk that material environmental violations could be discovered at these properties. In this event, we might be required to remedy these violations at the affected properties at our sole cost and expense. The cost of remedial action could substantially exceed the value of affected properties. We may not have adequate remedies against the prior owners or other responsible parties and could find it difficult or impossible to sell the affected properties. These events could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We must adapt to information technology changes in the financial services industry, which could present operational issues, require significant capital spending, or impact our reputation.
The financial services industry is constantly undergoing technological changes, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. We invest significant resources in information technology system enhancements in order to provide functionality and security at an appropriate level. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and reduce costs. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies insupport our operations.  We may not be ableneed to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers. Failure to successfully implement and integrate future system enhancements could adversely impact the ability to provide timely and accurate financial information


in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, which could result in sanctions from regulatory authorities. Such sanctions could include fines and suspension of trading in our stock, among others. In addition, future system enhancements could have higher than expected costs and/or result in operating inefficiencies, which could increase the costs associated with the implementation as well as ongoing operations.

Failure to properly utilize system enhancements that are implementedraise additional capital in the future to provide us with sufficient capital resources and liquidity to meet our commitments and business needs.  Our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, will depend on, among other things, conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside of our control, and our financial performance.  We cannot assure you that such capital will be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.  Our inability to raise sufficient additional capital on acceptable terms when needed could result in impairment charges that adverselysubject us to certain activity restrictions or to a variety of enforcement remedies available to the regulatory authorities, including limitations on our ability to pay dividends or pursue acquisitions, the issuance by regulatory authorities of a capital directive to increase capital and the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC.

Market volatility may impact our business and the value of our common stock.
Our business performance and the trading price of shares of our common stock may be affected by many factors affecting financial conditioninstitutions, including volatility in the credit, mortgage and resultshousing markets, the markets for securities relating to mortgages or housing, and the value of operationsdebt and mortgage-backed and other securities that we hold in our investment portfolio. Government action and legislation may also impact us and the value of our common stock. We cannot predict what impact, if any, market volatility will have on our business or share price and for these and other reasons our shares of common stock may trade at a price lower than that at which they were purchased.

Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation may have an anti-takeover effect.
Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and regulations and federal banking laws, including regulatory approval requirements, could resultmake it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to our shareholders. The combination of these provisions may inhibit a non-negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in significant costs to remediate or replaceturn, could adversely affect the defective components. In addition, we may incur significant training, licensing, maintenance, consulting and amortization expenses during and after systems implementations, and any such costs may continue for an extended periodmarket price of time.our common stock.


Operational Risks
A failure in or breach of our operational systems, information systems, or infrastructure, or those of our third party vendors and other service providers, may result in financial losses, loss of customers, or damage to our reputation.
We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. In addition, we rely on third parties to provide key components of our infrastructure, including internet connections, and network access. These types of information and related systems are critical to the operation of our business and essential to our ability to perform day-to-day operations, and, in some cases, are critical to the operations of certain of our customers. These third parties with which we do business or that facilitate our business activities, including exchanges, clearing firms, financial intermediaries or vendors that provide services or security solutions for our operations, could also be sources of operational and information security risk to us, including breakdowns or failures of their own systems or capacity constraints. Although we have safeguards and business continuity plans in place, our business operations may be adversely affected by significant and widespread disruption to our physical infrastructure or operating systems that support our business and our customers, resulting in financial losses, loss of customers, or damage to our reputation.


An interruption or breach in security of our information systems or those related to merchants and third party vendors, including as a result of cyber attacks, could disrupt our business, result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, damage our reputation, or result in financial losses.
Our technologies, systems, networks and software, and those of other financial institutions have been, and are likely to continue to be, the target of cybersecurity threats and attacks, which may range from uncoordinated individual attempts to sophisticated and targeted measures directed at us. These cybersecurity threats and attacks may include, but are not limited to, attempts to access information, including customer and company information, malicious code, computer viruses and denial of service
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attacks that could result in unauthorized access, misuse, loss or destruction of data (including confidential customer information), account takeovers, unavailability of service or other events. These types of threats may result from human error, fraud or malice on the part of external or internal parties, or from accidental technological failure. Further, to access our products and services our customers may use computers and mobile devices that are beyond our security control systems. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, has increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased.

Our business requires the collection and retention of large volumes of customer data, including payment card numbers and other personally identifiable information in various information systems that we maintain and in those maintained by third parties with whom we contract to provide data services. We also maintain important internal company data such as personally identifiable information about our employees and information relating to our operations. The integrity and protection of that customer and company data is important to us. As customer, public, legislative and regulatory expectations and requirements regarding operational and information security have increased, our operations systems and infrastructure must continue to be safeguarded and monitored for potential failures, disruptions and breakdowns.
Our customers and employees have been, and will continue to be, targeted by parties using fraudulent e-mails and other communications in attempts to misappropriate passwords, payment card numbers, bank account information or other personal information or to introduce viruses to our customers’ computers. These communications may appear to be legitimate messages sent by the Bank or other businesses, but direct recipients to fake websites operated by the sender of the e-mail or request that the recipient send a password or other confidential information via e-mail or download a program. Despite our efforts to mitigate these threats through product improvements, use of encryption and authentication technology to secure online transmission of confidential consumer information, and customer and employee education, such attempted frauds against us or our merchants and our third party service providers remain a serious issue. The pervasiveness of cyber security incidents in general and the risks of cyber-crime are complex and will continue to evolve.
Although we make significant efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our information systems and have implemented various measures to manage the risk of a security breach or disruption, there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging. Even the most well-protected information, networks, systems and facilities remain potentially vulnerable because attempted security breaches, particularly cyber-attacks and intrusions, or disruptions will occur in the future, and because the techniques used in such attempts are constantly evolving and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, and in some cases are designed not to be


detected and, in fact, may not be detected. Accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate security barriers or other preventative measures, and thus it is virtually impossible for us to entirely mitigate this risk. A security breach or other significant disruption could: 1) disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems and therefore our operations and/or those of certain of our customers; 2) result in the unauthorized access to, and destruction, loss, theft, misappropriation or release of confidential, sensitive or otherwise valuable information of ours or our customers, including account numbers and other financial information; 3) result in a violation of applicable privacy, data breach and other laws, subjecting the Bank to additional regulatory scrutiny and exposing the Bank to civil litigation, governmental fines and possible financial liability; 4) require significant management attention and resources to remedy the damages that result; or 5) harm our reputation or cause a decrease in the number of customers that choose to do business with us or reduce the level of business that our customers do with us. The occurrence of any such failures, disruptions or security breaches could have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows as well as damage our brand and reputation.
Although we maintain an insurance policy covering certain cybersecurity risks which we believe provides appropriate coverage for a financial institution of our size and business and technology profile, we cannot provide any assurance that such policy would be sufficient to cover all financial losses or damages we might suffer in the event that we or one of our third party vendors experiences a system failure or suffers a system intrusion or other cyberattack.


We may suffer losses as a result of operational risk or technical system failures.
The potential for operational risk exposure exists throughout our organization. Integral to our performance is the continued efficacy of our internal processes, systems, relationships with third parties and the associates and executives in our day-to-day and ongoing operations. Operational risk also encompasses the failure to implement strategic objectives in a successful, timely and cost-effective manner. Failure to properly manage operational risk subjects us to risks of loss that may vary in size, scale and scope, including loss of customers, operational or technical failures, unlawful tampering with our technical systems, ineffectiveness or exposure due to interruption in third party support, as well as the loss of key individuals or failure on the part of key individuals to perform properly. Although we seek to mitigate operational risk through a system of internal controls, losses from operational risk could take the form of explicit charges, increased operational costs, harm to our reputation or foregone opportunities.


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We rely on other companies to provide key components of our business infrastructure.
Third party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure such as internet connections, network access and core application processing. While we have selected these third party vendors carefully, we do not control their actions. Any problems caused by these third parties, including as a result of their not providing us their services for any reason or their performing their services poorly, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers or otherwise conduct our business efficiently and effectively. Replacing these third party vendors could also entail significant business disruption, delay and expense.

Strategic Risks
Competition in the local banking industry may impair our ability to attract and retain customers at current levels.
Competition in the markets in which we operate may limit our ability to attract and retain customers. In particular, we compete for loans, deposits and other financial products and services with local independent banks, thrift institutions, savings institutions, mortgage brokerage firms, credit unions, finance companies, trust companies, mutual funds, insurance companies and brokerage and investment banking firms operating locally as well as nationally. Additionally, banks and other financial institutions with larger capitalization, as well as financial intermediaries not subject to bank regulatory restrictions, have larger lending limits and are able to serve the credit and investment needs of larger customers. There is also increased competition by out-of-market competitors through the Internet. If we are unable to attract and retain customers, we may be unable to continue our loan growth and our results of operations and financial condition may otherwise be negatively impacted.

We may incur significant losses as a result of ineffective risk management processes and strategies.
We seek to monitor and control our risk exposure through a risk and control framework encompassing a variety of separate but complementary financial, credit, operational, compliance and legal reporting systems, internal controls, management review processes and other mechanisms. While we employ a broad and diversified set of risk monitoring and risk mitigation techniques, those techniques and the judgments that accompany their application may not be effective and may not anticipate every economic and financial outcome in all market environments or the specifics and timing of such outcomes.

We must adapt to information technology changes in the financial services industry, which could present operational issues, require significant capital spending, or impact our reputation.
The financial services industry is constantly undergoing technological changes, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. We invest significant resources in information technology system enhancements in order to provide functionality and security at an appropriate level. The effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to better serve customers and reduce costs. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations. We may not be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers. Failure to successfully implement and integrate future system enhancements could adversely impact the ability to provide timely and accurate financial information in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, which could result in sanctions from regulatory authorities. Such sanctions could include fines and suspension of trading in our stock, among others. In addition, future system enhancements could have higher than expected costs and/or result in operating inefficiencies, which could increase the costs associated with the implementation as well as ongoing operations.
Failure to properly utilize system enhancements that are implemented in the future could result in impairment charges that adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations and could result in significant costs to remediate or replace the defective components. In addition, we may incur significant training, licensing, maintenance, consulting and amortization expenses during and after systems implementations, and any such costs may continue for an extended period of time.

Economic Risks
Our financial condition and results of operations have been adversely affected, and may continue to be adversely affected, by general market and economic conditions.
We have been, and continue to be, impacted by general business and economic conditions in the United States and, to a lesser extent, abroad.  These conditions include short-term and long-term interest rates, inflation, money supply, political issues, legislative and regulatory changes, fluctuations in both debt and equity capital markets, broad trends in industry and finance, unemployment and the strength of the U.S. economy and the local economies in which we operate, all of which are beyond our control. Deterioration or continued weakness in any of these conditions could result in increases in loan delinquencies and nonperforming assets, decreases in loan collateral values, the value of our investment portfolio and demand for our products and services.


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General Risks
We may be unable to attract and retain key personnel.
Our success depends, in large part, on our ability to attract and retain key personnel.  Competition for qualified personnel in the financial services industry can be intense and we may not be able to hire or retain the key personnel that we depend upon for success.  The unexpected loss of services of one or more of our key personnel could have a material adverse impact on our business because of the loss of their skills, knowledge of the markets in which we operate and years of industry experience, and because of the difficulty of promptly finding qualified replacement personnel.


We are subject to reputational risk.
We are dependent on our reputation within our market area, as a trusted and responsible financial company,service provider, for all aspects of our relationships with customers, employees, vendors, third-party service providers, and others, with whom we conduct business or potential future business. Our actual or perceived failure to (a) identify and address potential conflicts of interest, ethical issues, money-laundering, or privacy issues; (b) meet legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the Bank and to the Company; (c) maintain the privacy of customer and accompanying personal information; or (d) maintain adequate record keeping; and (e) identify the legal, reputational, credit, liquidity and market risks inherent in our products, could give rise to reputational risk that could harm our business prospects and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. If we fail to address any of these issues in an appropriate manner, we could be subject to additional legal risks, which, in turn, could increase the size and number of litigation claims and damages asserted or subject us to enforcement actions, fines and penalties and cause us to incur related costs and expenses. Our ability to attract and retain customers and employees could be adversely affected to the extent our reputation is damaged.

We may suffer losses as a result of operational risk or technical system failures.
The potential for operational risk exposure exists throughout our organization. Integral to our performance is the continued efficacy of our internal processes, systems, relationships with third parties and the associates and executives in our day-to-day and ongoing operations. Operational risk also encompasses the failure to implement strategic objectives in a successful, timely and cost-effective manner. Failure to properly manage operational risk subjects us to risks of loss that may vary in size, scale and scope, including loss of customers, operational or technical failures, unlawful tampering with our technical systems, ineffectiveness or exposure due to interruption in third party support, as well as the loss of key individuals or failure on the part of key individuals to perform properly. Although we seek to mitigate operational risk through a system of internal controls, losses from operational risk could take the form of explicit charges, increased operational costs, harm to our reputation or foregone opportunities.

We rely on other companies to provide key components of our business infrastructure.
Third party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure such as internet connections, network access and core application processing. While we have selected these third party vendors carefully, we do not control their actions. Any problems caused by these third parties, including as a result of their not providing us their services for any reason or their performing their services poorly, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers or otherwise conduct our business efficiently and effectively. Replacing these third party vendors could also entail significant delay and expense.

We are a holding company and depend on Union Bank for dividends, distributions and other payments.
We are legal entity that is separate and distinct from Union Bank. Our revenue (on a parent company only basis) is derived primarily from interest and dividends paid to us by Union Bank. Our right, and consequently the right of our shareholders, to participate in any distribution of the assets or earnings of any subsidiary through the payment of such dividends or otherwise is necessarily


subject to the prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary (including depositors, in the case of Union Bank), except to the extent that certain claims of Union in a creditor capacity may be recognized.

Our stockholders may not receive dividends on our common stock.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends only when, as and if declared by our board of directors. Although we have historically declared cash dividends on our common stock, we are not required to do so and our board of directors may reduce or eliminate our common stock dividend in the future. The FRB has the authority to prohibit a bank holding company, such as us, from paying dividends if it deems such payment to be an unsafe or unsound practice. The FDIC has the authority to use its enforcement powers to prohibit a bank from paying dividends to us if, in its opinion, the payment of dividends would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice. Federal law also prohibits the payment of dividends by a bank that will result in the bank failing to meet its applicable capital requirements on a pro forma basis. Further, our ability to pay dividends would be restricted if we do not maintain a capital conservation buffer. A reduction or elimination of dividends could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Changes in accounting standards can be difficult to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations.
Our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. From time to time, the FASB changes the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. These changes can be hard to anticipate and implement and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. For example, the FASB’s current financial instruments project will significantly change the way loan loss provisions are determined from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model.

Our financial statements are based in part on assumptions and estimates, which, if wrong, could cause unexpected losses in the future.
Pursuant to GAAP, we are required to use certain assumptions and estimates in preparing our financial statements, including in determining credit loss reserves, reserves related to litigation and the fair value of certain assets and liabilities, among other items. If assumptions or estimates underlying our financial statements are incorrect, we may experience material losses.

We may need to raise additional capital in the future and such capital may not be available when needed.
As a bank holding company, we are required by regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support our operations.  We may need to raise additional capital in the future to provide us with sufficient capital resources and liquidity to meet our commitments and business needs.  Our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, will depend on, among other things, conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside of our control, and our financial performance.  We cannot assure you that such capital will be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.  Our inability to raise sufficient additional capital on acceptable terms when needed could subject us to certain activity restrictions or to a variety of enforcement remedies available to the regulatory authorities, including limitations on our ability to pay dividends or pursue acquisitions, the issuance by regulatory authorities of a capital directive to increase capital and the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC.

Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation may have an anti-takeover effect.
Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and regulations and federal banking laws, including regulatory approval requirements, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to our shareholders. The combination of these provisions may inhibit a non-negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in turn, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Market volatility may impact our business and the value of our common stock.
Our business performance and the trading price of shares of our common stock may be affected by many factors affecting financial institutions, including volatility in the credit, mortgage and housing markets, the markets for securities relating to mortgages or housing, and the value of debt and mortgage-backed and other securities that we hold in our investment portfolio. Government action and legislation may also impact us and the value of our common stock. We cannot predict what impact, if any, market volatility will have on our business or share price and for these and other reasons our shares of common stock may trade at a price lower than that at which they were purchased.


We may be required to write down goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets.
When we acquire a business, a portion of the purchase price of the acquisition may be allocated to goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets. The excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired determines the amount of the purchase price that is allocated to goodwill acquired. At December 31, 2018, our goodwill and2021, there was no other identifiable intangible assets wereasset and our goodwill was approximately $2.6$2.2 million. Under current accounting standards, if we determine that goodwill or intangible assets are impaired, we would be required to write down the value of these assets to fair value. We conduct an annual review, or more frequently if events or circumstances warrant such, to determine whether goodwill is impaired. We recently


completed our goodwill impairment analysis as of December 31, 20182021 and concluded goodwill was not impaired. We conduct a review of our other intangible assets for impairment should events or circumstances warrant such.warrant. We cannot provide assurance that we will not be required to take an impairment charge in the future. Any impairment charge would have a negative effect on our shareholders’ equity and financial results and may cause a decline in our stock price.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and measures intended to prevent its spread could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, and such effects will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had and continues to have, and another pandemic or public health crisis in the future could have, repercussions across domestic and global economies and financial markets. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic evolved rapidly and many countries and state and local governments in the United States, including those in which we operate, reacted by instituting government restrictions, border closings, quarantines, “shelter-in-place” orders and “social distancing” guidelines that, among other things, resulted in a dramatic increase in national unemployment and a significant economic contraction in 2020. Although the United States government took steps to attempt to mitigate some of the more severe anticipated economic effects of the pandemic, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act") in 2020 and the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, there can be no assurance that such steps will be effective or achieve their desired results in a timely fashion.
The outbreak has adversely impacted and could further adversely impact our workforce and operations and the operations of our borrowers, customers and business partners. In particular, we may experience financial losses due to a number of operational factors impacting us or our borrowers, customers or business partners, including but not limited to:
credit losses resulting from financial stress being experienced by our borrowers as a result of the outbreak and related governmental actions, particularly in the hospitality, health care and senior care, retail, and restaurant industries, but across other industries as well;
declines in collateral values;
higher inflation and supply chain disruptions;
third party disruptions, including outages in network providers and other vendors;
21


increased cyber and payment fraud risk, as cybercriminals attempt to profit from the disruption, given increased online and remote activity; and
operational failures due to changes in normal business practices necessitated by the outbreak and related governmental actions.
The lingering impacts of these factors may remain prevalent for a significant period of time and may continue to adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition, which includes capital, liquidity, and asset valuations, even after the COVID-19 outbreak has subsided.
The spread of COVID-19 has caused us to modify our business practices (including restricting employee travel, limiting customer access to banking facilities, and developing work from home and social distancing plans for our employees), and we may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or as we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers and business partners. There is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by the virus or will otherwise be satisfactory to government authorities.
The extent to which the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict, including, but not limited to, the duration and spread of the outbreak, its severity, the actions to contain the virus or treat its impact, supply chain disruptions, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Even after the COVID-19 outbreak has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse impacts to our business as a result of the virus’s global economic impact, including the availability of credit, adverse impacts on our liquidity and any recession that has occurred or may occur in the future.
There are no comparable recent events that provide guidance as to the effect the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic may have, and, as a result, the ultimate impact of the outbreak is highly uncertain and subject to change. We do not yet know the full extent of the impacts on our business, our operations or the global economy as a whole.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None

Item 2. Properties
As of December 31, 2018,2021, Union operated 13 community banking locations in Lamoille, Caledonia, Chittenden, Franklin and Washington counties of Vermont, fivefour in Grafton and Coos counties of New Hampshire and loan centers in South Burlington,St. Johnsbury and Williston, Vermont and North Conway, New Hampshire. In addition as of such date, Union also operated several ATMs in northern Vermont and New Hampshire. Union owns, free of encumbrances, fifteen16 of its branch locations and its headquarters and leases threetwo branch locations, allthe NH loan center locationslocation, the land the Williston branch and loan center was built on and certain ATM premises from third parties under terms and conditions considered by management to be favorable to Union. Union also owns or leases certain properties contiguous to its branch locations for staff and customer parking convenience.
Additional information relating to the Company's properties as of December 31, 2018,2021, is set forth in NoteNotes 8 and 9 to the consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, Item 8 of this report.Annual Report.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings
There are no known pending legal proceedings to which the Company or its subsidiary is a party, or to which any of their properties is subject, other than ordinary litigation arising in the normal course of business activities. Although the amount of any ultimate liability with respect to such proceedings cannot be determined, in the opinion of management, any such liability willwould not have a material effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiary.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.

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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities


Trading Market for Common Stock
The common stock of the Company is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol "UNB."
On March 11, 2019,February 28, 2022, there were 4,467,6144,494,065 shares of common stock outstanding held by 506502 stockholders of record. The number of stockholders does not reflect the number of beneficial owners, including persons or entities who may hold the stock in nominee or “street name.”

Repurchase of Common Stock
The following table summarizes repurchasesThere was no repurchase of the Company's equity securities during the quarter ended December 31, 2018:2021.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
PeriodTotal Number of Shares PurchasedAverage Price Paid per ShareTotal Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (1)Maximum Number of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under the Plans or Program (1)
October 2018


2,500
November 2018


2,500
December 20182,149
$48.282,149

__________________
(1)All repurchases shown in the table were made pursuant to a discretionary stock repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to 2,500 shares of its common stock each calendar quarter, in open market or privately negotiated transactions. The repurchase authorization for a calendar quarter expires at the end of that quarter to the extent it has not been exercised, and is not carried forward into future quarters. The program was initially authorized in 2010 and was reauthorized most recently in December 2018. The program will expire on December 31, 2019, unless reauthorized.



Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

Information regarding equity securities authorized for issuance under the Company's equity compensation plans is included in Part III, Item 12 of this reportAnnual Report under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters”, and is incorporated herein by reference.


Five Year Performance Graph: The following graph illustrates the annual percentage change in the cumulative total shareholder return of the Company's common stock for the period December 31, 20132016 through December 31, 2018.2021. For purposes of comparison, the graph illustrates comparable shareholder returns of the SNL Bank $500M-$1BS&P U.S. SmallCap Banks Index and the NASDAQ Composite Index. The graph assumes a $100 investment on December 31, 20132016 in each case and measures the amount by which the market value, assuming reinvestment of dividends, has changed during the five year period ended December 31, 2018.2021.
chart-832691dd5da45bb697da01.jpgunb-20211231_g1.jpg
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Period EndedPeriod Ended
Index12/31/2013
12/31/2014
12/31/2015
12/31/2016
12/31/2017
12/31/2018
Index12/31/201612/31/201712/31/201812/31/201912/31/202012/31/2021
Union Bankshares, Inc.100.00
107.72
131.81
222.52
266.10
245.71
Union Bankshares, Inc.100.00 119.60 110.43 86.66 64.82 78.47 
NASDAQ Composite100.00
114.75
122.74
133.62
173.22
168.30
SNL Bank $500M-$1B100.00
109.71
123.83
167.20
203.98
196.88
NASDAQ Composite IndexNASDAQ Composite Index100.00 129.64 125.96 172.18 249.51 304.85 
S&P U.S. SmallCap Banks IndexS&P U.S. SmallCap Banks Index100.00 104.33 87.06 109.22 99.19 138.09 
The performance graph and related information furnished under Part II, Item 5 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” with the SEC, nor subject to Exchange Act Regulations 14A or 14C, other than as provided in Item 201 of Regulation S-K, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. Such information shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or Exchange Act except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.



Item 6. Selected Financial Data[Reserved]
The selected financial data presented in the table below depicts several measurements of performance or financial condition over a period of time. The following information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes and with other financial data in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report.
 At or For The Years Ended December 31,
 20182017201620152014
Financial Condition Data:(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Investment securities$73,405
$66,439
$66,555
$59,327
$52,964
Loans and loans held for sale645,360
594,562
541,093
506,141
490,721
Allowance for loan losses5,739
5,408
5,247
5,201
4,694
Total assets805,337
745,831
691,381
628,879
624,063
Deposits706,770
647,574
597,660
560,408
552,064
Borrowed funds27,821
31,581
31,595
9,564
15,118
Stockholders' equity64,491
58,661
56,279
53,568
51,434
Operating Data:     
Interest and dividend income$32,180
$29,017
$26,836
$25,144
$24,852
Interest expense3,581
2,255
2,061
2,025
2,155
Net interest income28,599
26,762
24,775
23,119
22,697
Provision for loan losses450
200
150
550
345
Net interest income after provision for loan losses28,149
26,562
24,625
22,569
22,352
Noninterest income9,473
9,395
10,140
9,792
8,909
Noninterest expenses29,363
23,905
23,656
21,820
20,794
Income before provision for income taxes8,259
12,052
11,109
10,541
10,467
Provision for income taxes1,187
3,603
2,598
2,663
2,773
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
$7,878
$7,694
Ratios:     
Return on average assets0.94%1.21%1.30%1.27%1.30%
Return on average equity11.80%14.53%15.25%14.80%14.88%
Net interest margin (1)4.08%4.22%4.17%4.10%4.17%
Efficiency ratio (2)76.22%64.52%67.97%66.25%67.40%
Net interest spread (3)3.95%4.13%4.09%4.02%4.08%
Total loans to deposits ratio91.31%91.81%90.54%90.32%88.89%
Net loan charge-offs to average loans not held for sale0.02%0.01%0.02%0.01%0.06%
Allowance for loan losses to loans not held for sale (4)0.89%0.92%0.98%1.04%0.98%
Nonperforming assets to total assets (5)0.24%0.23%0.63%0.53%0.78%
Equity to assets8.01%7.87%8.14%8.52%8.24%
Total capital to risk weighted assets (6)12.86%13.66%13.32%13.42%13.60%
Per common share data:     
Book value per common share$14.44
$13.14
$12.61
$12.02
$11.54
Earnings per common share$1.58
$1.89
$1.91
$1.77
$1.73
Dividends paid per common share$1.20
$1.16
$1.11
$1.08
$1.04
Dividend payout ratio (7)75.95%61.38%58.12%61.02%60.12%
____________________
(1)The ratio of tax equivalent net interest income to average earning assets. See page 27 in Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report for more information.
(2)The ratio of noninterest expense to tax equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding securities gains (losses).


(3)The difference between the average rate earned on earning assets and the average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities. See page 27 in Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report for more information.
(4)Calculation includes the net carrying amount of acquired loans recorded at fair value from the 2011 Branch Acquisition as of December 31, 2014 ($9.1 million). Excluding such loans, the ALL to loans not purchased and not held for sale was 1.00% at December 31, 2014. The acquired loan portfolios were transferred to the Company's existing loan portfolios during the fourth quarter of 2015.
(5)Nonperforming assets are loans or investment securities that are in nonaccrual or 90 or more days past due as well as OREO or OAO.
(6)
The December 31, 2014 ratios are calculated under the rules in effect prior to the Basel III capital rules, which became effective for the Company and Union on January 1, 2015.
(7)Cash dividends declared and paid per common share divided by consolidated net income per share.
Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
GENERAL
The following discussion and analysis by management focuses on those factors that, in management's view, had a material effect on the consolidated financial position of Union Bankshares, Inc. ("the Company," "our," "we," "us") and its subsidiary, Union Bank ("Union"), as of December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, and its consolidated results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017then ended. The Company is considered a "smaller reporting company" under the disclosure rules of the SEC. Accordingly, the Company has elected to provide its audited statements of income, comprehensive income, cash flows, and 2016. changes in stockholders' equity for a two year, rather than a three year, period and intends to provide smaller reporting company scaled disclosures where management deems appropriate.

This discussion is being presented to provide a narrative explanation of the consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes and with other financial data contained in Item 8, Part II of this Annual Report. The purpose of this presentation is to enhance overall financial disclosures and to provide information about historical financial performance and developing trends as a means to assess to what extent past performance can be used to evaluate the prospects for future performance. Management is not aware of the occurrence of any events after December 31, 20182021 which would materially affect the information presented.
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in the following discussion and not otherwise defined below have the meanings assigned to them in Note 1 to the Company's audited consolidated financial statements contained in Part II, item 8, page 53 of this Annual Report.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
The following discussion contains certain non-GAAPUnder SEC Regulation G, public companies making disclosures containing financial measures in addition to results presentedthat are not in accordance with GAAP. TheseGAAP must also disclose, along with each non-GAAP measures are intendedfinancial measure, certain additional information, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to provide the reader with additional supplemental perspectives on operating results, performance trends, and financial condition. Non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures; they should be read and used in conjunction with the Company’sclosest comparable GAAP financial information. The Company’s non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similar non-GAAP information which may be presented by other companies. In all cases, it should be understood that non-GAAP operating measures do not depict amounts that accrue directly tomeasure, as well as a statement of the benefit of shareholders. An item that management excludes when computing non-GAAP adjusted earnings can be of substantial importance tocompany's reasons for utilizing the Company’s results and condition for any particular year. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures is provided below.measure.
The SEC has exempted from the definition of non-GAAP financial measures certain commonly used financial measures that are not based on GAAP. However, two non-GAAP financial measures commonly used by financial institutions, namely tax-equivalent net interest income and tax-equivalent net interest margin (as presented in the tables in the section labeled Yields Earned and Rates Paid), have not been specifically exempted by the SEC, and may therefore constitute non-GAAP financial measures under Regulation G. We are unable to state with certainty whether the SEC would regard those measures as subject to Regulation G. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company’s financial performance and facilitate comparisons with the performance of other financial institutions. However, that information should be considered supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.


The discussion below includes references to the Company's net income and earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2018 before deduction of expenses related to termination of Union's Defined Benefit Pension Plan. In management's view, that information, which is considered non-GAAP information, may be useful to investors as it will improve comparability of core operations year over year and in future periods. The non-GAAP net income amount and EPS reflect adjustments of the non-recurring charges associated with termination of the Company’s defined benefit pension plan, net of tax effect. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP information to GAAP net income and EPS is provided below.


Non-GAAP Reconciliation - Net Income Before Pension Expense (Unaudited) 
    
 Year Ended
December 31, 2018
Earnings Per
Common Share (1)
 
 
(Dollars in thousands,
except per share data)
 
Net income - GAAP$7,072
$1.58
 
Pension expense4,631
  
Income tax benefit(900)  
Net income before pension expense - Non-GAAP$10,803
$2.42
 
____________________
(1)Basic earnings per share were computed based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year (4,465,675 shares). The assumed exercise of outstanding stock options and vesting of restricted stock units do not result in material dilution and were excluded from the calculation.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Company has established various accounting policies which govern the application of GAAP in the preparation of the Company's financial statements. Certain accounting policies involve significant judgments and assumptions by management which have a material impact on the reported amount of assets, liabilities, capital, revenues and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The SEC has defined a company's critical accounting policies as the ones that are most important to the portrayal of the company's financial condition
24


and results of operations, and which require management to make its most difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates on matters that are inherently uncertain. Based on this definition, management has identified the accounting policies and judgments most critical to the Company. The judgments and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors, which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Nevertheless, because the nature of the judgments and assumptions made by management areis inherently subject to a degree of uncertainty, actual results could differ from estimates and have a material impact on the carrying value of assets, liabilities, capital, or the results of operations of the Company.
Allowance for loan losses
The Company believes the ALL is a critical accounting policy that requires the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements. The amount of the ALL is based on management's periodic evaluation of the collectability of the loan portfolio, including the nature, volume and risk characteristics of the portfolio, credit concentrations, trends in historical loss experience, estimated value of any underlying collateral, specific impaired loans and economic conditions. Changes in these qualitative factors may cause management's estimate of the ALL to increase or decrease and result in adjustments to the Company's provision for loan losses in future periods. For additional information, see FINANCIAL CONDITION- Allowance for Loan Losses and Credit Quality below.
Other than temporary impairment of securities
The OTTI decision is a critical accounting policy for the Company. Accounting guidance requires a company to perform periodic reviews of individual debt securities in its investment portfolio to determine whether a decline in the value of a security is OTT. A review of OTTI requires management to make certain judgments regarding the cause and materiality of the decline, its effect on the financial statements and the probability, extent and timing of a valuation recovery, the Company's intent and ability to continue to hold the security, and, with respect to debt securities, the likelihood that the Company will have to sell the security before its value recovers. Pursuant to these requirements, management assesses valuation declines to determine the extent to which such changes are attributable to (1) fundamental factors specific to the issuer, such as the nature of the issuer and its financial condition, business prospects or other issuer-specific factors or (2) market-related factors, such as interest rates or equity market declines. Declines in the fair value of debt securities below their costs that are deemed by management to be OTT are (1) if equity securities, recorded in earnings as realized losses and (2) if debt securities, recorded in earnings as realized losses to the extent they are deemed credit losses, with noncredit losses recorded in OCI (loss). Once an OTT loss on a debt security is realized, subsequent gains in the value of the security may not be recognized in income until the security is sold.
Mortgage servicing rights
MSRs associated with loans originated and sold, where servicing is retained, are required to be capitalized and initially recorded at fair value on the acquisition date and are subsequently accounted for using the “amortization method”. Mortgage servicing rights are amortized against non-interest income in proportion to, and over the period of, estimated future net servicing income of the underlying financial assets. The value of capitalized servicing rights represents the estimated present value of the future servicing fees arising from the right to service loans for third parties. The carrying value of the mortgage servicing rights is periodically reviewed for impairment based on a determination of estimated fair value compared to amortized cost, and impairment, if any, is recognized through a valuation allowance and is recorded as a reduction of non-interest income. Subsequent improvement (if any) in the estimated fair value of impaired mortgage servicing rights is reflected in a positive valuation adjustment and is recognized in non-interest income up to (but not in excess of) the amount of the prior impairment. Critical accounting policies for mortgage servicing rights relate to the initial valuation and subsequent impairment tests. The methodology used to determine the valuation of mortgage servicing rights requires the development and use of a number of estimates, including anticipated principal amortization and prepayments. Factors that may significantly affect the estimates used are changes in interest rates and the payment performance of the underlying loans. The Company analyzes and accounts for the value of its servicing rights with the assistance of a third party consultant.
Intangible assets
The Company's intangible assets include goodwill, which represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in the 2011 Branch Acquisition, as well as a core deposit intangible related to the deposits acquired. The core deposit intangible is amortized on a straight line basis over the estimated average life of the acquired core deposit base of 10 years. The Company evaluates the valuation and amortization of the core deposit intangible if events occur that could result in possible


impairment. With respect to goodwill, inAcquisition. In accordance with current authoritative guidance, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the Company is less than its carrying amount, which could result in goodwill impairment.
Pension liabilities
In 2017, The Company also recorded acquired identifiable intangible assets in connection with the Company's Board of Directors voted2011 Branch Acquisition, representing the core deposit intangible which was subject to terminate Union Bank’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan, which had been frozen in 2012 to new participants andstraight-line amortization over the accrual of additional retirement benefits for existing participants. The liabilities under the Plan were settled by the Company during 2018 by offering participants the option to receive an annuity purchased from an insurance carrier, a lump-sum cash payment, or a direct rollover into a qualifying retirement plan. A cash contribution of $850 thousand was made to the plan during 2018 to cover the lump-sum payments and annuity purchases. The transfer of all liabilities and administrative responsibilities under the Plan was completed by December 31, 2018, and as a result the Company will not have any defined benefit pension plan obligations and thus no periodic pension expense in future periods related to the Plan.
The Company's defined benefit pension obligation and net periodic benefit costs were actuarially determined based on the following assumptions: discount rate, current and expected future return on plan assets, anticipated mortality rates, and Consumer Price Index rate. The determinationestimated 10 years average life of the defined benefit pension obligation and net periodic benefit cost is a critical accounting estimate as it requires the use of estimates and judgments related to the amount and timing of expected future cash outflows for benefit payments and cash inflows for maturities and returns on plan assets as well as Company contributions. Changesacquired core deposit base. The core deposit intangible was fully amortized in estimates, assumptions and actual results could have a material impact on the Company's reported financial condition and/or results of operations for 2018 and prior periods.2021.
Other
The Company also has other key accounting policies, which involve the use of estimates, judgments and assumptions, that are significant to understanding the Company's financial condition and results of operations, including the valuation of deferred tax assets, investment securities and OREO.securities. The
25


most significant accounting policies followed by the Company are presented in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements and in the section below under the caption “FINANCIAL CONDITION” and the subcaptions “Allowance for Loan Losses and Credit Quality”, and ”Investment Activities” and “Liability for Pension Benefits”. Although management believes that its estimates, assumptions and judgments are reasonable, they are based upon information presently available when such estimates, assumptions and judgments are made and can be impacted by future events and events outside the control of the Company. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates under different assumptions, judgments or conditions.

OVERVIEW
On October 18, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors voted to terminate Union’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan. The settlement of all assets and liabilities under the Plan was completed by December 31, 2018. During 2018, participants were provided distribution options to either purchase an annuity, take a lump-sum cash payment, or do a direct rollover into a qualifying retirement plan. Net periodic pension expense for 2018 includes a settlement loss in the amount of $4.0 million, resulting in total pension expense of $4.6 million. This expense was partially offset by a reduction in the provision for income taxes of $900 thousand as a result of the settlement of the Plan assets and liabilities. Although termination of the Plan had a significant adverse impact on 2018 net income, in future periods the Company will no longer have any remaining defined benefit pension plan obligations and thus no periodic pension expense related to the Plan.
The Company's consolidated net income was $7.1$13.2 million, or $1.58with basic earnings per share of $2.94 per share, for 20182021 compared to $8.4$12.8 million, for 2017, or $1.89and basic earnings per share a decrease of $1.4 million, or 16.3%. These results reflected$2.86 per share for 2020. The increase in net income reflects the combined effect of an increase in net interest income of $1.8$4.1 million or 6.9%13.0%, an increaseno provision for loan losses for 2021 compared to a provision of $2.2 million for 2020, partially offset by a decrease in noninterest income of $78 thousand,$3.0 million, or 0.8%19.0%, a decreaseand increases in noninterest expenses of $2.7 million, or 8.9%, and the provision for income taxes of $2.4 million, or 67.1%, offset by an increase in the provision for loan losses of $250$227 thousand, or 125.0%, and an increase in noninterest expenses9.4%.
Sales of $5.5 million, or 22.8%.
Excluding the one-time charges of $3.7 million (net of tax effect) relatedqualifying residential loans to the settlement of the Plan, the Company would have reported net income of $10.8 million, or $2.42 per share,secondary market for the twelve monthsyear ended December 31, 2018. (Please refer2021 were $216.8 million resulting in gain on sales of $5.0 million, compared to sales of $263.1 million and gain on sales of $8.2 million for the discussion under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" above, including the reconciliation to GAAP net income.)year ended December 31, 2020.
As of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had total consolidated assets of $805.3 million,$1.2 billion, an increase of 8.0%10.2% compared to December 31, 2017. The growth year over year is attributable2020. Total investments increased $162.1 million, or 151.8%, to strong loan demand, funded with customer deposits, low rate funding options from the FHLB, and purchased deposits.
$269.0 million, or 22.3% of total assets at December 31, 2021 compared to $106.8 million, or 9.8% of total assets, as of December 31, 2020. Net loans and loans held for sale increased $50.6decreased $1.7 million or 8.6%0.2%, to $640.6$793.2 million, or 79.5%65.8% of total assets, at December 31, 2018,2021, compared to $589.9$794.9 million, or 79.1%72.7% of total assets, at December 31, 2017.2020. The Company experienced growthchanges in all loan classes except consumerpercentages to total assets for investments and loans which remained flat year over year.
The Company's primary sourcefor the annual comparison periods was driven by the continued influx of funding, customer deposits increased $59.2 million, or 9.1%,and investing those funds to reach $706.8maximize yield as opposed to leaving the monies in Federal Funds sold. This strategy also impacted the level of federal funds sold for the comparison periods which were $61.3 million at December 31, 2018. During 2018, management successfully focused2021 compared to $117.4 million at December 31, 2020.
Customer deposits, increased $100.8 million, or 10.1%, to reach $1.1 billion at December 31, 2021. The increase was attributable to proceeds from PPP loans deposited into customer accounts at Union and customers' receipt of government stimulus payments. The increase in customer deposit balances also reduced the need for reliance on growing deposits by expandingwholesale funding. There were no borrowed funds at December 31, 2021 compared to $7.2 million at December 31, 2020.
Additionally, in August 2021, the Company completed the private placement of $16.5 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2031 (the "Notes") to certain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors. The Notes initially bear interest, payable semi-annually, at the rate of 3.25% per annum, until September 1, 2026. From and including September 1, 2026, the interest rate applicable to the outstanding principal amount due will reset quarterly to the then current three-month secured overnight financing rate ("SOFR") plus 263 basis points. The Company may, at its productsoption, beginning with the interest payment date of September 1, 2026 but not generally prior thereto, and serviceson any scheduled interest payment date thereafter, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part. The Company used the proceeds to meet the needs of customers. This organicprovide additional capital to Union to support its growth was supplemented by the use of purchased deposits.and for other general corporate purposes.


The Company's total capital increased from $58.7$80.9 million at December 31, 20172020 to $64.5$84.3 million at December 31, 2018.2021. This increase reflects net income of $7.1$13.2 million for 2018, less2021, partially offset by $5.9 million in regular cash dividends paid of $5.4and $4.2 million and a $4.1 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive income resulting primarily from the settlement of the pension plan.income. (See Capital Resources on pages 43 to 44.)

26


The following per share information and key ratios presented in the table below depict several measurements of performance or financial condition at or for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:
 20212020
Return on average assets1.16 %1.33 %
Return on average equity15.92 %16.87 %
Net interest margin (1)3.38 %3.57 %
Efficiency ratio (2)73.13 %62.75 %
Net interest spread (3)3.27 %3.40 %
Loan to deposit ratio73.13 %80.80 %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs to total average loans(0.01)%0.01 %
Allowance for loan losses to loans not held for sale1.06 %1.07 %
Nonperforming assets to total assets (4)0.39 %0.27 %
Equity to assets7.00 %7.39 %
Total capital to risk weighted assets15.39 %13.87 %
Book value per share$18.77 $18.05 
Basic earnings per share$2.94 $2.86 
Diluted earnings per share$2.92 $2.85 
Dividends paid per share$1.32 $1.28 
Dividend payout ratio (5)44.90 %44.76 %
__________________
(1)The ratio of tax equivalent net interest income to average earning assets. See page 43.)29 for more information.
(2)The ratio of noninterest expenses to tax equivalent net interest income and noninterest income, excluding securities gains (losses).
(3)The difference between the average yield on earning assets and the average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities. See page 29 for more information.
(4)Nonperforming assets are loans or investment securities that are in nonaccrual or 90 or more days past due as well as OREO or OAO.
(5)Cash dividends declared and paid per share divided by consolidated net income per share.
27



RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
For the year ended December 31, 2018, we reported2021, net income of $7.1was $13.2 million compared to $8.4$12.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $8.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.2020. The primary components of these results, which include net interest income, provision for loan losses, noninterest income, noninterest expenses, and provision for income taxes, are discussed below:
Net Interest Income. The largest component of the Company’s operating income is net interest income, which is the difference between interest and dividend income received from interest earning assets and the interest paid on interest bearing liabilities. Net interest income is affected by various factors, including but not limited to: changes in interest rates, loan and deposit pricing strategies, the volume and mix of interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities, and the level of nonperforming assets. The net interest margin is calculated as net interest income on a fully tax equivalent basis as a percentage of average interest earning assets. The net interest margin for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was 4.08%, 4.22%, and 4.17%, respectively.
2018 compared with 2017. Net interest income was $28.6$35.7 million on a fully tax equivalent basis for 2018,2021, compared to $26.8$31.6 million for 2017,2020, an increase of $1.8$4.1 million, or 6.9%13.0%. The increase in net interest income is reflectivespread decreased 13 bps to 3.27% for the year ended December 31, 2021, from 3.40% for the year ended December 31, 2020, reflecting the net effect of growththe 30 bps decrease in the average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities and the 43 bps decrease in the average yield earned on interest earning assets between periods. The net interest margin decreased 19 bps to 3.38% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 3.57% for the year ended December 31, 2020.
The average yield on average earning assets was 3.71% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 4.14% for the year ended December 31, 2020, a decrease of 43 bps despite an increase in average earning assets of $56.6$171.6 million. The prolonged low interest rate environment continues to put downward pressure on asset yields. Interest income on investment securities increased $791 thousand year over year due to an increase in average balances of $78.1 million or 8.6%between the comparison periods partially offset by a decrease of 65 bps in the average yield. The average balance of PPP loans was $49.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 with an average yield of 6.67% which takes into account the 1.0% interest charged on PPP loans and related fee income recognized during 2018 and2021. Interest income on loans, excluding PPP loans, decreased $69 thousand between comparison periods due to a two bpdecrease in the average yield of 34 bps, despite an increase in the average yield on average earning assets. These increases were partially offset by an increase of $45.3 million, or 8.7% in average interest bearing liabilities and a 20 bp increase in average rates paid on interest bearing liabilities. As illustrated in the Rate/Volume Analysis in the following pages, the increase in volume of averageloans outstanding of $52.3 million. The current interest rate environment and competition for quality loans continue to put downward pressure on loan balances of $55.7 million, or 9.9%, compared to 2017 was the primary driver of the increase in interest income. Conversely, the increase in rates paid on customer deposit balances was the primary driver of the increase in interest expense. As a result, the net interest margin decreased 14 bp to 4.08% in 2018 compared to 4.22% in 2017.yields.
The average cost of funding, which is tied primarily to our customer deposits, increased 20 bpdecreased 30 bps to 0.63%0.44% for the year ended December 31, 2018,2021, compared to 0.43%0.74% for the year ended December 31, 2017. During 2018, Union's municipal and commercial customers continued2020. Interest expense decreased $1.6 million to utilize the Insured Cash Sweep account, a fully FDIC insured money market account through Promontory, contributing to the $24.4$3.6 million or 10.44%, increase in average balances in savings and money market accounts. Average time deposits increased $13.7 million, or 13.30% during 2018 due to deposit accounts opened at the new Berlin, Vermont branch opened mid-year, as well as the utilization of purchased CDARs funds to supplement liquidity. Additionally, the average rate paid on savings and money market accounts increased 18 bps to 0.55% for the year ended December 31, 2018,2021 compared to 0.37%$5.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 and2020. The decrease in interest expense was primarily due to lower rates paid on interest bearing liabilities, partially offset by an increase in average balances of $106.1 million between periods. Higher customer deposit balances reduced reliance on wholesale funding, as evidenced by decreases of $16.9 million, or 70.5%, in the average rate paid on time deposits increased 35 bps to 1.04%balance of borrowed funds and $152 thousand in interest expense between the comparison periods. The issuance of subordinated debt in August of 2021 resulted in an average balance of $6.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to 0.69% for the year ended December 31, 2017. The average balance of borrowed funds increased $7.4 million, or 21.01%, for the year ended December 31, 2018.The additional borrowed funds were utilized to supplement Union's liquidity, resulting in2021 and an increase in the average rate paid by 29 bps, to 1.65% for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to 1.36% for the year ended December 31, 2017.of 3.19% and interest expense of $199 thousand. See the following tables for details.
2017 compared with 2016. Net interest income was $26.8 million on a fully tax equivalent basis for 2017, compared to $24.8 million for 2016, an increase of $2.0 million, or 8.0%. The increase in net interest income is reflective of growth in average earning assets of $43.2 million, or 7.1% during 2017 coupled with a five bp increase in the average yield on average earning assets, partially offset by an increase of $32.3 million, or 6.6% in average interest bearing liabilities. The net interest margin increased five bp to 4.22% in 2017 compared to 4.17% in 2016. The increase in interest income was primarily driven by growth in average loans of $38.6 million, or 7.4%, compared to 2016 and to a lesser extent the increases in short term interest rates initiated by the Federal Reserve during 2017.
The average cost of funding, which is tied primarily to our customer deposits, increased one bp to 0.43% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 0.42% for the year ended December 31, 2016. During 2017, Union's municipal and commercial customers continued to utilize the Insured Cash Sweep account, a fully FDIC insured money market account through Promontory, contributing to the $29.3 million, or 14.35%, increase in average balances in savings and money market accounts and a $23.2 million, or 18.40% decrease in time deposits. Additionally, the average rate paid on savings and money market accounts increased 11 bps to 0.37% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 0.26% for the year ended December 31, 2016. Conversely, the average rate paid on time deposits decreased eight bps to 0.69% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 0.77% for the year ended December 31, 2016. Average balances in borrowed funds increased $7.6 million, or 27.43%, for the year ended December 31, 2017.The additional borrowed funds were utilized to supplement Union's liquidity and to take advantage of lower rate borrowings, resulting in a decrease in the average rate paid by 21 bps, to 1.36% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to 1.57% for the year ended December 31, 2016. See the following tables for details.
28




The following table shows for the periods indicated the total amount of tax equivalent interest income recorded from average interest earning assets, the related average tax equivalent yields, the tax equivalent interest expense associated with average interest bearing liabilities, the related tax equivalent average rates paid, and the resulting tax equivalent net interest spread and margin:
Years Ended December 31,Years Ended December 31,
20182017201620212020
Average
Balance
Interest
Earned/
Paid
Average
Yield/
Rate
Average
Balance
Interest
Earned/
Paid
Average
Yield/
Rate
Average
Balance
Interest
Earned/
Paid
Average
Yield/
Rate
Average
Balance (1)
Interest
Earned/
Paid
Average
Yield/
Rate
Average
Balance (1)
Interest
Earned/
Paid
Average
Yield/
Rate
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Average Assets:      Average Assets:
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits$12,274
$104
0.84%$17,700
$114
0.64%$16,953
$51
0.30%Federal funds sold and overnight deposits$81,660 $100 0.12 %$47,020 $92 0.19 %
Interest bearing deposits in banks9,805
207
2.11%8,642
147
1.70%10,816
160
1.48%Interest bearing deposits in banks13,299 139 1.05 %8,919 162 1.81 %
Investment securities (1), (2)71,673
1,836
2.75%66,925
1,678
2.96%61,111
1,496
2.88%
Loans, net (1), (3)615,739
29,883
4.91%560,059
26,978
4.92%521,435
25,056
4.91%
Investment securities (2), (3)Investment securities (2), (3)165,424 2,755 1.74 %87,352 1,964 2.39 %
PPP loans, net (4)PPP loans, net (4)49,929 3,330 6.67 %47,069 1,435 3.05 %
Loans (excluding PPP loans), net (2), (5)Loans (excluding PPP loans), net (2), (5)758,965 32,931 4.38 %706,710 33,000 4.72 %
Nonmarketable equity securities2,840
150
5.27%2,423
100
4.12%2,215
73
3.30%Nonmarketable equity securities1,158 18 1.54 %1,795 97 5.40 %
Total interest earning assets (1)(2)712,331
32,180
4.58%655,749
29,017
4.56%612,530
26,836
4.51%1,070,435 39,273 3.71 %898,865 36,750 4.14 %
Cash and due from banks4,264
  4,217
  4,565
  Cash and due from banks4,858 5,265 
Premises and equipment15,043
  13,286
  13,189
  Premises and equipment21,302 20,501 
Other assets22,769
  22,477
  22,795
  Other assets37,332 35,910 
Total assets$754,407
  $695,729
  $653,079
  Total assets$1,133,927 $960,541 
Average Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:      Average Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Interest bearing checking accounts$147,553
$233
0.16%$147,677
$205
0.14%$128,977
$120
0.09%Interest bearing checking accounts$255,031 $586 0.23 %$197,698 $705 0.36 %
Savings/money market accounts257,717
1,423
0.55%233,345
856
0.37%204,056
524
0.26%Savings/money market accounts416,245 1,644 0.39 %330,085 2,191 0.66 %
Time deposits116,717
1,215
1.04%103,019
710
0.69%126,248
978
0.77%Time deposits118,145 917 0.78 %144,856 1,880 1.30 %
Borrowed funds42,582
710
1.65%35,190
484
1.36%27,616
439
1.57%
Borrowed funds and other liabilitiesBorrowed funds and other liabilities7,080 219 3.05 %24,015 371 1.52 %
Subordinated notesSubordinated notes6,244 199 3.19 %— — — %
Total interest bearing liabilities564,569
3,581
0.63%519,231
2,255
0.43%486,897
2,061
0.42%Total interest bearing liabilities802,745 3,565 0.44 %696,654 5,147 0.74 %
Noninterest bearing deposits121,902
  112,914
  105,596
  Noninterest bearing deposits238,572 177,792 
Other liabilities7,986
  5,446
  4,761
  Other liabilities9,891 10,188 
Total liabilities694,457
  637,591
  597,254
  Total liabilities1,051,208 884,634 
Stockholders' equity59,950
  58,138
  55,825
  Stockholders' equity82,719 75,907 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity$754,407
  $695,729
  $653,079
  Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity$1,133,927 $960,541 
Net interest income $28,599
  $26,762
  $24,775
 Net interest income$35,708 $31,603 
Net interest spread (1) 3.95% 4.13% 4.09%
Net interest margin (1) 4.08% 4.22% 4.17%
Net interest spread (2)Net interest spread (2)3.27 %3.40 %
Net interest margin (2)Net interest margin (2)3.38 %3.57 %
____________________
(1)
Average yields reported on a tax equivalent basis using a marginal tax rate of 21% and 34% for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
(2)
Average balances of investment securities are calculated on the amortized cost basis and include nonaccrual securities, if applicable.
(3)
Includes loans held for sale as well as nonaccrual loans, unamortized costs and premiums and is net of the ALL.

(1)Average balances are calculated based on a daily averaging method.

(2)Average yields reported on a tax equivalent basis using a marginal federal corporate income tax rate of 21%.

(3)Average balances of investment securities are calculated on the amortized cost basis and include nonaccrual securities, if applicable.
(4)Includes unamortized costs and unamortized premiums.
(5)Includes loans held for sale as well as nonaccrual loans, unamortized costs and unamortized premiums and is net of the allowance for loan losses.


29


Tax exempt interest income amounted to $2.0 million, $1.9$2.1 million and $1.8$2.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016,2020, respectively. The following table presents the effect of tax exempt income on the calculation of net interest income, using a marginal federal corporate income tax rate of 21% for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 34% for the years ended December 31, 20172021 and 2016:2020:
 Years Ended December 31,
 20212020
 (Dollars in thousands)
Net interest income as presented$35,708 $31,603 
Effect of tax-exempt interest
Investment securities125 121 
Loans299 381 
Net interest income, tax equivalent$36,132 $32,105 
 Years Ended December 31,
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Net interest income as presented$28,599
$26,762
$24,775
Effect of tax-exempt interest   
Investment securities136
306
265
Loans328
605
524
Net interest income, tax equivalent$29,063
$27,673
$25,564


Rate/Volume Analysis. The following table describes the extent to which changes in average interest rates (on a fully tax equivalent basis) and changes in volume of average interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities have affected the Company's interest income and interest expense during the periods indicated. For each category of interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities, information is provided on changes attributable to:
changes in volume (change in volume multiplied by prior rate);
changes in rate (change in rate multiplied by prior volume); and
total change in rate and volume.


Changes attributable to both rate and volume have been allocated proportionately to the change due to volume and the change due to rate.
Year Ended December 31, 2021
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2020
Increase/(Decrease) Due to Change In
Year Ended December 31, 2020
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2019
Increase/(Decrease) Due to Change In
VolumeRateNetVolumeRateNet
(Dollars in thousands)
Interest earning assets:
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits$51 $(43)$$163 $(261)$(98)
Interest bearing deposits in banks60 (83)(23)25 (58)(33)
Investment securities1,491 (700)791 165 (334)(169)
PPP loans, net92 1,803 1,895 1,435 — 1,435 
Loans (excluding PPP loans). net2,418 (2,487)(69)2,461 (2,670)(209)
Nonmarketable equity securities(26)(53)(79)(36)(10)(46)
Total interest earning assets$4,086 $(1,563)$2,523 $4,213 $(3,333)$880 
Interest bearing liabilities:
Interest bearing checking accounts$172 $(291)$(119)$119 $99 $218 
Savings/money market accounts482 (1,029)(547)465 (211)254 
Time deposits(303)(660)(963)(17)(404)(421)
Borrowed funds(365)213 (152)(281)(223)(504)
Subordinated notes199 — 199 — — — 
Total interest bearing liabilities$185 $(1,767)$(1,582)$286 $(739)$(453)
Net change in net interest income$3,901 $204 $4,105 $3,927 $(2,594)$1,333 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2017
Increase/(Decrease) Due to Change In
Year Ended December 31, 2017
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2016
Increase/(Decrease) Due to Change In
 VolumeRateNetVolumeRateNet
 (Dollars in thousands)
Interest earning assets:      
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits$(40)$30
$(10)$2
$61
$63
Interest bearing deposits in banks22
38
60
(35)22
(13)
Investment securities223
(65)158
151
31
182
Loans, net3,008
(103)2,905
1,860
62
1,922
Nonmarketable equity securities19
31
50
8
19
27
Total interest earning assets$3,232
$(69)$3,163
$1,986
$195
$2,181
Interest bearing liabilities:      
Interest bearing checking accounts$
$28
$28
$19
$66
$85
Savings/money market accounts97
470
567
83
249
332
Time deposits104
401
505
(168)(100)(268)
Borrowed funds112
114
226
107
(62)45
Total interest bearing liabilities$313
$1,013
$1,326
$41
$153
$194
Net change in net interest income$2,919
$(1,082)$1,837
$1,945
$42
$1,987


Provision for Loan Losses. The There was no provision for loan losses was $450 thousand, $200 thousand, and $150 thousandrecorded for the yearsyear ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016, respectively.$2.2 million recorded for year ended December 31, 2020. The higher provision in 2020 resulted from management's adjustment to the economic qualitative factors utilized to estimate the allowance for loan losses due to the economic disruption related to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting Union's borrowers. No provision for 20182021 was deemed appropriate by management based on the size and mix of the loan portfolio, the level of nonperforming loans, the results of the qualitative factor review and the outlook for future
30


prevailing economic conditions. For further details, see FINANCIAL CONDITION Asset Quality and Allowance for Loan Losses below.


Noninterest Income. The following table sets forth the components of noninterest income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016:2020 :
For The Years Ended December 31, For the Years Ended December 31,
 
Variance from
2018 to 2017
 
Variance from
2017 to 2016
20182017$%2016$% 20212020$ Variance% Variance
(Dollars in thousands) (Dollars in thousands)
Trust income$751
$739
$12
1.6
$737
$2
0.3
Trust income$808 $707 $101 14.3 
Service fees6,151
5,951
200
3.4
5,871
80
1.4
Service fees6,516 5,924 592 10.0 
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale1,847
2,303
(456)(19.8)2,898
(595)(20.5)Net gains on sales of loans held for sale4,956 8,168 (3,212)(39.3)
Net gains on sales of investment securities AFSNet gains on sales of investment securities AFS— 11 (11)(100.0)
Net (loss) gain on other investmentsNet (loss) gain on other investments(21)240 (261)(108.8)
Income from MSRs, netIncome from MSRs, net243 542 (299)(55.2)
Income from Company-owned life insurance488
244
244
100.0
339
(95)(28.0)Income from Company-owned life insurance309 318 (9)(2.8)
Other income226
141
85
60.3
224
(83)(37.1)Other income152 93 59 63.4 
Subtotal9,463
9,378
85
0.9
10,069
(691)(6.9)
Net gains on sales of investment securities AFS10
17
(7)(41.2)71
(54)(76.1)
Total noninterest income$9,473
$9,395
$78
0.8
$10,140
$(745)(7.3)Total noninterest income$12,963 $16,003 $(3,040)(19.0)
The significant changes in noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 20182021 compared to the year ended December 31, 20172020 are described below:
Trust income. Trust income increased as dollars in managed fiduciary accounts grew between December 31, 2020 and 2021, aided by the improvement in the stock market during 2021.
Service fees. There was a $200 Service fee income increased $592 thousand increase in service fees for 2018the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 2017. Loan servicing fees increased $116 thousandthe same period in 2020 primarily due to the increase in our serviced loan portfolio from $499.2 million at December 31, 2017 to $534.2 million at December 31, 2018, or an increase of 7.0%. Additionally, increases of $66$395 thousand in ATM network income, $51 thousand in credit card income, and $20$117 thousand in merchant program fee income, were partially offset by a decrease of $42$60 thousand loan servicing fee income, and $18 thousand in service charge income on deposit accounts for the comparison periods.
wire transfer income.
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale. Continuing the Company's strategy to mitigate The Company mitigates long-term interest rate risk by selling qualifying residential and commercialloans to the secondary market. Management reduced the volume of loans sold in 2021 compared to 2020 in order to utilize some of Union's excess liquidity. Residential loans totaling $116.7$216.8 million were sold to the secondary market during 2018, versus2021, compared to residential and commercial loan sales of $122.2$263.2 million during 2017. The decline in net gains on sales of real estate loans is due to a combination of lower volumes of loans sold and lower average premiums on sold loans for the comparison periods.
Income from Company-owned life insurance. Proceeds from the death benefit on an insurance policy on the life of a former director resulted in $252 thousand of additional income during the first quarter of 2018. The death benefit was partially offset by lower yields on existing policies.
Other income. Other income increased $85 thousand for 2018 compared to 2017 The increase between the comparison periods is due primarily to the gain on the sale of a bank owned branch building of $191 thousand during the first quarter of 2018, partially offset by a loss of $24 thousand on the disposal of fixed assets no longer in service, and a decrease in income from MSR, net of amortization of $76 thousand for the comparison periods.2020. The decrease of $3.2 million in MSR income is due to lower volumes of loans sold in 2018.

The significant changes in noninterest income for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016 are described below:
Service fees. There was an $80 thousand increase in service fees for 2017 compared to 2016. Loan servicing fees increased $92 thousand due to the increase in our serviced loan portfolio from $452.0 million at December 31, 2016 to $499.2 million at December 31, 2017, or an increase of 10.5%. Additionally, increases of $56 thousand and $28 thousand in overdraft fees and ATM network income, respectively were partially offset by a decrease of $62 thousand in service charge income on deposit accounts for the comparison periods.
Netnet gains on sales of loans held for sale. Continuingsale is reflective of the Company's strategylower sales volumes and lower premiums obtained on those sales.
Net (loss) gain on other investments. Participants in the 2020 Amended and Restated Nonqualified Excess Plan (the "2020 Deferred Compensation Plan") elect to mitigate long-term interest rate risk, residentialdefer receipt of current compensation from the Company or its subsidiary and commercialselect designated reference investments consisting of investment funds. The performance of those funds, over which the Company has no control, resulted in net losses of $21 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to net gains of $240 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Income from MSRs, net. Income from MSRs is derived from servicing rights acquired through the sale of loans totaling $122.2 million were soldwhere servicing is retained. Capitalized servicing rights are initially recorded at fair value and amortized in proportion to, and over the secondary market during 2017, versus residential and commercial loanperiod of, the future estimate of servicing the underlying mortgages. The decrease in the volume of sales of $135.5 million during 2016, The declineresidential loans as discussed above resulted in net gains on sales of real estate loans is due to a combination of lower volumes of loans sold and lower average premiums on sold loans for the comparison periods.
Income from Company-owned life insurance. During the second quarter of 2016, the Company received proceeds from the death benefit on an insurance policy on the life of a former director, resulting in $73 thousand of additional income and accounting for the majority of the $95 thousand variance year over year.
Other income. Other income decreased $83 thousand for 2017 compared to 2016 primarily due to a decrease in income from MSR, net of amortization of $49$299 thousand and $34for 2021 compared to 2020.
Other income. The increase in Other income is attributable to $38 thousand in other miscellaneous incomeprepayment penalties received from the early payoff of loans during 2021, in addition to an increase of $20 thousand in gains on the utilization of tax credits for the comparison periods.2021 compared to 2020.


31





Noninterest Expense.Expenses. The following table sets forth the components of noninterest expenses for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016:2020:
For the Years Ended December 31,
20212020$ Variance% Variance
(Dollars in thousands)
Salaries and wagesSalaries and wages$14,448 $13,220 $1,228 9.3 
Employee benefitsEmployee benefits4,593 4,580 13 0.3 
Occupancy expense, netOccupancy expense, net1,890 1,805 85 4.7 
Equipment expenseEquipment expense3,447 3,057 390 12.8 
Vermont franchise taxVermont franchise tax968 759 209 27.5 
Professional feesProfessional fees922 774 148 19.1 
ATM and debit card expenseATM and debit card expense898 800 98 12.3 
FDIC insurance assessmentFDIC insurance assessment644 443 201 45.4 
Other loan related expensesOther loan related expenses421 346 75 21.7 
Electronic banking expensesElectronic banking expenses381 336 45 13.4 
Trust expensesTrust expenses353 307 46 15.0 
Prepayment penalties on borrowingsPrepayment penalties on borrowings226 66 160 242.4 
DonationsDonations208 272 (64)(23.5)
Other lossesOther losses86 47 39 83.0 
Amortization of core deposit intangibleAmortization of core deposit intangible71 171 (100)(58.5)
For The Years Ended December 31,
 
Variance from
2018 to 2017
 
Variance from
2017 to 2016
20182017$%2016$%
(Dollars in thousands)
Salaries and wages$10,748
$10,257
$491
4.8
$10,203
$54
0.5
Pension expense (benefit)4,631
(81)4,712
(5,817.3)(170)89
(52.4)
Employee benefits3,653
3,789
(136)(3.6)3,695
94
2.5
Occupancy expense, net1,447
1,415
32
2.3
1,263
152
12.0
Equipment expense2,134
2,208
(74)(3.4)2,115
93
4.4
ATM and debit card expense690
698
(8)(1.1)639
59
9.2
Electronic banking expenses263
126
137
108.7
107
19
17.8
Other loan related expenses249
192
57
29.7
225
(33)(14.7)
Vermont franchise tax620
582
38
6.5
555
27
4.9
FDIC insurance assessment350
337
13
3.9
307
30
9.8
Trust expenses347
362
(15)(4.1)409
(47)(11.5)
Professional fees625
573
52
9.1
731
(158)(21.6)
Director and advisory board fees450
405
45
11.1
368
37
10.1
Other expenses3,156
3,042
114
3.7
3,209
(167)(5.2)Other expenses3,299 3,199 100 3.1 
Total noninterest expense$29,363
$23,905
$5,458
22.8
$23,656
$249
1.1
Total noninterest expensesTotal noninterest expenses$32,855 $30,182 $2,673 8.9 
The significant changes in noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 20182021 compared to the year ended December 31, 20172020 are described below:
Salaries and wages. The $491 thousand$1.2 million increase in salaries and wages is primarily due to normal salary increases as well as an increase in the number of full time equivalent employees from 190 for the majority of 2017 to 195 as of December 31, 2018.
Pension expense (benefit). With the termination of Union Bank’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan, the settlement of all assets and liabilities under the Plan was completed by December 31, 2018. Net periodic pension expense for 2018 includes a settlement loss in the amount of $4.0 million, resulting in total pension expense of $4.6 million.
Employee benefits. The decrease in employee benefits is primarily the result of a $242 thousand medical plan credit received in 2018 due to favorable claims experience in 2017. A similar experience-based credit received in 2017 was $130 thousand.
Occupancy expense, net. The Company incurred an increase of $32 thousand in net occupancy expenses during the comparison period due to increases of $46 thousand in depreciation expense and $20 thousand in utilities, partially offset by a reduction of $45 in repairs and maintenance costs.
Equipment expense. The decrease in equipment expenses during the comparison period is primarily due to the reductiondeferral of $53 thousandloan origination costs in depreciation expense2020, in addition to annual increases in employee's salaries and a decrease of $24 thousandwages in equipment service contracts.
Electronic banking expenses. During the first quarter of 2018, Union changed its service provider for its internet and mobile banking product. The new system was selected to provide a more robust product to Union's customers that includes additional functionality. The utilization of the product resulted in an increase in electronic banking expenses.
Other loan related expenses. There was an increase in the underlying fees related to processing and servicing loans and loan applications in 2018, such as loan closing costs paid by Union, the implementation of a tax tracking service2021 and an increase in the accrual amounts for the annual incentive plan payments to select officers of Union. Salaries and wages are reduced by deferred loan origination costs at the time of origination. Deferred loan origination costs reduced salaries and wages by $43 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2021, compared to $430 thousand for the same period in 2020. The lower deferred loan origination costs for 2021 compared to 2020 is primarily attributable to the forgiveness of PPP loans during 2021. Additionally, $39 thousand was expensed for a one-time incentive that was paid to employees who have received the COVID-19 vaccination.
Employee benefits. Employee benefit expense increased $13 thousand due to increases of $260 thousand in the cost of credit report fees.
group health insurance and $43 thousand in 401k plan contributions, partially offset by a decrease of $281 thousand in employee benefits related to the Company's deferred compensation plans, and a decrease of $9 thousand in payroll taxes.
Occupancy expense, net. The increase in occupancy expense, net, primarily relates to a $108 thousand loss recognized due to the disposition of a branch location in 2021. There was a loss on the disposal of leasehold improvements of $34 thousand recorded related to a branch closure in May of 2020. The branch closures and dispositions were not the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, property tax expense increased $68 thousand primarily due to the opening of a new full service branch location during the fourth quarter of 2021. These increases were partially offset by decreases of $35 thousand in lease expense and $29 thousand in repairs and maintenance.
Equipment expense. Equipment expense increased by $390 thousand primarily due to increases in software license and maintenance costs for 2021 compared to 2020.
Vermont franchise taxes. The overall increaseVermont franchise tax is determined based on a quarterly tax rate applied to the Company's average balance of Vermont customer deposit balances. The tax rate remained unchanged throughout 2021 and 2020; however, the average balances in Vermont deposit accounts during 2018 resultedaccount balances increased for the year ended December 31, 2021, resulting in an increase in Vermont franchise tax expense.
Professional fees. During 2018,2021, additional consultants were engaged to assist with internal audits, compensation and benefit analysis,employment searches and other advisory services that were not utilized in 20172020, resulting in a $51$148 thousand increase during the comparisonbetween periods. Also, legal fees incurred for loan and real estate transactions as well as other corporate matters increased $28 thousand.
32




Director and advisory board fees. The increase in fees is attributable to a 3% increase in annual directors fees and the addition of a member to Union's board of directors during 2018.

The significant changes in noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016 are described below:
Pension expense (benefit). The actuarial calculation for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 decreased the pension benefit by $89 thousand compared to December 31, 2016.
Employee benefits. The cost of the Company's medical and dental plans increased $193 thousand, due to increases in premium rates and higher dental claims. The increase in premium rates was partially offset by a $130 thousand medical plan credit due to favorable claims experience in 2016.
Occupancy expense, net. The Company incurred an increase of $89 thousand in repairs and maintenance costs for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016. The mild winter experienced in Vermont and New Hampshire during 2016 resulted in lower than normal plowing costs. Also, the Company's janitorial costs increased due to a change in vendor. Net lease expense increased $30 thousand during 2017 due to a reduction in rental income as a result of the sale of one of the Company's properties.
Equipment expense. Increases in software license and maintenance costs of $114 thousand occurred during 2017 as compared to 2016 as a result of expected annual increases in existing contracts and the addition of software programs to facilitate bank operations.
ATM and debit card expense. The $59$98 thousand increase in expense between 2016periods is due to changes in services with ATM and 2017 reflectsdebit card service providers and an increase in the volume of activity.
FDIC insurance assessment. The deposit insurance assessment base and assessment rate both increased in 2021 compared to 2020, resulting in an increase in expense.
Other loan related expenses. Other loan related expenses consist of other costs incurred for originating and servicing loans such as insurance and property tax tracking expenses, credit report fees and other real estate closing costs. These expenses increased in 2021 compared to 2020 primarily due to the increase in expense relatedloan volumes throughout the Company's market areas.
Electronic banking expenses. Electronic banking expenses increased $45 thousand in 2021 compared to 2020 due to additional online banking services and an increase in the anticipated redemptionvolume of reward points earnedactivity.
Trust expenses. The increase in trust expenses primarily relates to additional costs for professional assistance and data processing resulting from the growth in assets in managed accounts.
Prepayment penalties on customer debit cards.
borrowings. During 2021, the Company paid prepayment penalties on the early payoff of FHLB advances of $226 thousand compared to $66 thousand of prepayment penalties paid in 2020.

Professional fees. Professional fee expenses had increased during 2016Donations. Charitable donations are made as a result of engaging consultants for advisory services related to a reviewpart of the Company's commitment to continually help to enhance the economic vitality and social welfare of our communities. Donations for 2021 decreased $64 thousand compared to 2020.
Other losses. The increase in expense is primarily due to business debit card fraud during the third quarter of 2021.
Amortization of core operating system,deposit intangible. The core deposit intangible was fully amortized in 2021 resulting in a review of the Company's branch network and facilities, and additional outsourced internal audit services.
decrease in amortization expense from 2020 to 2021.


Provision for Income Taxes. The Company has provided for current and deferred federal income taxes for the current and all prior periods presented. The Company's net provision for income taxes was $1.2 million for 2018, $3.6 million for 2017, and $2.6 million for 2016.2021 and $2.4 million for 2020. The Company’s effective tax rate for 2018 decreased to 14.4% compared to 29.9% for 2017 and 23.4% for 2016.
The reduction in the Company's effective tax rate for 2018 was primarily due to a decrease in thefederal corporate income tax rate from 34%was 16.1% and 15.5% for 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Amortization expense related to 21%limited partnership investments included as a resultcomponent of the 2017 Tax Act.
The increase in the Company's effective tax rate for 2017 was the result of a one-time chargeexpense amounted to earnings of $447$1.0 million and $935 thousand for the revaluationyears ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These investments provide tax benefits, including tax credits. Low income housing tax credits with respect to limited partnership investments are also included as a component of the Company's deferredincome tax assets as permitted by the 2017 Tax Act.
The Company reduced the provision for current federal income taxes by $65expense and amounted to $1.1 million and $987 thousand for 2018, $33 thousand for 2017,the years ended December 31, 2021 and $316 thousand for 2016 from benefits from its investments in affordable housing projects.2020, respectively. See Note 1011 to the Company's consolidated financial statements.


FINANCIAL CONDITION
At December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had total consolidated assets of $805.3 million,$1.2 billion, including gross loans and loans held for sale (total loans) of $645.4$800.9 million, deposits of $706.8 million$1.1 billion and stockholders' equity of $64.5$84.3 million. The Company’s total assets increased $59.5$111.8 million, or 8.0%10.2%, from $745.8 million$1.1 billion at December 31, 2017.2020.

Net loans and loans held for sale increased $50.6decreased $1.7 million, or 8.6%0.2%, to $640.6$793.2 million, or 79.5%65.8% of total assets, at December 31, 2018,2021, compared to $589.9$794.9 million, or 79.1%72.7% of total assets, at December 31, 2017.2020. (See Loan Portfolio below.)

Total deposits increased $59.2$100.8 million, or 9.1%10.1% to $706.8$1.1 billion at December 31, 2021, from $994.3 million at December 31, 2018, from $647.6 million at December 31, 2017.2020. There were increases in time deposits of $27.9 million, or 27.6%, interest bearing deposits of $26.1$86.1 million, or 6.2%13.5%, and noninterest bearing deposits of $5.1$49.6 million, or 4.0%. (See average balances and rates23.1%, which were partially offset by a decrease in the Yields Earned and Rates Paid table on page 27.)time deposits of $35.0 million, or 24.7%.

TotalThere were no borrowed funds decreased $3.8 million, or 11.9%, from $31.6at December 31, 2021. Borrowed funds, which consisted of FHLB advances, were $7.2 million at December 31, 20172020. (See Borrowings on page 41.)
In August 2021, the Company completed the private placement of $16.5 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2031 to $27.8certain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors. The Notes are presented net of unamortized issuance costs of $329 thousand at December 31, 2021 in the consolidated balance sheets.
Total stockholders’ equity increased $3.5 million, or 4.3%, from $80.9 million at December 31, 2018. There were decreases in FHLB advances of $2.8 million and in customer overnight collateralized repurchase sweeps of $995 thousand between December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2018. (See Borrowings on page 40.)



Total stockholders’ equity increased $5.8 million, or 9.9%, from $58.72020 to $84.3 million at December 31, 20172021. (See Capital Resources on pages 43 to $64.5 million at December��31, 2018. (See Capital Resources on page 43.44.)


Loan Portfolio. The Company's gross loan portfolio (including loans held for sale) increased $50.8decreased $2.5 million, or 8.5%0.3%, to $645.4$800.9 million, representing 80.1%66.4% of assets at December 31, 2018,2021, from $594.6$803.4 million, representing 79.7%73.5% of assets at December 31, 2017.2020. The Company's loans consist primarily of adjustable-rate and fixed-rate mortgage loans secured by one-to-four family, multi-family residential or commercial real estate. Real estate secured loans represented $522.0$670.6 million, or 80.9%,83.7% of total loans, at December 31, 20182021 compared to $484.2$593.4 million, or 81.4%,73.9% of total loans, at December 31, 2017. Although competition for good2020. The Company had 154 PPP loans is strong, especiallytotaling $13.6 million classified as commercial loans at December 31, 2021 compared to 679 PPP loans totaling $66.2
33


million at December 31, 2020. Changes in the commercial sector, the Company has been able to originate loans to both current and new customers while maintaining credit quality. Other than the increase in the municipal portfolio reflecting the successful bid season for municipal lending opportunities, the composition of the Company's loan portfolio remained relatively unchanged from December 31, 2017.2020 (see table below) resulted primarily from the decrease in the commercial portfolio related to PPP loan forgiveness and a decrease in the municipal portfolio, partially offset by an increase in the volume of residential loans originated. There was no material change in the Company's lending programs or terms during 2018.2021.


The composition of the Company's loan portfolio at year-end for each of the last five years was as follows:follows at December 31:
 20212020
$%$%
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$246,827 30.8 $183,166 22.8 
Construction real estate65,149 8.1 57,417 7.1 
Commercial real estate344,816 43.1 320,627 39.9 
Commercial49,788 6.2 108,861 13.6 
Consumer2,376 0.3 2,601 0.3 
Municipal78,094 9.8 98,497 12.3 
Loans held for sale13,829 1.7 32,188 4.0 
Total loans$800,879 100.0 $803,357 100.0 
 20182017201620152014
 $%$%$%$%$%
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$187,320
29.0$178,999
30.1$172,727
31.9$165,396
32.7$165,475
33.7
Construction real estate55,322
8.642,935
7.234,189
6.342,889
8.537,258
7.6
Commercial real estate276,500
42.8254,291
42.8249,063
46.0230,442
45.5211,710
43.1
Commercial47,228
7.350,719
8.541,999
7.821,397
4.220,620
4.2
Consumer3,241
0.53,894
0.73,962
0.73,963
0.84,435
0.9
Municipal72,850
11.355,777
9.431,350
5.836,419
7.240,480
8.3
Loans held for sale2,899
0.57,947
1.37,803
1.55,635
1.110,743
2.2
Total loans$645,360
100.0$594,562
100.0$541,093
100.0$506,141
100.0$490,721
100.0


The Company originates and sells qualified residential mortgage loans in various secondary market avenues, with a majority of sales made to the FHLMC/Freddie Mac.Mac, generally with servicing rights retained. At December 31, 2018,2021, the Company serviced a $709.7an $898.8 million residential real estate mortgage portfolio, of which $2.9$13.8 million was held for sale and approximately $519.5$638.1 million was serviced for unaffiliated third parties. This compares to a residential real estate mortgage servicedservicing portfolio of $670.8$819.6 million at December 31, 2017,2020, of which $7.9$32.2 million was held for sale and approximately $483.8$604.2 million was serviced for unaffiliated third parties. Loans held for sale are accounted for at the lower of cost or fair value and are reviewed by management at least quarterly based on current market pricing.


The Company sold $116.7$216.8 million of qualified residential real estate loans originated during 20182021 to the secondary market to mitigate long-term interest rate risk and to generate fee income, compared to sales of $122.0$263.1 million during 2017. The Company generally retains the servicing rights on sold residential2020. Residential mortgage loans.loan origination activity continued to be strong during 2021, consisting of both refinancing and purchase activity. Customers continued to refinance existing mortgages in order to obtain lower rates and purchase activity continued to be strong despite low housing inventory. The Company originates and sells FHA, VA, and RD residential mortgage loans, and also hasan Unconditional Direct Endorsement Approval from HUD which allows the Company to approve FHA loans originated in any of its Vermont or New Hampshire locations without needing prior HUD underwriting approval. The Company sells FHA, VA and RD loans as originated with servicing released. Somereleased.Some of the government backed loans qualify for zero down payments without geographic or income restrictions.These loan products increase the Company's ability to serve the borrowing needs of residents in the communities we serve,served, including low and moderate income borrowers, while the government guaranty mitigates ourthe Company's exposure to credit risk.


The Company also originates commercial real estate and commercial loans under various SBA, USDA and State sponsored programs which provide a government agency guaranty for a portion of the loan amount. There was $4.1$17.2 million and $4.6$70.2 million guaranteed under these various programs at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively, on aggregate balances of $5.2$18.5 million and $5.9$71.5 million in subject loans for the same time periods. These amounts include the $13.6 million and $66.2 million of PPP loans that were guaranteed 100% by SBA at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company occasionally sells the guaranteed portion of a loan to other financial concerns and retains servicing rights, which generates fee income. There were no commercial loans sold during 2021 and $131 thousand in commercial real estate or commercial loans sold during 2018 and $226 thousand in commercial real estate and commercial loans sold during 2017.2020. The Company recognizes gains and losses on the sale of the principal portion of these loans as they occur.


The Company serviced $14.8$21.2 million and $15.4$25.2 million of commercial and commercial real estate loans for unaffiliated third parties as of December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively. This includes $12.8$19.6 million and $12.6$23.7 million of commercial or commercial real estate loans the Company had participated out to other financial institutions at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively.


These loans were participated in the ordinary course of business on a nonrecourse basis, for liquidity or credit concentration management purposes.


34


As of December 31, 2018,2021, total loans serviced had grown to $1.2$1.5 billion, which includes total loans on the balance sheet of $645.4$800.9 million as well as total loans sold with servicing retained of $534.2$659.3 million, compared to total loans serviced of $1.1$1.4 billion as of December 31, 2017.2020.


The Company capitalizes MSRs for all loans sold with servicing retained and recognizes gains and losses on the sale of the principal portion of these loans as they occur. The unamortized balance of MSRs on loans sold with servicing retained was $1.7$2.5 million and $2.3 million as of December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively, with an estimated market value in excess of the carrying value at both year ends. Management periodically evaluates and measures the servicing assets for impairment.


Qualifying residential first mortgage loans and certain commercial real estate loans with a carrying value of $224.4 million and $210.0 million were pledged as collateral for borrowings from the FHLB under a blanket lien at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The following table breaks down by classification the contractual maturities of the gross loans held in portfolio and for sale as of December 31, 2018:2021:
 Within 1
Year
2-5
Years
6-15
Years
Over 15
Years
Total
 (Dollars in thousands)
Fixed rate
Residential real estate$204 $1,269 $44,765 $142,262 $188,500 
Construction real estate27,014 3,960 6,541 2,768 40,283 
Commercial real estate1,240 5,005 33,466 — 39,711 
Commercial464 21,469 19,858 — 41,791 
Consumer1,252 1,020 86 — 2,358 
Municipal62,871 9,172 6,051 — 78,094 
Total fixed rate93,045 41,895 110,767 145,030 390,737 
Variable rate
Residential real estate856 831 49,848 20,621 72,156 
Construction real estate3,337 6,541 8,877 6,111 24,866 
Commercial real estate5,783 2,837 228,047 68,438 305,105 
Commercial2,137 1,391 4,469 — 7,997 
Consumer18 — — 18 
Total variable rate12,131 11,600 291,241 95,170 410,142 
$105,176 $53,495 $402,008 $240,200 $800,879 
 
Within 1
Year
2-5
Years
Over 5
Years
Total
 (Dollars in thousands)
Fixed rate    
Residential real estate$491
$2,340
$93,726
$96,557
Construction real estate30,143
472
633
31,248
Commercial real estate6,933
8,806
20,692
36,431
Commercial2,239
9,522
18,294
30,055
Consumer1,486
1,498
217
3,201
Municipal56,282
5,247
11,321
72,850
Total fixed rate97,574
27,885
144,883
270,342
Variable rate    
Residential real estate1,460
1,311
90,891
93,662
Construction real estate2,254
6,108
15,712
24,074
Commercial real estate10,303
6,886
222,880
240,069
Commercial5,868
5,176
6,129
17,173
Consumer40


40
Total variable rate19,925
19,481
335,612
375,018
 $117,499
$47,366
$480,495
$645,360

Asset Quality. The Company, like all financial institutions, is exposed to certain credit risks, including those related to the value of the collateral that secures its loans and the ability of borrowers to repay their loans. Consistent application of the Company’s conservative loan policies has helped to mitigate this risk and has been prudent for both the Company and its customers. The Company's Board has set forth well-defined lending policies (which are periodically reviewed and revised as appropriate) that include conservative individual lending limits for officers, aggregate and advisory board approval levels, Board approval for large credit relationships, a quality control program, a loan review program and other limits or standards deemed necessary and prudent. The Company's loan review program encompasses a review process for loan documentation and underwriting for select loans as well as a monitoring process for credit extensions to assess the credit quality and degree of risk in the loan portfolio. Management performs, and shares with the Board, periodic concentration analyses based on various factors such as industries, collateral types, location, large credit sizes and officer portfolio loads. Board approved policies set forth portfolio diversification levels to mitigate concentration risk and the Company participates large credits out to other financial institutions to further mitigate that risk. The Company has established underwriting guidelines to be followed by its officers; material exceptions are required to be approved by a senior loan officer, the President or the Board.
The Company does not make loans that are interest only, have teaser rates or that result in negative amortization of the principal, except for construction, lines of credit and other short-term loans for either commercial or consumer purposes where the credit risk is evaluated on a borrower-by-borrower basis. The Company evaluates the borrower's ability to pay on variable-rate loans over a variety of interest rate scenarios, not only the rate at origination.
The majority of the Company's loan portfolio is secured by real estate located throughout the Company's primary market area of northern Vermont and New Hampshire. For residential loans, the Company generally does not lend more than 80% of the
35


appraised value of the home without a government guaranty or the borrower purchasing private mortgage insurance. Although the Company


lends up to 80% of the collateral value on commercial real estate loans to strong borrowers, the majority of commercial real estate loans do not exceed 75% of the appraised collateral value. Rarely, the loan to value may go up to 100% on loans with government guarantees or other mitigating circumstances. Although the Company's loan portfolio consists of different business segments, there is a portion of the loan portfolio centered in tourism related loans. The Company has implemented risk management strategies to mitigate exposure into this industry through utilizing government guaranty programs as well as participations with other financial institutions as discussed above. Additionally, the loan portfolio contains many loans to seasoned and well established businesses and/or well secured loans which further reduce the Company's risk. Management closely follows the local and national economies and their impact on the local businesses, especially on the tourism industry, as part of the Company's risk management program.
The region's economic environment is seeing signs of improvement as the states of Vermont and New Hampshire are fully opened after the COVID-19 pandemic closure of large segments of the economy. There is demand for leisure travel and dining out which is supporting the region's tourist and restaurant industries; however, the industry is also facing some staffing challenges as workforce participation is lagging. Demand for homes has surged with the general safety and desirability of the region, low interest rates and the increased ability of working remotely. The Company’s management is focused on the impact COVID-19 is having on its borrowers and closely monitors industry and geographic concentrations, specifically the continuing impact on the region's tourist and restaurant industries. The Vermont unemployment rate was reported at 2.5% for December 2021 compared to 3.1% for December 2020 and the New Hampshire unemployment rate was 2.6% for December 2021 compared to 4.0% for December 2020. These rates compare favorably with the nationwide unemployment rate of 3.9% and 6.7%, respectively, for the comparable periods. Management will continue to monitor the national, regional and local economic environment in relation to COVID-19 and its impact on unemployment, business outlook and real estate values in the Company’s market area.
The Company also monitors its delinquency levels for any adverse trends. There can be no assurance that the Company's loan portfolio will not become subject to increasing pressures from deteriorating borrower financial strength or declining collateral values due to general or local economic conditions. Renewed market volatility, high unemployment rates or weakness in the general economic condition of the country or our market area, may have a negative effect on our customers’ ability to make their loan payments on a timely basis and/or on underlying collateral values. Management closely monitors the Company’s loan and investment portfolios, OREO and OAO for potential problems and reports to the Company’sBoards of the Company and Union's BoardUnion at regularly scheduled meetings. Repossessed assets and loans or investments that are 90 days or more past due or in nonaccrual status are considered to be nonperforming assets.
TDR loans involve one or more of the following: forgiving a portion of interest or principal, refinancing at a rate materially less than the market rate, rescheduling loan payments, or granting other concessions to a borrower due to financial or economic reasons related to the debtor's financial difficulties that the Company would not ordinarily grant. When evaluating the ALL, management makes a specific allocation for TDR loans as they are considered impaired.
In March 2020, the CARES Act was passed and federal banking agencies issued guidance, confirmed by the FASB, providing that certain short-term modifications made to loans to borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and government shutdown orders would not be considered TDRs under specified circumstances (See Note 1). Through December 31, 2021, the Company had executed modifications under this guidance and the CARES Act on outstanding loan balances of $139.9 million, with total accrued interest of $849 thousand. Of the total modifications executed, outstanding loan balances of $369 thousand remained subject to modified terms and carried accrued interest of $9 thousand as of December 31, 2021.
The following table details the composition of the Company's nonperforming assets and amounts utilized to calculate certain asset quality ratios monitored by Company's managements as of December 31:
20212020
 (Dollars in thousands)
Nonaccrual loans$4,650 $2,410 
Loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest98 511 
Total nonperforming loans4,748 2,921 
OREO— 50 
Total nonperforming assets$4,748 $2,971 
Guarantees of U.S. or state government agencies on the above nonperforming loans$113 $177 
TDR loans$2,215 $2,864 
Allowance for loan losses$8,336 $8,271 
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$(65)$51 
Total loans outstanding$800,879 $803,357 
Total average loans outstanding$808,894 $753,779 
36


 20182017201620152014
 (Dollars in thousands)
Nonaccrual loans$816
$1,191
$3,545
$2,521
$2,235
Loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest1,140
494
840
836
2,344
Total nonperforming loans1,956
1,685
4,385
3,357
4,579
OREO
36


297
Total nonperforming assets$1,956
$1,721
$4,385
$3,357
$4,876
      
Guarantees of U.S. or state government agencies on the above nonperforming loans$114
$131
599
$291
$259
TDR loans$3,309
$3,252
$3,419
$2,732
$1,691

The following table shows trends of certain asset quality ratios monitored by Company's management at December 31:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Allowance for loan losses to total loans outstanding1.04 %1.03 %
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans175.57 %283.16 %
Allowance for loan losses to nonaccrual loans179.27 %343.20 %
Nonperforming loans to total loans0.59 %0.36 %
Nonperforming assets to total assets0.39 %0.27 %
Nonaccrual loans to total loans0.58 %0.30 %
Delinquent loans (30 days to nonaccruing) to total loans0.82 %0.83 %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs to total average loans(0.01)%0.01 %
Residential real estate(0.03)%— %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$(66)$(8)
Total average loans$243,212 $217,588 
Construction real estate— %— %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$— $— 
Total average loans$62,678 $43,628 
Commercial real estate— %0.02 %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$— $54 
Total average loans$324,101 $309,066 
Commercial— %— %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$— $— 
Total average loans$88,626 $92,382 
Consumer0.04 %0.16 %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$$
Total average loans$2,608 $3,075 
Municipal— %— %
Net (recoveries) charge-offs$— $— 
Total average loans$87,669 $88,040 
 20182017201620152014
Allowance for loan losses to loans not held for sale (1)0.89%0.92%0.98%1.04%0.98%
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans293.40%320.95%119.66%154.93%102.51%
Nonperforming loans to total loans0.30%0.28%0.81%0.66%0.93%
Nonperforming assets to total assets0.24%0.23%0.63%0.53%0.78%
Delinquent loans (30 days to nonaccruing) to total loans1.41%1.05%1.55%1.61%2.20%
Net charge-offs to average loans not held for sale0.02%0.01%0.02%0.01%0.06%
____________________
(1)
Calculation includes the net carrying amount of loans recorded at fair value from the 2011 Branch Acquisition as of December 31, 2014 ($9.1 million). Excluding such loans, the ALL to loans not purchased and not held for sale was 1.00% at December 31, 2014. The acquired loan portfolios from the 2011 Branch Acquisition were transferred to the Company's existing loan portfolios during the fourth quarter of 2015.


Nonperforming loans at December 31, 20182021 increased $271 thousand,$1.8 million, or 16.1%62.5%, and increased slightly as a percentage of assets from 0.27% at December 31, 2017,2020 to 0.39% at December 31, 2021, with the ALL as a percentage of nonperforming loans decreasing from 320.95%283.16% to 293.40%175.57%. Management considers the asset quality ratios to be at favorable levels. The Company's success at keeping the ratios at favorable levels is the result of continued focus on maintaining strict underwriting standards, as well as our practice, as a community bank, of actively working with troubled borrowers to resolve the borrower's delinquency, while maintaining the safe and sound credit practices of


Union and safeguarding our strong capital position. There were threeno residential real estate loans totaling $255 thousand in process of foreclosure at December 31, 2018.2021. The state-mandated moratorium on foreclosures in Vermont related to the COVID-19 emergency was lifted effective July 15, 2021. The aggregate interest on nonaccrual loans not recognized was $1.3 million$504 thousand and $420 thousand for the yearyears ended December 31, 2018, $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 20172021 and $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.2020, respectively.


The Company had loans rated substandard that were on a performing status totaling $2.0$769 thousand at December 31, 2021 and $2.2 million at December 31, 2018 and $3.0 million at December 31, 2017.2020. In management's view, such loans represent a higher degree of risk of becoming nonperforming loans in the future. While still on a performing status, in accordance with the Company's credit policy, loans are internally classified when a review indicates the existence of any of the following conditions, making the likelihood of collection questionable:
the financial condition of the borrower is unsatisfactory;
repayment terms have not been met;
the borrower has sustained losses that are sizable, either in absolute terms or relative to net worth;
confidence in the borrower's ability to repay is diminished;
��loan covenants have been violated;
loan covenants have been violated;
37


collateral is inadequate; or
other unfavorable factors are present.
Although management believes that the Company's nonperforming and internally classified loans are generally well-secured and that probable credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio are provided for in the Company's ALL, there can be no assurance that future deterioration in economic conditions and/or collateral values, or changes in other relevant factors will not result in future credit losses. The Company’s management is focused on the impact that the economy may have on its borrowers and closely monitors industry and geographic concentrations for evidence of financial problems. The past two years have resulted in strong tourist visits for all seasons throughout the year, which appears to have improved the related business' financial performance. Improvement in local economic indicators have also been identified over the past two years. The unemployment rate has stabilized in Vermont and was 2.7% for December 31, 2018 compared to 2.8% for December 31, 2017. The New Hampshire unemployment rate was 2.5% for December 31, 2018 compared to 2.6% for December 31, 2017. These rates compare favorably with the nationwide rate of 3.9% and 4.1% for the comparable periods. Management will continue to monitor the national, regional and local economic environment, particularly as it relates to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on unemployment, business failures and real estate values in the Company’s market area.
On occasion, the Company acquires residential or commercial real estate properties through or in lieu of loan foreclosure. These properties are held for sale and are initially recorded as OREO at fair value less estimated selling costs at the date of the Company’s acquisition of the property, with fair value based on an appraisal for more significant properties and on a broker’s price opinion for less significant properties. Holding costs and declines in fair value of properties acquired are expensed as incurred. Declines in the fair value after acquisition of the property result in charges against income before tax. There were no such declines during 20182021 and 2017.2020. The Company evaluates each OREO property at least quarterly for changes in the fair value. The Company had no properties classified as OREO at December 31, 20182021 and one residential real estate property valued at $36$50 thousand classified as OREO at December 31, 2017.2020.


Allowance for Loan Losses. Some of the Company’s loan customers ultimately do not make all of their contractually scheduled payments, whether due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, requiring the Company to charge off a portion or all of the remaining principal balance due. The Company maintains an ALL to absorb such losses. The ALL is maintained at a level believed by management to be appropriate to absorb probable credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the evaluation date; however, actual loan losses may vary from management's current estimates.


The ALL is evaluated quarterly using a consistent, systematic methodology, which analyzes the risk inherent in the loan portfolio. In addition to evaluating the collectability of specific loans when determining the appropriate level of the ALL, management also takes into consideration other qualitative factors such as changes in the mix and size of the loan portfolio, credit concentrations, historic loss experience, the amount of delinquencies and loans adversely classified, industry trends, and the impact of the local and regional economy on the Company's borrowers as well as the estimated value of any underlying collateral. The appropriate level of the ALL is assessed by an allocation process whereby specific loss allocations are made against impaired loans and general loss allocations are made against segments of the loan portfolio that have similar attributes. Although the ALL is assessed by allocating reserves by loan category, the total ALL is available to absorb losses that may occur within any loan category.


The ALL is increased by a provision for loan losses charged to earnings, and reduced by charge-offs, net of recoveries. The provision for loan losses represents management's estimate of the current period credit cost associated with maintaining an appropriate ALL. Based on an evaluation of the loan portfolio and other relevant qualitative factors, management presents a quarterly analysis of the appropriate level of the ALL to the Board, indicating any changes in the ALL since the last review and any recommendations as to adjustments in the ALL and the level of future provisions.




Credit quality of the commercial portfolio is quantified by a credit risk rating system designed to parallel regulatory criteria and categories of loan risk and has historically been well received by the various regulatory authorities. Individual loan officers and credit department personnel monitor loans to ensure appropriate rating assignments are made on a timely basis. Risk ratings and quality of commercial and retail credit portfolios are also assessed on a regular basis by an independent loan review function.


The level of ALL allocable to each loan portfolio category with similar risk characteristics is determined based on historical charge-offs, adjusted for qualitative risk factors. A quarterly analysis of various qualitative factors, including portfolio characteristics, national and local economic trends, overall market conditions, and levels of, and trends in, delinquencies and nonperforming loans, helps to ensure that areas with the potential risk for loss are considered in management's ALL estimate. The economic qualitative reserve factor assigned to each loan portfolio in the ALL estimate was increased during 2020 due to the economic disruption at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2020, the economic qualitative reserve factor was increased 25 bps for the residential real estate, construction real estate, commercial real estate, commercial and consumer loan portfolios and 10 bps for the municipal loan portfolio. During 2021, the economic qualitative reserve factor assigned to each loan portfolio in the ALL estimate was decreased due to continued indications of economic improvement and with the majority of borrowers that had executed loan modifications due to COVID-19 no longer subject to modified terms. The economic qualitative reserve factor was decreased 10 bps for the residential real estate, commercial real estate, commercial, consumer and municipal loan portfolios and 5 bps for the construction real estate loan portfolio during 2021. In addition to the qualitative risk factor analysis of each loan portfolio, loans meeting specified criteria are also evaluated for specific impairment and may be
38


classified as impaired when management believes it is probable that the Company will not collect all the contractual interest and principal payments as scheduled in the loan agreement. Commercial loans with balances greater than $500 thousand was established by management as the threshold for individual impairment evaluation with a specific reserve allocated when warranted. Large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Company does not separately identify individual consumer, real estate or small balance commercial loans for impairment evaluation, unless such loans are subject to a restructuring agreement or have been identified as impaired as part of a larger customer relationship. A specific reserve amount is allocated to the ALL for individual loans that have been classified as impaired on the basis of the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans, an observable market price, or the present value of anticipated future cash flows.


Impaired loans, including $2.2 million of TDR loans, were $6.8 million at December 31, 2021, with government guaranties of $423 thousand and a specific reserve amount allocated of $46 thousand. Impaired loans, including $2.9 million of TDR loans, were $4.6 million at December 31, 2020, with government guaranties of $514 thousand and a specific reserve amount allocated of $58 thousand. The following table reflects activity inspecific reserve amount allocated to individually identified impaired loans decreased $12 thousand as a result of the ALL for the years ended December 31:31, 2021 impairment evaluation.
 20182017201620152014
 (Dollars in thousands)
Balance at the beginning of year$5,408
$5,247
$5,201
$4,694
$4,647
Charge-offs157
207
163
126
340
Recoveries38
168
59
83
42
Net charge-offs(119)(39)(104)(43)(298)
Provision for loan losses450
200
150
550
345
Balance at the end of year$5,739
$5,408
$5,247
$5,201
$4,694
Provision charged to income as a
  percent of average loans
0.07%0.04%0.03%0.11%0.07%

The following table (net of loans held for sale) shows the internal breakdown by class of loans of the Company's ALL and the percentage of loans in each category to total loans in the respective portfolios at December 31:
 20212020
 $%$%
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$2,068 31.4 $1,776 23.8 
Construction real estate837 8.3 763 7.4 
Commercial real estate4,122 43.8 4,199 41.6 
Commercial275 6.3 458 14.1 
Consumer11 0.3 15 0.3 
Municipal86 9.9 214 12.8 
Unallocated937 — 846 — 
Total$8,336 100.0 8,271 100.0 
 20182017201620152014
 $%$%$%$%$%
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$1,368
29.2$1,361
30.5$1,399
32.4$1,419
33.0$1,330
34.5
Construction real estate617
8.6488
7.3391
6.4514
8.6439
7.8
Commercial real estate2,933
43.02,707
43.42,687
46.72,792
46.02,417
44.1
Commercial354
7.4395
8.6342
7.9209
4.3176
4.3
Consumer23
0.530
0.726
0.728
0.827
0.9
Municipal82
11.364
9.540
5.938
7.342
8.4
Unallocated362
363
362
201
263
Total$5,739
100.05,408
100.0$5,247
100.0$5,201
100.0$4,694
100.0
Notwithstanding the categories shown in the table above or any specific allocation under the Company's ALL methodology, all funds in the ALL are available to absorb loan losses in the portfolio, regardless of loan category or specific allocation.
There were no changes to the reserve factors assigned to any of the loan portfolios based on the qualitative factor reviews performed during 2018.
Management of the Company believes, in its best estimate, that the ALL at December 31, 20182021 is appropriate to cover probable credit losses inherent in the Company’s loan portfolio as of such date. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will not sustain losses in future periods which could be greater than the size of the ALL at December 31, 2018.2021. In addition, our banking regulators, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review our ALL. Such agencies may require us to recognize adjustments to the ALL based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examination. A large adjustment to the ALL for losses in future periods may require increased provisions to replenish the ALL, which could negatively affect earnings. While the Company recognizes that economic slowdowns or financial and credit market



turmoil may adversely impact its borrowers' financial performance and ultimately their ability to repay their loans, management continues to be cautiously optimistic about the collectability of the Company's loan portfolio.

Investment Activities. The investment portfolio is used to generate interest and dividend income, manage liquidity and mitigate interest rate sensitivity. At December 31, 2018,2021, the fair value of investment securities AFS was $73.4$267.8 million, or 9.1%22.2% of total assets, compared to $65.4$105.8 million, or 8.8%9.7% of total assets, at December 31, 2017.2020. The Company used excess liquidity to increase the investment portfolio during 2021 to obtain higher yields than what would have been earned at the current Federal Funds rate. There were no investment securities classified as HTM or as trading at December 31, 2018 and $1.0 million classified as HTM at December 31, 2017. The Company had no investments classified as trading as of either date.2021 or 2020. Investment securities classified as AFS are marked-to-market, with any unrealized gain or loss after estimated taxes charged to the equity portion of the balance sheet through the accumulated OCI component of stockholders' equity. The fair value of investment securities AFS at December 31, 20182021 reflects a net unrealized loss of $1.3$2.0 million, compared to a net unrealized lossgain of $381 thousand$3.3 million at December 31, 2017.2020.
At December 31, 2018, 1092021, 110 debt securities had unrealized losses of $1.5$4.3 million, with aggregate depreciation of 2.04%1.58% from the Company's amortized cost basis. Securities are evaluated at least quarterly for OTTI and at December 31, 2018,2021, in management's estimation, no security was OTTI. Management's evaluation of OTTI is subject to risks and uncertainties and is intended to determine the appropriate amount and timing of recognition of any impairment charge. The assessment of whether such impairment for debt securities has occurred is based on management's best estimate of the cash flows expected to be collected at the individual security level. We regularly monitor our investment portfolio to ensure securities that may be OTTI
39


are identified in a timely manner and that any impairment charge is recognized in the proper period and, with respect to debt securities, that the impairment is properly allocated between credit losses recognized in earnings and noncredit unrealized losses recognized in OCI. Further deterioration in credit quality, imbalances in liquidity in the financial marketplace or a quick rise in interest rates might adversely affect the fair value of the Company's investment portfolio and may increase the potential that certain unrealized losses will be designated as OTT in future periods, resulting in write-downs and related charges to earnings.
At December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had no investments in a single company or entity (other than U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise securities) that had an aggregate book value in excess of 2% of our stockholders' equity. As of December 31, 2018,2021, all MBS the Company owned were issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, Fannie Mae or the FHLMC/Freddie Mac. Although the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt securities are not explicitly guaranteed by the federal government, one of the stated purposes of the U.S. Treasury's September, 2008 conservatorship and capital support of the two institutions was to stabilize the market in their debt securities, and that purpose was again evident in legislation passed by Congress in late 2009 which effectively lifted any dollar ceiling on the implicit U.S. Treasury guaranty of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt securities.
The following tables show as of December 31, the amortized cost, fair value and weighted average yield on a tax equivalent basis of the Company's investment debt securities portfolio maturing within the stated periods:
 December 31, 2018 Maturities 
 
Within
One Year
One to
Five Years
Five to
Ten Years
Over
Ten Years
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Investment securities available-for-sale:(Dollars in thousands)
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$
$
$2,846
$3,682
$6,528
2.83%
Agency MBS
1,382
1,681
33,788
36,851
2.81%
State and political subdivisions200
3,572
10,798
8,957
23,527
2.42%
Corporate debt
490
7,302

7,792
3.67%
Total investment debt securities$200
$5,444
$22,627
$46,427
$74,698
2.78%
      
 
Fair value$202
$5,443
$22,227
$45,533
$73,405
 
       
Weighted average yield3.30%2.47%2.87%2.76%2.78% 


 December 31, 2017 Maturities
 
Within
One Year
One to
Five Years
Five to
Ten Years
Over
Ten Years
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Investment securities available-for-sale:(Dollars in thousands)
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$
$
$2,756
$5,049
$7,805
2.33%
Agency MBS
907
737
26,734
28,378
2.57%
State and political subdivisions
3,818
9,690
11,196
24,704
2.48%
Corporate debt

4,412

4,412
3.27%
Investment securities held-to-maturity:    

 
     U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises1,000



1,000
0.95%
Total investment debt securities$1,000
$4,725
$17,595
$42,979
$66,299
2.53%
      
 
Fair value$999
$4,777
$17,571
$42,570
$65,917
 
       
Weighted average yield1.00%2.64%2.63%2.52%2.53% 
 December 31, 2016 Maturities
 
Within
One Year
One to
Five Years
Five to
Ten Years
Over
Ten Years
Amortized
Cost
Weighted
Average
Yield
Investment securities available-for-sale:(Dollars in thousands)
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$
$500
$3,290
$6,431
$10,221
1.94%
Agency MBS
1,836
498
15,949
18,283
1.97%
State and political subdivisions627
3,298
13,064
10,920
27,909
2.54%
Corporate debt
2,036
7,709

9,745
3.02%
Investment securities held-to-maturity:      
     U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises
999


999
0.95%
Total investment debt securities$627
$8,669
$24,561
$33,300
$67,157
2.34%
       
Fair value$631
$8,738
$24,262
$32,521
$66,152
 
       
Weighted average yield3.63%2.34%2.65%2.09%2.34% 
The tables above exclude mutual fund securities with a book and fair value of $556 thousand at December 31, 2018, $521 thousand at December 31, 2017 and $345 thousand at December 31, 2016.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Stock. Union is a member of the FHLB, with an investment of $2.3$1.1 million and $1.0 million in its Class B common stock at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017.2020, respectively. Union is required to invest in $100 par value stock of the FHLB in an amount tied to satisfythe unpaid principal balances on qualifying loans, plus an amount to satisfy an activity based requirement. The stock is nonmarketable, and is redeemable by the FHLB at par value. Also,Although the FHLB was in compliance with all regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, there is the possibility of future capital calls by the FHLB on member banks to ensure compliance with its capital plan. Union's investment in FHLB stock is carried at cost in Other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. Similar to evaluating investment securities for OTTI, the Company has evaluated its investment in the FHLB. The FHLB remains in compliance with all regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. Management's most recent evaluation of the Company's holdings of FHLB common stock concluded that the investment was not impaired at December 31, 2018.2021.




Deposits. The following table shows information concerning the Company's average deposits by account type and the weighted average nominal rates at which interest was paid on such deposits for the years ended December 31:
 20212020
 Average
Balance
Percent
of Total
Deposits
Average
Rate Paid
Average
Balance
Percent
of Total
Deposits
Average
Rate Paid
 (Dollars in thousands)
Nontime deposits:      
Noninterest bearing deposits$238,572 23.2 — $177,792 20.9 — 
Interest bearing checking accounts255,031 24.8 0.23 %197,698 23.2 0.36 %
Money market accounts248,864 24.2 0.62 %206,466 24.3 0.99 %
Savings accounts167,381 16.3 0.06 %123,619 14.6 0.12 %
Total nontime deposits909,848 88.5 0.25 %705,575 83.0 0.41 %
Time deposits:
Less than $100,00057,187 5.6 0.69 %73,880 8.7 1.10 %
$100,000 and over60,958 5.9 0.86 %70,976 8.3 1.50 %
Total time deposits118,145 11.5 0.78 %144,856 17.0 1.30 %
Total deposits$1,027,993 100.0 0.31 %$850,431 100.0 0.56 %
 201820172016
 
Average
Balance
Percent
of Total
Deposits
Average
Rate Paid
Average
Balance
Percent
of Total
Deposits
Average
Rate Paid
Average
Balance
Percent
of Total
Deposits
Average
Rate Paid
 (Dollars in thousands)
Nontime deposits:         
Noninterest bearing deposits$121,902
18.9
$112,914
19.0
$105,596
18.7
Interest bearing checking accounts147,553
22.90.16%147,677
24.90.14%128,977
22.80.09%
Money market accounts153,135
23.80.83%131,008
22.00.53%110,938
19.60.35%
Savings accounts104,582
16.30.15%98,930
16.60.15%93,118
16.50.15%
Total nontime deposits527,172
81.90.31%490,529
82.50.21%438,629
77.60.15%
Time deposits:         
Less than $100,00063,710
9.90.87%61,787
10.40.65%63,720
11.30.66%
$100,000 and over53,007
8.21.24%41,976
7.10.72%62,528
11.10.90%
Total time deposits116,717
18.11.04%103,763
17.50.69%126,248
22.40.77%
Total deposits$643,889
100.00.45%$594,292
100.00.30%$564,877
100.00.29%


Deposits grew $100.8 million, or 10.1%, from $994.3 million at December 31, 2020 to $1.1 billion at December 31, 2021. Total average deposits grew $177.6 million, or 20.9%, between years, with average nontime deposits growing $204.3 million, or 29.0%, and average time deposits decreasing $26.7 million, or 18.4%, during the same time frame. The increase in average balances for nontime deposits was attributable to proceeds from PPP loans deposited into customer accounts at Union, customer's receipt of government stimulus payments, and the general reduction in spending by customers due to supply chain delays. The average balances of time deposits decreased due to the maturity of higher rate paying time deposit accounts that customers have primarily transferred into other deposit account types.

The Company participates in CDARS, which permits the Company to offer full deposit insurance coverage to its customers by exchanging deposit balances with other CDARS participants. CDARS also provides the Company with an additional source of
40


funding and liquidity through the purchase of deposits. At December 31, 2018, $15.0 million of the Company's CDARS deposits represented purchased deposits which are considered "brokered" deposits. There were no purchased CDARS deposits as of December 31, 2017. These deposits are included in time deposits on the consolidated balance sheets.2021 or December 31, 2020. There were $11.3$13.6 million of time deposits of $250,000 or less on the balance sheet at December 31, 20182021 and $11.5$14.2 million at December 31, 2017,2020, which were exchanged with other CDARS participants.


The Company also participates in the ICS program, a service through which Union can offer its customers ademand or savings productproducts with access to unlimited FDIC insurance, while receiving reciprocal deposits from other FDIC-insured banks. Like the exchange of certificate of deposit accounts through CDARS, exchange of demand or savings deposits through ICS provides a depositor with full deposit insurance coverage for the customer,of excess balances, thereby helping Union tothe Company retain the full amount of the deposit on its balance sheet. As with the CDARS program, in addition to reciprocal deposits, participating banks may also purchase one-way ICS deposits. There were $102.9$155.3 million and $67.0$146.2 million in exchanged ICS demand and money market deposits on the balance sheet at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively. There were no purchased ICS deposits at December 31, 20182021 or December 31, 2017.2020.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 allows the Company to hold reciprocal deposits up to 20 percent of total liabilities without those deposits being treated as brokered for regulatory purposes.


At December 31, 2018,2020, there was $1.0were $15.0 million in retail brokered deposits issued under a master certificatescertificate of deposit toprogram with a deposit broker for the purpose of providing a supplemental source of funding and liquidity. These deposits will mature in the next year. There were $2.0 million ofno retail brokered deposits at December 31, 2017.2021.


Deposits grew $59.2 million, or 9.1%, from $647.6 million at December 31, 2017 to $706.8 million at December 31, 2018. Total average deposits grew $49.6 million, or 8.3%, between years with average nontime deposits growing $36.6 million, or 7.5%, and average time deposits increasing $13.0 million, or 12.5%, during the same time frame. These changes are primarily the result of increased and continued use of the fully insured ICS money market product by Union's municipal and commercial customers, customers taking advantage of time deposit promotions offered during 2018, as well as the utilization of purchased CDARS deposits to supplement liquidity.

A provision of the Dodd-Frank Act permanently raised FDIC deposit insurance coverage to $250 thousand per depositor per insured depository institution for each account ownership category. At December 31, 2018, the Company had deposit accounts with less than $250 thousand totaling $549.5 million, or 77.7% of itsUninsured deposits have been estimated to include deposits with FDIC insurance protection. An additional


$19.4 million of municipal deposits were overbalances greater than the FDIC insurance coverage limit atof $250 thousand. This estimate is based on the same methodologies and assumptions used for regulatory reporting requirements. At December 31, 20182021, the Company had uninsured deposit accounts totaling $353.0 million, or 32.2% of total deposits. Uninsured deposits include $31.5 million of municipal deposits and were collateralized by Union under applicable state regulations by investment securities or letters of credit issued by the FHLB.FHLB at December 31, 2021, as described below under Borrowings.


The following table provides a maturity distribution of the Company’s time deposits in amounts in excess of $100the $250 thousand and overFDIC insurance limit at December 31:
20212020
 (Dollars in thousands)
Three months or less$4,249 7,603 
Over three months through six months5,576 3,857 
Over six months through twelve months4,536 9,424 
Over twelve months1,862 1,506 
 $16,223 $22,390 
  20182017 
  (Dollars in thousands) 
 Three months or less$24,518
$5,345
 
 Over three months through six months9,125
9,752
 
 Over six months through twelve months12,820
13,737
 
 Over twelve months18,011
12,348
 
  $64,474
$41,182
 
The Company'sAt December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had $16.2 million and $22.4 million, respectively, in uninsured time deposits in amountswith balances greater than $250 thousand. The decrease of $100 thousand and over increased $23.3$6.2 million, or 56.6%27.5%, between December 31, 20172020 and December 31, 2018, resulting2021, resulted primarily from the $15.0 millionmaturity, without renewal, of purchased CDARScustomer time deposits outstanding at December 31, 2018 which will mature within three months. The remaining increase was the result of customers taking advantage of time depositoriginated in prior periods when rate promotions that were offered during 2018.offered.


Borrowings. Advances from the FHLB are another key source of funds to support earning assets. These funds are also used to manage the Bank's interest rate and liquidity risk exposures. The Company'sCompany had no borrowed funds at December 31, 2018 were comprised of borrowings from the FHLB of $27.5 million, at a weighted average rate of 1.84%, and overnight secured customer repurchase agreement sweeps of $370 thousand, at a weighted average rate of 0.20%. At December 31, 2017, borrowed2021. Borrowed funds were comprised of FHLB advances of $30.2$7.2 million, atwith a weighted average rate of 1.42%, and overnight secured customer repurchase agreement sweeps of $1.4 million,3.07% at a weighted average rate of 0.25%. The maximum borrowings outstanding on overnight secured customer repurchase agreement sweeps was $3.5 million and $4.9 million during 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company had no overnight federal funds purchased on December 31, 2018 or 2017.2020. A $7.0 million FHLB advance was prepaid during the fourth quarter of 2021 utilizing excess liquidity, resulting in penalties paid of $226 thousand which are included in Other expenses on the Company's consolidated statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2021. Average borrowings outstanding for 20182021 were $42.6$7.1 million, compared to average borrowings outstanding for 20172020 of $35.2$24.0 million, with the weighted average interest rate on the Company's borrowings increasing from 1.36%1.52% for 20172020 to 1.65%3.05% for 2018, reflecting the rising interest rate environment.2021. The Company had no overnight federal funds purchased on December 31, 2021 or 2020.


A separate agreement has been established with the FHLB where theThe Company has the authority, up to its available borrowing capacity with the FHLB, to collateralize public unit deposits with letters of credit issued by the FHLB. FHLB letters of credit in the amount of $17.3$37.5 million and $29.6$23.6 million were utilized as collateral for these deposits at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively.

Liability for Pension Benefits. In 2017, the Company's Board of Directors voted to terminate Union Bank’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan, which had been frozen in 2012 to new participants and the accrual of additional retirement benefits for existing participants. The liabilities under the Plan were settled Total fees paid by the Company during 2018 by offering participantsin connection with the optionissuance of these letters of credit were $45 thousand and $30 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

41


In August 2021, the Company completed the private placement of $16.5 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2031 to receive an annuity purchased from an insurance carrier, a lump-sum cash payment, or a direct rollover into a qualifying retirement plan. A cash contributioncertain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors. The Notes initially bear interest, payable semi-annually, at the rate of $850 thousand was made3.25% per annum, until September 1, 2026. From and including September 1, 2026, the interest rate applicable to the plan during 2018outstanding principal amount due will reset quarterly to cover the lump-sum payments and annuity purchases.then current three-month secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) plus 263 basis points. The transferNotes are presented net of all liabilities and administrative responsibilities under the Plan was completed byunamortized issuance costs of $329 thousand at December 31, 2018, and as a result, in future periods the Company will not have any defined benefit pension plan obligations and thus no periodic pension expense related to the Plan.
Net periodic pension expense for 2018 includes a settlement loss2021 in the amount of $4.0 million, resultingconsolidated balance sheets. For the year ended December 31, 2021, $11 thousand in total pension expense of $4.6 million. This expense was partially offset by a reductionissuance costs were recorded in the provision for income taxes of $900 thousand as a result of the settlement of the assets and liabilities.interest expense.

Commitments, Contingent Liabilities, and Off-Balance-Sheet Arrangements. The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers, to reduce its own exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, and to implement its strategic objectives. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, interest rate caps and floors written on adjustable-rate loans, commitments to participate in or sell loans, commitments to buy or sell securities, certificates of deposit or other investment instruments and risk-sharing commitments or guarantees on certain sold loans. Such instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized on the balance sheet. The contractual or notional amounts of these instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in a particular class of financial instrument.


The Company's maximum exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual or notional amount of those instruments.


The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheeton-balance-sheet instruments. For interest rate caps and floors written on adjustable-rate loans, the contractual or notional amounts do not represent the Company’s exposure to credit loss. The Company controls the risk of interest rate cap agreements through credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures. The Company generally requires collateral or other security to support financial instruments with credit risk.


The following table details the contractual or notional amount of financial instruments that represented credit risk at December 31, 2018:2021:
Contract or Notional AmountContract or Notional Amount
20192020202120222023ThereafterTotal20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
(Dollars in thousands) (Dollars in thousands)
Commitments to originate loans$22,673
$
$
$
$
$
$22,673
Commitments to originate loans$48,910 $— $— $— $— $— $48,910 
Unused lines of credit86,042
13,055
7,703
141
2,134
382
109,457
Unused lines of credit108,913 32,274 25,741 31 1,450 33 168,442 
Standby and commercial letters of credit483
298
216
25
14
1,272
2,308
Standby and commercial letters of credit342 255 191 39 — 1,331 2,158 
Credit card arrangements259





259
Credit card arrangements170 — — — — — 170 
MPF credit enhancement obligation, net684





684
MPF credit enhancement obligation, net818 — — — — — 818 
Commitment for purchase of Jericho
branch property
1,220





1,220
Commitment for construction of
Williston branch
3,208





3,208
Commitment to purchase investment in
a real estate limited partnership
Commitment to purchase investment in
a real estate limited partnership
4,574 — — — — — 4,574 
Total$114,569
$13,353
$7,919
$166
$2,148
$1,654
$139,809
Total$163,727 $32,529 $25,932 $70 $1,450 $1,364 $225,072 
Commitments to originate loans are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have a fixed expiration date or other termination clause and may require payment of a fee. The unused lines of credit total includes $11.4$13.1 million of lines available under the overdraft privilege program and is included in the 20192022 funding period. Approximately $19.2$32.1 million of the unused lines of credit relate to real estate construction loans that are expected to fund within the next twelve months. The remaining lines primarily relate to revolving lines of credit for other real estate or commercial loans. Since many of the loan commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon and not all credit lines will be utilized, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. Lines of credit incur seasonal volume fluctuations due to the nature of some customers' businesses, such as tourism and maple syrup products production.tourism.


Unused lines of credit increased $23.6$35.9 million, or 27.4%27.1%, from $85.9$132.5 million at December 31, 20172020 to $109.5$168.4 million at December 31, 2018.2021. Some of the larger lines have underlying participation agreements in place with other financial institutions in order to permit the Company to support the credit needs of larger dollar borrowers without bearing all the credit risk in the Company's balance sheet. Commitments to originate loans decreased $2.7$12.5 million, or 10.7%20.4%, from $25.4$61.4 million at December 31, 20172020 to $22.7$48.9 million at December 31, 2018.2021.


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The Company may, from time-to-time, enter into commitments to purchase, participate or sell loans, securities, certificates of deposit, or other investment instruments which involve market and interest rate risk. At December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had binding commitments to sell residential mortgage loans at fixed rates totaling $2.7 million.


The Company sells 1-4 family residential mortgage loans under the MPF loss-sharing program with FHLB, when management believes it is economically advantageous to do so. Under this program the Company shares in the credit risk of each mortgage, while receiving fee income in return. The Company is responsible for a Credit Enhancement Obligation based on the credit quality of these loans. FHLB funds a first loss account based on the Company's outstanding MPF mortgage balances. This creates a laddered approach to sharing in any losses. In the event of default, homeowner's equity and private mortgage insurance, if any, are the first sources of repayment; the FHLB first loss account funds are then utilized, followed by the member's Credit Enhancement Obligation, with the balance the responsibility of FHLB. These loans must meet specific underwriting standards of the FHLB. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had $30.6 million insold loans sold through the MPF program totaling $33.5 million with an outstanding balance of $15.5 million and a contract for the potential delivery of an additional $6.4 million of future loan sales.$9.5 million. The volume of loans sold to the MPF program and the corresponding Credit Enhancement Obligation are closely monitored by management. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the notional amount of the maximum contingent contractual liability related to this program was $702$837 thousand, of which $18$19 thousand was recorded as a reserve through Other liabilities. Since inception of the Company's MPF participation in 2015, the Company has not experienced any losses under this program.




Contractual Obligations. The Company and Union have various financial obligations, including contractual obligations that may require future cash payments. The following table presents, as of December 31, 2018, significant fixed and determinable contractual obligations to third parties by payment date:
 Payments Due By Period
 
Less than
1 year
2 & 3 years4 & 5 yearsThereafterTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Operating lease commitments$213
$352
$228
$1,804
$2,597
Contractual payments on borrowed funds (1)27,657
164


27,821
Deposits without stated maturity (1) (2)577,693



577,693
Certificates of deposit (1) (2) (3)83,078
37,812
8,187

129,077
Deferred compensation payouts (4)89
86
103
189
467
Total$688,730
$38,414
$8,518
$1,993
$737,655
____________________
(1)The amounts exclude interest payable, as such amounts other than $203 thousand in accrued interest payable at December 31, 2018, are not able to be estimated at this time.
(2)While Union has a contractual obligation to depositors should they wish to withdraw all or some of the funds on deposit, management believes, based on historical analysis as well as current conditions in the financial markets, that the majority of these deposits will remain on deposit for the foreseeable future.
(3)The amounts include $1.0 million in retail brokered deposits issued under master certificates of deposit to a deposit broker. These deposits mature in the next year.
(4)The amounts exclude $478 thousand in benefit payments, where the payment period will begin at the individual's retirement, which is not determinable at this time.
Union is required (as are all banks) to maintain vault cash or a noninterest bearing reserve balance as established by Federal Reserve regulations. The Bank’s average total required reserve for the 14 day maintenance period that included December 31, 2018 was $1.0 million, which was satisfied by vault cash.

Liquidity. Liquidity is a measurement of the Company’s ability to meet potential cash requirements, including ongoing commitments to fund deposit withdrawals, repay borrowings, fund investment and lending activities, and for other general business
purposes. The primary objective of liquidity management is to maintain a balance between sources and uses of funds to meet our
cash flow needs in the most economical and expedient manner. The Company’s principal sources of funds are deposits; wholesale funding options including purchased deposits, amortization,
prepayment and maturity of loans, investment securities, interest bearing deposits and other short-term investments; sales of securities AFS and loans AFS;loans; earnings; and funds provided from operations. Contractual principal repayments on loans are a relatively predictable source of funds; however, deposit flows and loan and investment prepayments are less predictable and can be significantly influenced by market interest rates, economic conditions, and rates offered by our competitors. Managing liquidity risk is essential to maintaining both depositor confidence and earnings stability.

At December 31, 2018,2021, Union, as a member of FHLB, had access to unused lines of credit of $54.5$116.7 million, over and above the $45.6$22.0 million in combined outstanding borrowings and other credit subject to collateralization, withsubject to the purchase of required FHLB Class B common stock and evaluation by the FHLB of the underlying collateral available. This line of credit can be used for either shortshort-term or long-term liquidity or other funding needs.
Union also maintains an IDEAL Way Line of Credit with the FHLB. The total line available was $551 thousand at December 31, 2018.2021. There were no borrowings against this line of credit as of such date. Interest on these borrowingsthis line is chargeable at a rate determined by the FHLB and payable monthly. Should Union utilize this line of credit, qualified portions of the loan and investment portfolios would collateralize these borrowings.
In addition to its borrowing arrangements with the FHLB, Union maintains a pre-approved federal fundsFederal Funds line of credit totaling $15.0 million with an upstream correspondent bank, anda master brokered deposit agreement with a brokerage firm, one-way buy options with CDARS and ICS as well as access to the FRB discount window, which would require pledging of qualified assets. Core deposits areIn addition to the lowest cost of fundsfunding sources available to Union, the Company has access to but these deposits may not be sufficient to cover the on balance sheet liquidity needs which makes using these other sources necessary.maintains a $5.0 million revolving line of credit with a correspondent bank. At December 31, 20182021 there was $15.0 million outstanding inwere no purchased CDARS or ICS deposits, no retail brokered deposits, and no outstanding advances at the FRB discount window or on the federal funds lineUnion or atCompany correspondent lines.

Additionally, Union also has qualifying investment securities that are available to be pledged as collateral to the FRB to have access to the discount window borrowing facility. As of December 31, 2021, there were no outstanding advances from the discount window.


Union's investment and residential loan portfolios provide a significant amount of contingent liquidity that could be accessed in a reasonable time period through sales of those portfolios. We also have additional contingent liquidity sources with access to the brokered deposit market and the FRB discount window. These sources are considered as liquidity alternatives in our contingent liquidity plan. At December 31, 2018, there was $1.0 million in retail brokered deposits issued under master certificates of deposit


to a deposit broker. Management believes the Company has sufficient liquidity to meet all reasonable borrower, depositor, and creditor needs in the present economic environment. However, any projections of future cash needs and flows are subject to substantial uncertainty, including due to factors outside the Company's control.


Capital Resources. Capital management is designed to maintain an optimum level of capital in a cost-effective structure that meets target regulatory ratios, supports management’s internal assessment of economic capital, funds the Company’s business strategies and builds long-term stockholder value. Dividends are generally in line with long-term trends in earnings per share
43


and conservative earnings projections, while sufficient profits are retained to support anticipated business growth, fund strategic investments, maintain required regulatory capital levels and provide continued support for deposits. The Company and Union continue to satisfy all capital adequacy requirements to which they are subject and Union is considered well capitalized under the FDIC's Prompt Corrective Action framework. The Company continues to evaluate growth opportunities both through internal growth or potential acquisitions. The dividend payouts and stock repurchases during the last few years reflect the Board’s desire to utilize our capital for the benefit of the stockholders.
In August 2021, the Company completed the private placement of $16.5 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2031 to certain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors. The Notes have been structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital for the Company under bank regulatory guidelines. The proceeds from the sale of the Notes were utilized to provide additional capital to Union to support its growth and for other general corporate purposes.
Stockholders’ equity increased from $58.7$80.9 million at December 31, 20172020 to $64.5$84.3 million at December 31, 2018,2021, reflecting net income of $7.1$13.2 million for 2018,2021, an increase of $120$299 thousand from stock based compensation, a $30$72 thousand increase due to the issuance of 3,000 shares of common stock from the exercise of incentive stock options and a $40 thousand increase due to the issuance of common stock under the DRIP and a net increase in accumulated OCI of $4.1 million attributable to investment securities AFS and the settlement of the defined benefit pension plan obligations.DRIP. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $4.2 million in accumulated OCI due to a decrease in the fair market value of the Company's AFS securities, cash dividends paiddeclared of $5.4$5.9 million, and stock repurchases of $107$2 thousand.
The Company has 7,500,000 shares of $2.00 par value common stock authorized. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had 4,943,6904,967,093 shares issued, of which 4,466,6794,493,655 were outstanding and 477,011473,438 were held in treasury. Effective May 21,Following stockholder approval in 2014, upon approval by the stockholders, the Company adopted the 2014 Equity Plan which replaced the 2008 ISO Plan. As of December 31, 2018,2021, there were outstanding employee incentive stock options with respect to 3,000 shares granted under the 2008 ISO Plan, all of which were exercisable, and outstanding employee incentive stock options with respect to 4,500 shares grantedRSUs issued under the 2014 Equity Plan all of which were exercisable. Also, as of December 31, 2018, there were outstanding RSUs with respect to 4781,355 shares granted in 2016, 1,8312020 and 10,051 shares granted in 2017 and 3,734 shares granted in 20182021 as to which vesting requirements had not yet been met.
In December 2018,January 2021, the Company's Board reauthorized for 20192021 the limited stock repurchase plan that was initially established in May of 2010. The limited stock repurchase plan allows the repurchase of up to a fixed number of shares of the Company's common stock each calendar quarter in open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions, as management may deem advisable and as market conditions may warrant. The repurchase authorization for a calendar quarter (currently 2,500 shares) expires at the end of that quarter to the extent it has not been exercised, and is not carried forward into future quarters. During 2018, theThe Company repurchased 2,20997 shares under thethis program during 2021 at a total cost of $107$2 thousand. Since inception, as of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company had repurchased 17,39317,790 shares under the program, for a total cost of $458$474 thousand.
The Company maintains a DRIP whereby registered stockholders may elect to reinvest cash dividends and optional cash contributions to purchase additional shares of the Company's common stock. The Company has reserved 200,000 shares of its common stock for issuance and sale under the DRIP. As of December 31, 2018, 1,4602021, 5,430 shares of stock had been issued from treasury stock since inception of the DRIP, including 5831,291 shares in 2018.2021.
The Company's total capital to risk weighted assets decreasedincreased to 12.9%15.4% at December 31, 2018,2021, from 13.7%13.9% at December 31, 2017.2020. Tier I capital to risk weighted assets decreased to 11.8%11.9% at December 31, 2018,2021, from 12.6% at December 31, 20172020, and Tier I capital to average assets decreased to 8.0%7.1% at December 31, 20182021 from 8.5%7.3% at December 31, 2017.2020. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, Union iswas categorized as well capitalized under the Prompt Corrective Action regulatory framework and the Company is well overexceeded applicable minimum capital adequacy requirements. The Company'sThere were no conditions or events between December 31, 20182021 and the date of this report that management believes have changed either the Company’s or Union's regulatory capital adequacy was determined based on the BASEL III requirements, which took effect on January 1, 2015 and will be fully phased in on January 1, 2019. The Company's evaluation indicates it satisfies all capital adequacy requirements as fully phased in.category. See Note 2123 for additional discussion of the Company's and Union's regulatory capital ratios.

Regulatory Matters.
Impact of Inflation and Changing Prices. The CompanyCompany's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which allows for the measurement of financial position and Unionresults of operations in terms of historical dollars, without considering changes in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. Banks have asset and liability structures that are subject to periodic examinations byessentially monetary in nature, and their general and administrative costs constitute relatively small percentages of total expenses. Thus, increases in the various regulatory agencies. These examinations include, but are not limited to, procedures designed to review lending practices, risk management, credit quality, liquidity, compliancegeneral price levels for goods and capital adequacy. In February 2019, the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation began a regular safety and soundness examination of Union. In May of 2017, the FDIC performed its regular, periodic safety and soundness examination of Union. In February of 2017, the FDIC performed its regular periodic compliance examination of Union. In September of 2017, the FRB performed its regular, periodic examination of the Company. No comments were received that wouldservices have a material adverserelatively minor effect on the Company’sCompany's total expenses but could have an impact on our loan customers' financial condition. Interest rates have a more significant impact on the Company's financial performance than the effect of general inflation. The federal funds target range of 0% to 0.25% remained unchanged during 2021 and thus far in 2022. Recent FOMC meetings indicate that members of the committee recognize that indicators of economic activity and employment has continued to strengthen and that higher inflation is due to pandemic related supply and demand imbalances. With inflation well above 2% and a strong labor market, the FOMC expects it will soon be appropriate to raise the target range for the federal funds rate and also decided to continue to reduce the pace of its net asset purchases, bringing them to an end in March 2022. The Company's balance sheet depicts an asset sensitive posture as net interest income is expected to benefit as interest rates rise and worsen as interest rates decline. The degree of benefit will depend on the pace and extent of interest rate increases, the slope of the yield curve, and the Company's overall deposit pricing strategy. Customer deposit balances continued to increase during 2021 and are expected to increase in 2022 due to increases in money supply driven by federal stimulus programs as well as organic growth of the Company through its branch
44


network. The cost of funds, which is primarily tied to rates paid on customer deposits, decreased 30 bps during 2021. Management has projected the cost of funds for 2022 to remain consistent with 2021, however, customer behavior patterns, higher rates offered by competition, and the continued emergence of fintech companies, could result in increases in rates paid on customer deposit accounts and more than expected interest expense. Further decreases or Union’s liquidity, financial position, capital resources,no change in the target federal funds rate in 2022 may result in less than expected interest income on loans and investments. Market rates are out of the Company's control but can have a dramatic impact on net interest income.
Interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or change in the same magnitude as the prices of goods and services, although periods of increased inflation may accompany a rising interest rate environment. Inflation in the price of goods and services, while not having a substantial impact on the operating results of operations.

the Company, does affect all customers and therefore may impact their ability to keep funds on deposit or make timely loan payments. The Company is aware of and evaluates this risk along with others in making business decisions. The levels of deficit spending by federal, state and local governments and control of the money supply by the FRB including further changes to monetary or fiscal policies, may have unanticipated impacts on interest rates or inflation in future periods that could have an unfavorable impact on the future operating results of the Company.



Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market Risk and Interest Rate Risk. Market risk is the potential of loss in a financial instrument arising from adverse changes in market prices, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices, and equity prices. The Company did not have any trading securities during 2018 or 2017. The Company’s market risk arises primarily from interest rate risk inherent in its lending, investing, deposit taking and borrowing activities. Management of interest rate risk is an important component of our asset and liability management process, which is governed by established policies that are reviewed and approved annually. Our investment policy details the types of securities that may be purchased, and establishes portfolio limits and maturity limits for the various sectors. Our investment policy also establishes specific investment quality limits. The ALCO develops guidelines and strategies impacting our asset and liability management-related activities based upon estimated market risk sensitivity, policy limits and overall market interest rate levels and trends. Members of the ALCO also manage the investment portfolio to maximize net interest income while mitigating market and interest rate risk.
Interest rate risk arises naturally from imbalances in repricing, maturity and cash flow characteristics of our assets and liabilities. The ALCO takes into consideration the cash flow and repricing attributes of balance sheet and off-balance sheet items and their relation to possible changes in interest rates. The ALCO manages interest rate exposure primarily by using on-balance sheet strategies, generally accomplished through the management of the duration, rate sensitivity and average lives of our various investments, and by extending or shortening maturities of borrowed funds, as well as carefully managing and monitoring the maturities and pricing of loans and deposits.
An outside consultant is utilized to perform rate shocks of our balance sheet to assess our risk to earnings in different interest rate
environments, and to perform a variety of other analyses. The consultant’s most recent analysis was as of December 31, 2018. The base simulation assumed no changes in rates, as well as a 200 basis point falling interest rate scenario and 200 and 300 basis point rising interest rate scenarios which assume a parallel shift of the yield curve over a 24 month period, with no growth assumptions. A summary of the results is as follows:
Current/Flat Rates: If rates remain at current levels net interest income is projected to trend steadily upwards as investments and loans replace/reprice upward at a faster pace than expected increases to funding costs.
Rising Rates: Net interest income is anticipated to trend in line with the Current/Flat Rates scenario over the next 24 months as retail and wholesale term funding replacing into the elevated rate environment temporarily matches improvements to asset yields. The degree of benefit of rising rates will depend on the pace and extent of market rate increases as well as the terminal slope of the yield curve as rates rise.
Falling Rates: Net interest income is projected to trend downward in a falling rate scenario. Accelerated asset cash flow, driven by faster assumed mortgage related prepayment speeds, is expected to continue to adjust into lower rates with limited cost of funds relief. Continued utilization of floors on new loan volume would help to mitigate additional downward pressure on yields.
The net interest income simulation as of December 31, 2018 showed that the change in net interest income for the next 24 months from our expected or “most likely” forecast was as follows:
 Rate ChangePercent Change in Net Interest Income LimitPercent Change in Net Interest Income 
 Up 300 basis points(45.00)%12.40 %  
 Up 200 basis points(30.00)%9.40 %  
 Down 200 basis points(30.00)%(10.50)%  
The preceding sensitivity analysis does not represent our forecast and should not be relied upon as being indicative of expected
operating results. These estimates are based upon numerous assumptions including, among others, the nature and timing of interest rate levels including yield curve shape, prepayments on loans and securities, deposit run-off rates, pricing decisions on loans and deposits and reinvestment/replacement of asset and liability cash flows. While assumptions are developed based upon current economic and local market conditions, we cannot make any assurances as to the predictive nature of these assumptions including how customer preferences or competitor influences might change.
The model used to perform the base case balance sheet simulation assumes a parallel shift of the yield curve over twelve and 24 months and reprices every interest earning asset and interest bearing liability on our balance sheet, simultaneously. The use of pricing betas helps simulate the expected pricing behavior regarding non-maturing deposits, limiting the rate increases that occur when market rates rise. Investment securities with call provisions are examined on an individual basis to estimate the likelihood of a call.


As market conditions vary from those assumed in the sensitivity analysis, actual results will likely differ due to the varying impact
of changes in the balances and mix of loans and deposits differing from those assumed, the impact of possible off balance sheet commitments, and other internal/external variables that cannot be predicted with certainty. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis does not reflect all actions that the ALCO
might take in responding to or anticipating changes in interest rates.
Interest Rate Sensitivity "Gap" Analysis. An interest rate sensitivity "gap" is defined as the difference between interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities maturing or repricing within a given time period. A gap is considered positive when the amount of interest rate sensitive assets exceeds the amount of interest rate sensitive liabilities. A gap is considered negative when the amount of interest rate sensitive liabilities exceeds the amount of interest rate sensitive assets. During a period of rising interest rates, a negative gap would tend to adversely affect net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income. During a period of falling interest rates, a negative gap would tend to result in an increase in net interest income, while a positive gap would tend to affect net interest income adversely. Because different types of assets and liabilities with the same or similar maturities may react differently to changes in overall market interest rates or conditions, changes in interest rates may affect net interest income positively or negatively even if an institution were perfectly matched in each maturity category.
The Company prepares its interest rate sensitivity “gap” analysis by scheduling interest earning assets and interest bearing liabilities into periods based upon the next date on which such assets and liabilities could mature or reprice. The amount of assets and liabilities shown within a particular period was determinedOmitted, in accordance with the contractual terms of the assets and liabilities, except that:
adjustable-rate loans, investment securities, variable rate interest bearing depositsregulatory relief available to smaller reporting companies in banks, variable-rate time deposits, FHLB advances and other secured borrowings are included in the period when they are first scheduled to adjust and not in the period in which they mature;
fixed-rate mortgage-related securities and residential loans reflect estimated prepayments, which were estimated based on analyses of broker estimates, the results of a prepayment model utilized by the Company, and empirical data;
other nonmortgage related fixed-rate loans reflect scheduled contractual amortization, with no estimated prepayments; and
interest bearing checking, money market and savings deposits, which do not have contractual maturities, reflect estimated levels of attrition, which are based on detailed studies by the Company of the sensitivity of each such category of deposit to changes in interest rates based on the Company's historical experience.
Management believes that these assumptions approximate actual experience and considers them reasonable. However, the estimated interest rate sensitivity of the Company’s assets and liabilities in the following table could vary substantially if different assumptions were used, callable investment options were modeled, prepayment speeds changed or actual experience differs from the historical experience on which the assumptions are based.


The following table shows the Company's rate sensitivity analysis as of December 31, 2018:SEC Release Nos. 33-10513 (effective September 10, 2018).
45
 Cumulative repriced within
 
3 Months
or Less
4 to 12
Months
1 to 3
Years
3 to 5
Years
Over 5
Years
Total
Interest sensitive assets:(Dollars in thousands, by repricing date)
Overnight deposits$33,244
$
$
$
$
$33,244
Interest bearing deposits in banks747
995
3,735
3,483
340
9,300
Investment securities (1)(3)7,315
5,427
12,028
13,062
35,573
73,405
Nonmarketable securities



2,376
2,376
Loans and loans held for sale (2)(3)154,468
170,424
163,202
94,415
63,789
646,298
Total interest sensitive assets$195,774
$176,846
$178,965
$110,960
$102,078
$764,623
Interest sensitive liabilities:      
Time deposits$45,038
$46,935
$28,917
$8,187
$
$129,077
Money markets181,082




181,082
Regular savings



105,793
105,793
Interest bearing checking39,297



118,550
157,847
Borrowed funds17,369
10,288
164


27,821
Total interest sensitive liabilities$282,786
$57,223
$29,081
$8,187
$224,343
$601,620
Net interest rate sensitivity gap$(87,012)$119,623
$149,884
$102,773
$(122,265)$163,003
Cumulative net interest rate sensitivity gap$(87,012)$32,611
$182,495
$285,268
$163,003
 
Cumulative net interest rate sensitivity gap as
  a percentage of total assets
(10.8)%4.0%22.7%35.4%20.2% 
Cumulative net interest rate sensitivity gap as
  a percentage of total interest sensitive assets
(11.4)%4.3%23.9%37.3%21.3% 
Cumulative net interest rate sensitivity gap as
  a percentage of total interest sensitive liabilities
(14.5)%5.4%30.3%47.4%27.1% 

____________________

(1)
Investment securities exclude mutual funds with a fair value of $556 thousand at December 31, 2018 that may be sold by the Company at any time.
(2)
Balances shown include deferred unamortized loan costs of $938 thousand.
(3)
Reflects estimated repayment assumptions considered in Asset/Liability model.

Impact of Inflation and Changing Prices. The Company's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which allows for the measurement of financial position and results of operations in terms of historical dollars, without considering changes in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. Banks have asset and liability structures that are essentially monetary in nature, and their general and administrative costs constitute relatively small percentages of total expenses. Thus, increases in the general price levels for goods and services have a relatively minor effect on the Company's total expenses but could have an impact on our loan customers' financial condition. Interest rates have a more significant impact on the Company's financial performance than the effect of general inflation. The target federal funds rate has increased nine times since December 2015, which has resulted in an increase in the U.S prime rate to 5.50% as of December 31, 2018. These increases in rates have had a positive impact on the Company's net interest income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. The FRB has not stated rates would increase in 2019 but comments suggest increases throughout 2019 could occur. Through December 31, 2018 the increases in the target federal funds rate have not had a direct impact on the rates paid on customer deposit accounts. Further increases in the target federal funds rate in 2019 may result in the need to increase rates paid on deposit accounts in order to remain competitive in the market place. These market rates are out of the Company's control but have a dramatic impact on net interest income. For further details on the impact rising rates could have on the Company's net interest income see Market Risk and Interest Rate Risk above.
Interest rates do not necessarily move in the same direction or change in the same magnitude as the prices of goods and services, although periods of increased inflation may accompany a rising interest rate environment. Inflation in the price of goods and services, while not having a substantial impact on the operating results of the Company, does affect all customers and therefore may impact their ability to keep funds on deposit or make timely loan payments. The Company is aware of and evaluates this risk along with others in making business decisions. The levels of deficit spending by federal, state and local governments and control of the money supply by the FRB including further quantitative easing of the money supply, may have unanticipated impacts on interest rates or inflation in future periods that could have an unfavorable impact on the future operating results of the Company.


Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, 20182021 and 20172020
20212020
Assets(Dollars in thousands)
Cash and due from banks$4,659 $5,413 
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits61,263 117,358 
Cash and cash equivalents65,922 122,771 
Interest bearing deposits in banks13,196 12,699 
Investment securities available-for-sale267,819 105,763 
Other investments1,132 1,047 
Total investments268,951 106,810 
Loans held for sale13,829 32,188 
Loans787,050 771,169 
Allowance for loan losses(8,336)(8,271)
Net deferred loan costs (fees)705 (146)
Net loans779,419 762,752 
Premises and equipment, net21,615 20,039 
Company-owned life insurance18,764 12,640 
Other assets23,677 23,655 
Total assets$1,205,373 $1,093,554 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Liabilities 
Deposits 
Noninterest bearing$264,888 $215,245 
Interest bearing723,479 637,369 
Time106,715 141,688 
Total deposits1,095,082 994,302 
Borrowed funds— 7,164 
Subordinated notes16,171 — 
Accrued interest and other liabilities9,779 11,221 
Total liabilities1,121,032 1,012,687 
Commitments and Contingencies (Notes 9, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 23)00
Stockholders’ Equity
Common stock, $2.00 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 4,967,093 shares
 issued at December 31, 2021 and 4,954,732 shares issued at December 31, 2020
9,934 9,910 
Additional-paid-in capital1,769 1,393 
Retained earnings78,350 71,097 
Treasury stock at cost; 473,438 shares at December 31, 2021 and 474,632 shares
 at December 31, 2020
(4,160)(4,169)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income(1,552)2,636 
Total stockholders' equity84,341 80,867 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$1,205,373 $1,093,554 
 20182017
Assets(Dollars in thousands)
Cash and due from banks$4,045
$3,857
Federal funds sold and overnight deposits33,244
34,651
Cash and cash equivalents37,289
38,508
Interest bearing deposits in banks9,300
9,352
Investment securities available-for-sale73,405
65,439
Investment securities held-to-maturity (fair value $999 thousand at December 31, 2017)
1,000
Other investments556

Total investments73,961
66,439
Loans held for sale2,899
7,947
Loans642,461
586,615
Allowance for loan losses(5,739)(5,408)
Net deferred loan costs938
795
Net loans637,660
582,002
Accrued interest receivable2,812
2,500
Premises and equipment, net16,073
14,255
Core deposit intangible412
583
Goodwill2,223
2,223
Investment in real estate limited partnerships4,046
3,166
Company-owned life insurance9,040
8,861
Other assets9,622
9,995
Total assets$805,337
$745,831
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity  
Liabilities  
Deposits  
Noninterest bearing$132,971
$127,824
Interest bearing444,722
418,621
Time129,077
101,129
Total deposits706,770
647,574
Borrowed funds27,821
31,581
Accrued interest and other liabilities6,255
8,015
Total liabilities740,846
687,170
Commitments and Contingencies (Notes 8, 14, 15, 17, 18 and 21)

Stockholders’ Equity  
Common stock, $2.00 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 4,943,690 shares
 issued at December 31, 2018 and 4,940,961 shares issued at December 31, 2017
9,888
9,882
Additional-paid-in capital894
755
Retained earnings58,911
57,197
Treasury stock at cost; 477,011 shares at December 31, 2018 and 475,385 shares
 at December 31, 2017
(4,179)(4,077)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(1,023)(5,096)
Total stockholders' equity64,491
58,661
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$805,337
$745,831


See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

46



UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020

 20212020
Interest and dividend income(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and fees on loans$36,261 $34,435 
Interest on debt securities:
Taxable2,129 1,329 
Tax exempt626 635 
Dividends18 97 
Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits100 92 
Interest on interest bearing deposits in banks139 162 
Total interest and dividend income39,273 36,750 
Interest expense
Interest on deposits3,147 4,776 
Interest on short-term borrowed funds— 
Interest on long-term borrowed funds219 369 
Interest on subordinated notes199 — 
Total interest expense3,565 5,147 
    Net interest income35,708 31,603 
Provision for loan losses— 2,200 
    Net interest income after provision for loan losses35,708 29,403 
Noninterest income
Trust income808 707 
Service fees6,516 5,924 
Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale— 11 
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale4,956 8,168 
Net (loss) gain on other investments(21)240 
Other income704 953 
Total noninterest income12,963 16,003 
Noninterest expenses
Salaries and wages14,448 13,220 
Employee benefits4,593 4,580 
Occupancy expense, net1,890 1,805 
Equipment expense3,447 3,057 
Other expenses8,477 7,520 
Total noninterest expenses32,855 30,182 
        Income before provision for income taxes15,816 15,224 
Provision for income taxes2,646 2,419 
        Net income$13,170 $12,805 
Basic earnings per common share$2.94 $2.86 
Diluted earnings per common share$2.92 $2.85 
Dividends per common share$1.32 $1.28 

 201820172016
Interest and dividend income(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and fees on loans$29,883
$26,978
$25,056
Interest on debt securities:   
Taxable1,276
977
885
Tax exempt577
634
589
Dividends133
167
95
Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits104
114
51
Interest on interest bearing deposits in banks207
147
160
Total interest and dividend income32,180
29,017
26,836
Interest expense   
Interest on deposits2,871
1,771
1,622
Interest on short-term borrowed funds61
12
8
Interest on long-term borrowed funds649
472
431
Total interest expense3,581
2,255
2,061
    Net interest income28,599
26,762
24,775
Provision for loan losses450
200
150
    Net interest income after provision for loan losses28,149
26,562
24,625
Noninterest income   
Trust income751
739
737
Service fees6,151
5,951
5,871
Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale10
17
71
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale1,847
2,303
2,898
Other income714
385
563
Total noninterest income9,473
9,395
10,140
Noninterest expenses   
Salaries and wages10,748
10,257
10,203
Pension expense (benefit)4,631
(81)(170)
Employee benefits3,653
3,789
3,695
Occupancy expense, net1,447
1,415
1,263
Equipment expense2,134
2,208
2,115
Other expenses6,750
6,317
6,550
Total noninterest expenses29,363
23,905
23,656
        Income before provision for income taxes8,259
12,052
11,109
Provision for income taxes1,187
3,603
2,598
        Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
    
Earnings per common share$1.58
$1.89
$1.91
Dividends per common share$1.20
$1.16
$1.11



See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.




47


UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020



20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Net income$13,170 $12,805 
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Investment securities available-for-sale:
Net unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the year on investment securities available-for-sale(4,188)1,659 
Reclassification adjustment for net gains on investment securities available-for-sale realized in net income— (9)
Total other comprehensive (loss) income(4,188)1,650 
Total comprehensive income$8,982 $14,455 

 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:   
Investment securities available-for-sale:   
Net unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the year on investment securities available-for-sale(714)423
(590)
Reclassification adjustment for net gains on investment securities available-for-sale realized in net income(8)(11)(47)
Total(722)412
(637)
Defined benefit pension plan:   
Net actuarial gain (loss) arising during the year1,221
(1,525)(449)
Reclassification adjustment for amortization of net actuarial loss realized in net income397
134
109
Reclassification adjustment for recognized settlement loss3,177


Total4,795
(1,391)(340)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)4,073
(979)(977)
Total comprehensive income$11,145
$7,470
$7,534



See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

48




UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020


 Common Stock    
 Shares,
net of
treasury
AmountAdditional
paid-in
capital
Retained
earnings
Treasury
stock
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Total
stockholders’
equity
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Balances, December 31, 20194,471,977 $9,897 $1,124 $64,019 $(4,183)$986 $71,843 
Net income— — — 12,805 — — 12,805 
Other comprehensive income— — — — — 1,650 1,650 
Dividend reinvestment plan1,636 — 24 — 14 — 38 
Cash dividends declared
 ($1.28 per share)
— — — (5,727)— — (5,727)
Stock based compensation
 expense
5,487 11 225 — — — 236 
Exercise of stock options1,000 20 — — — 22 
Balances, December 31, 20204,480,100 9,910 1,393 71,097 (4,169)2,636 80,867 
Net income— — — 13,170 — — 13,170 
Other comprehensive loss— — — — — (4,188)(4,188)
Dividend reinvestment plan1,291 — 29 — 11 — 40 
Cash dividends declared
 ($1.32 per share)
— — — (5,917)— — (5,917)
Stock based compensation
 expense
9,361 18 281 — — — 299 
Exercise of stock options3,000 66 — — — 72 
Purchase of treasury stock(97)— — — (2)— (2)
Balances, December 31, 20214,493,655 $9,934 $1,769 $78,350 $(4,160)$(1,552)$84,341 
 Common Stock     
 
Shares,
net of
treasury
Amount
Additional
paid-in
capital
Retained
earnings
Treasury
stock
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
loss
Total
stockholders’
equity
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Balances, December 31, 20154,457,177
$9,864
$501
$49,524
$(4,019)$(2,302)$53,568
Net income


8,511


8,511
Other comprehensive loss




(977)(977)
Dividend reinvestment plan315
 7
 3
 10
Cash dividends declared
 ($1.11 per share)



(4,949)

(4,949)
Stock based compensation
 expense
2,356
5
61



66
Exercise of stock options2,500
5
51



56
Purchase of treasury stock(213)


(6)
(6)
Balances, December 31, 20164,462,135
9,874
620
53,086
(4,022)(3,279)56,279
Net income


8,449


8,449
Other comprehensive loss




(979)(979)
Reclassification adjustment for effect of enacted tax law changes


838

(838)
Dividend reinvestment plan562

20

5

25
Cash dividends declared
 ($1.16 per share)



(5,176)

(5,176)
Stock based compensation
 expense
3,309
6
98



104
Exercise of stock options1,000
2
17



19
Purchase of treasury stock(1,430)


(60)
(60)
Balances, December 31, 20174,465,576
9,882
755
57,197
(4,077)(5,096)58,661
Net income


7,072


7,072
Other comprehensive income




4,073
4,073
Dividend reinvestment plan583

25

5

30
Cash dividends declared
 ($1.20 per share)



(5,358)

(5,358)
Stock based compensation
 expense
2,729
6
114



120
Purchase of treasury stock(2,209)


(107)
(107)
Balances, December 31, 20184,466,679
$9,888
$894
$58,911
$(4,179)$(1,023)$64,491




See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.




49


UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020

 20212020
Cash Flows From Operating Activities(Dollars in thousands)
Net income$13,170 $12,805 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: 
Depreciation1,825 1,891 
Provision for loan losses— 2,200 
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)371 (777)
Net amortization of premiums on investment securities579 554 
Equity in losses of limited partnerships1,011 935 
Stock based compensation expense299 236 
Net (increase) decrease in unamortized loan costs(851)1,189 
Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale221,773 271,362 
Origination of loans held for sale(198,458)(287,940)
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale(4,956)(8,168)
Net losses on disposals of premises and equipment108 — 
Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale— (11)
Net gains on sales of other real estate owned(13)— 
Net losses (gains) on other investments21 (240)
Decrease (increase) in accrued interest receivable881 (1,196)
Amortization of core deposit intangible71 171 
Amortization of debt issuance costs11 — 
Increase in other assets(5,831)(897)
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities(821)824 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities29,190 (7,062)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities 
Interest bearing deposits in banks 
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions6,972 3,578 
Purchases(7,469)(9,711)
Investment securities available-for-sale
Proceeds from sales8,717 3,076 
Proceeds from maturities, calls and paydowns28,196 22,076 
Purchases(204,848)(41,978)
Net purchases of other investments(106)(117)
Net (increase) decrease in nonmarketable stock(14)1,457 
Net increase in loans(15,931)(101,055)
Recoveries of loans charged off68 29 
Net purchases of premises and equipment(3,509)(1,007)
Investments in limited partnerships(2,194)(2,257)
Proceeds from sales of other real estate owned110 — 
Net cash used in investing activities
(190,008)(125,909)
50


 201820172016
Cash Flows From Operating Activities(Dollars in thousands)
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:   
Depreciation1,216
1,223
1,255
Provision for loan losses450
200
150
Deferred income tax (credit) provision(508)993
566
Net amortization of investment securities390
423
384
Equity in losses of limited partnerships591
627
565
Stock based compensation expense120
104
66
Net increase in unamortized loan costs(143)(146)(134)
Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale118,557
124,514
138,443
Origination of loans held for sale(111,662)(122,355)(137,713)
Net gains on sales of loans held for sale(1,847)(2,303)(2,898)
Net (gain) loss on disposals of premises and equipment(168)34
13
Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale(10)(17)(71)
Net gain on sales of other real estate owned(11)

Increase in accrued interest receivable(312)(241)(427)
Amortization of core deposit intangible171
171
171
Increase in other assets(685)(1,323)(1,202)
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan(850)(750)(750)
Pension plan termination expense4,631


(Decrease) increase in other liabilities(241)265
715
Net cash provided by operating activities16,761
9,868
7,644
Cash Flows From Investing Activities   
Interest bearing deposits in banks   
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions3,784
4,882
4,244
Purchases(3,732)(4,730)(996)
Investment securities held-to-maturity   
Proceeds from maturities, calls and paydowns1,000

4,220
Investment securities available-for-sale   
Proceeds from sales1,060
14,409
6,620
Proceeds from maturities, calls and paydowns5,593
6,926
9,754
Purchases(16,434)(21,001)(29,098)
Other investments   
Proceeds from sales44


Purchases(79)

Net (increase) decrease in nonmarketable stock(46)23
(421)
Net increase in loans(56,003)(53,568)(32,947)
Recoveries of loans charged off38
168
59
Purchases of premises and equipment(3,070)(1,987)(1,938)
Investments in limited partnerships(694)(465)(948)
Proceeds of Company-owned life insurance death benefit307

527
Proceeds from sales of other real estate owned47


Proceeds from sales of premises and equipment204

200
Net cash used in investing activities
(67,981)(55,343)(40,724)
    
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Repayment of long-term borrowings(7,164)— 
Net decrease in short-term borrowings outstanding— (40,000)
Net increase in noninterest bearing deposits49,643 78,811 
Net increase in interest bearing deposits86,110 178,429 
Net decrease in time deposits(34,973)(6,965)
Proceeds from issuance of subordinated notes16,500 — 
Debt issuance costs incurred with issuance of subordinated notes(340)— 
Issuance of common stock72 22 
Purchase of treasury stock(2)— 
Dividends paid(5,877)(5,689)
Net cash provided by financing activities103,969 204,608 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents(56,849)71,637 
Cash and cash equivalents
Beginning of year122,771 51,134 
End of year$65,922 $122,771 
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information
Interest paid$3,449 $5,712 
Income taxes paid$1,850 $1,350 
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Other real estate acquired in settlement of loans$47 $50 
Investment in limited partnerships acquired by capital contributions payable$1,264 $2,722 
Dividends paid on Common Stock:
Dividends declared$5,917 $5,727 
Dividends reinvested(40)(38)
$5,877 $5,689 


Cash Flows From Financing Activities   
Advances on long-term borrowings7,000
10,000
25,451
Repayment of long-term debt(19,765)(10,279)(2,898)
Net increase (decrease) in short-term borrowings outstanding9,005
265
(522)
Net increase in noninterest bearing deposits5,147
15,440
12,558
Net increase in interest bearing deposits26,101
36,538
71,880
Net increase (decrease) in time deposits27,948
(2,064)(47,186)
Issuance of common stock
19
56
Purchase of treasury stock(107)(60)(6)
Dividends paid(5,328)(5,151)(4,939)
Net cash provided by financing activities50,001
44,708
54,394
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents(1,219)(767)21,314
Cash and cash equivalents   
Beginning of year38,508
39,275
17,961
End of year$37,289
$38,508
$39,275
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information   
Interest paid$3,476
$2,249
$2,239
Income taxes paid$1,550
$1,520
$1,505
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities   
Other real estate acquired in settlement of loans$
$36
$
Investment in limited partnerships acquired by capital contributions payable$1,321
$546
$27
Dividends paid on Common Stock:   
Dividends declared$5,358
$5,176
$4,949
Dividends reinvested(30)(25)(10)
 $5,328
$5,151
$4,939
    



See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.




51


UNION BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1.  Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of financial statement presentation
The accounting and reporting policies of Union Bankshares, Inc. and the Subsidiary (the Company) are in conformity with GAAP and general practices within the banking industry. The following is a description of the more significant policies.
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Union Bankshares, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, Union Bank, headquartered in Morrisville, Vermont. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The Company utilizes the accrual method of accounting for financial reporting purposes.
The Company is a “smaller reporting company” and as permitted under the rules and regulations of the SEC, has elected to provide its audited consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity for a two year, rather than three year, period.  The Company has also elected to provide certain other scaled disclosures in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as permitted for smaller reporting companies.
Certain amounts in the 2017 and 20162020 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

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The acronyms, abbreviations and capitalized terms identified below are used throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Parts I, II and III. The following is provided to aid the reader and provide a reference page when reviewing this Annual Report:
AFS:Available-for-saleICS:Insured Cash Sweeps of the Promontory InterfinancialIntraFi Network
ALCO:Asset Liability Management CommitteeIRS:Internal Revenue Service
ALL:Allowance for loan lossesMBS:Mortgage-backed security
ASC:Accounting Standards CodificationMPF:Mortgage Partnership Finance Program
ASU:Accounting Standards UpdateMSRs:Mortgage Servicing rights
BHCA:Bank Holding Company Act of 1956NASDAQ:NASDAQ Global Security Market
Board:Board of DirectorsOAO:Other assets owned
bp or bps:Basis point(s)OCI:Other comprehensive income (loss)
Branch Acquisition:The acquisition of three New Hampshire branches in May 2011OFAC:U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control
CDARS:CARES Act:Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ActOREO:Other real estate owned
CDARS:Certificate of Deposit Accounts Registry Service of the Promontory InterfinancialIntraFi NetworkOREO:OTTI:Other real estate ownedOther-than-temporary impairment
CFPB:Consumer Financial Protection BureauOTTI:OTT:Other-than-temporary impairment
COLI:Company-Owned Life InsuranceOTT:PPP:Other-than-temporaryPaycheck Protection Program
Company:Union Bankshares, Inc. and SubsidiaryPlan:PPPLF:The Union Bank Pension PlanPPP Liquidity Facility of the FRB
DFR:COVID-19:Novel CoronavirusRD:USDA Rural Development
DFR:Vermont Department of Financial RegulationRD:RSU:USDA Rural DevelopmentRestricted Stock Unit
Dodd-Frank Act:The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010RSU:SBA:Restricted Stock UnitsU.S. Small Business Administration
DRIP:Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase PlanSBA:SEC:U.S. Small Business Administration
EPS:Earnings per shareSEC:U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
FASB:EPS:Financial Accounting Standards BoardEarnings per shareSOX Act:Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002
FDIC:FASB:Federal Deposit Insurance CorporationFinancial Accounting Standards BoardTax Act:Tax Cut and Jobs Act
FDICIA:FDIC:Federal Deposit Insurance CorporationTDR:Troubled-debt restructuring
FDICIA:The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991TDR:Union:Troubled-debt restructuring
FHA:U.S. Federal Housing AdministrationUnion:Union Bank, the sole subsidiary of Union Bankshares, Inc
FHLB:FHA:U.S. Federal Housing AdministrationUSDA:U.S. Department of Agriculture
FHLB:Federal Home Loan Bank of BostonUSDA:VA:U.S. Department of AgricultureVeterans Administration
FRB:Federal Reserve BoardVA:WHO:U.S. Veterans AdministrationWorld Health Organization
Fannie Mae:Federal National Mortgage Association2006 Plan:Executive Nonqualified Excess Plan
FHLMC/Freddie Mac:Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation2008 Plan:2008 Amended and Restated Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan
GAAP:FHLMC/Freddie Mac:Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation2008 ISO Plan:2008 Incentive Stock Option Plan of the Company
GAAP:Generally accepted accounting principles in the United States2008 ISO2014 Equity Plan:20082014 Equity Incentive Stock Option Plan of the Company
GLBA:Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 19992014 Equity Plan:2014 Equity Incentive Plan
HTM:Held-to-maturity2017 Tax Act:Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
HUD:HTM:Held-to-maturity2020 Plan:2020 Amended and Restated Nonqualified Excess Plan
HUD:U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development




Nature of operations


The Company provides a variety of financial services to individuals, municipalities, commercial businesses and nonprofit customers through its branches, ATMs, telebanking, mobile and internet banking systems in northern Vermont and New Hampshire. This market area encompasses primarily retail consumers, small businesses, municipalities, agricultural producers and the tourism industry. The Company's primary deposit products are checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts and its primary lending products are commercial, real estate, municipal and consumer loans. The Company also offers fiduciary and asset management services through its Asset Management Group, an unincorporated division of Union.


53


Significant concentration of credit risk


The Company grants loans primarily to customers in Vermont and New Hampshire. Although it has a diversified loan portfolio, a large portion of the Company's loans are secured by commercial or residential real estate located in Vermont and New Hampshire, and is subjectresulting in exposure to volatility with each state's real estate market. Additionally, the borrower's ability of borrowers to repay loans is highly dependent upon other economic factors throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. The Company typically requires the principals of any commercial borrower to obligate themselves personally on the loan.


Operating, Accounting and Reporting Considerations related to COVID-19

Significant progress has been made to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent variants; however, the global pandemic has adversely impacted a broad range of industries in which the Company's customers operate and could still impair their ability to fulfill their financial obligations to the Company. The Company’s business is dependent upon the willingness and ability of its employees and customers to conduct banking and other financial transactions. While it appears that health and economic conditions are trending in a positive direction as of December 31, 2021, a resurgence in the virus or its variants could have an adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. While it is not possible to know the full impact COVID-19, and any potential measures to curtail its spread, will have on the Company's future operations, the Company is disclosing potentially material items of which it is aware.

Congress, the President, and the Federal Reserve have taken several actions designed to cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic. The CARES Act was signed into law at the end of March 2020 as a $2 trillion legislative package. The goal of the CARES Act was to curb the economic downturn through various measures, including direct financial aid to American families and economic stimulus to significantly impacted industry sectors through programs like the PPP. During December 2020, many provisions of the CARES Act were extended through the end of 2021. Additionally, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill, was signed into law in March 2021. This package builds upon many of the measures in the CARES Act and is intended to speed up the recovery from the economic and health effects of COVID-19.
In addition to the general impact of COVID-19, certain provisions of the CARES Act as well as other recent legislative and regulatory relief have impacted the Company's operations, accounting, and reporting. The CARES Act provides that a financial institution may elect to suspend (1) the requirements under GAAP for certain loan modifications that would otherwise be categorized as a TDR and (2) any determination that such loan modifications would be considered a TDR, including the related impairment for accounting purposes. The suspension is applicable for the term of the loan modification that occurs during the applicable period for a loan that was not more than 30 days past due at December 31, 2019. With regard to loans not otherwise reportable as past due, financial institutions are not expected to designate loans with deferrals granted due to COVID-19 as past due because of the deferral. A loan’s payment date is governed by the due date stipulated in the legal agreements.
The CARES Act also established the PPP, an expansion of the SBAs Section 7(a) loan program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, also administered by the SBA. With the passage of the PPP, the Company assisted its customers with applications for resources through the program. PPP loans bear a mandated annual interest rate of 1.0%. The PPP was initially launched with loans having a two-year term, but subsequent revisions to the PPP currently allow the maximum term to be extended to five years. The majority of the Company's PPP loans were originated with the two-year term and have not been extended to five years. As of December 31, 2021, a significant amount of these loans have been forgiven by the SBA in accordance with the terms of the program. It is the Company’s understanding that loans funded through the PPP are fully guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Should those circumstances change, the Company could be required to establish additional allowance for credit losses through additional credit loss expense charged to earnings.

Use of estimates in preparation of consolidated financial statements


The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change in the near term and involve inherent uncertainties relate to the determination of the ALL on loans, the valuation of real estate acquired in connection with foreclosures or in satisfaction of loans, valuation of deferred tax assets, and asset impairment judgments, regarding valuation and impairmentincluding OTTI of investment securities and other assets as well as pension plan accounting.securities. These estimates involve a significant degree of complexity and subjectivity and the amount of the change that is reasonably possible, should any of these estimates prove inaccurate, cannot be estimated.



54


Presentation of cash flows


For purposes of presentation in the consolidated statements of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents includes cash on hand, amounts due from banks (including cash items in process of clearing), federal funds sold (generally purchased and sold for one day periods) and overnight deposits.


Asset management operations


Assets held by Union's Asset Management Group in a fiduciary or agency capacity, other than trust cash on deposit with Union, are not included in these consolidated financial statements because they are not assets of Union or the Company.


Fair value measurement


The Company utilizes FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, as guidance for accounting for assets and liabilities carried at fair value. This standard defines fair value as the price that would be received, without adjustment for transaction costs, to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is a market based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The guidance in FASB ASC Topic 820 establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. A financial instrument's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are:
Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;
Level 2 - Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and
Level 3 - Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported by little or no market activity).


The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s assets that are measured on a recurring basis at estimated fair value:
AFS securities: The majority of the Company’s AFS securities have been valued utilizing Level 2 inputs. For these securities, the Company obtains fair value measurements from an independent pricing service. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include market maker bids, quotes and pricing models. Inputs to the pricing models include recent trades, benchmark interest rates, spreads and actual and projected cash flows.


Investment securities


Debt securities the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as HTM and reported at amortized cost. Debt securities not classified as either HTM or trading are classified as AFS. Investments classified as AFS areand reported at fair value. InvestmentDebt securities purchased and held primarily for resale in the near future are classified as trading securities and are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings. The Company does not generally hold any securities classified as trading.
Accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums arising at acquisition on investment securities are included in income using the effective interest method over the life of the securities to the call date. Unrealized gains and losses on investment securities AFS are excluded from earnings and reported in Accumulated OCI, net of tax and reclassification adjustment, as a separate component of stockholders' equity. The specific identification method is used to determine realized gains and losses on sales of AFS or trading securities.
The Company evaluates all investmentdebt securities on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic conditions warrant, to determine if an OTTI exists. A debt security is considered impaired if the fair value is lower than its amortized cost basis at the report date. If impaired, management then assesses whether the unrealized loss is OTT.
An unrealized loss on a debt security is generally deemed to be OTT and a credit loss is deemed to exist if the present value of the expected future cash flows is less than the amortized cost basis of the debt security. The credit loss component of an OTTI write-down is recorded, net of tax effect, through net income as a component of net OTTI losses in the consolidated statement of income, while the remaining portion of the impairment loss is recognized in OCI, provided the Company does not intend to sell the underlying debt security and it is "more likely than not" that the Company will not have to sell the debt security prior to recovery.
Management considers the following factors in determining whether an OTTI exists and the period over which the security is expected to recover:
The length of time, and extent to which, the fair value has been less than the amortized cost;
Adverse conditions specifically related to the security, industry, or geographic area;
The historical and implied volatility of the fair value of the security;
55


The payment structure of the debt security and the likelihood of the issuer being able to make payments that may increase in the future;
Failure of the issuer of the security to make scheduled interest or principal payments;
Any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency;
Recoveries or additional declines in fair value subsequent to the balance sheet date; and
The nature of the issuer, including whether it is a private company, public entity or government-sponsored enterprise, and the existence or likelihood of any government or third party guaranty.


Loans held for sale


Loans originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of cost or estimated fair value in the aggregate. The estimated fair value of loans held for sale is based on current price quotes that determine the amount that the loans could be sold for in the secondary market. Loans transferred from held for sale to portfolio are transferred at the lower of cost or fair value in the aggregate. Sales are normally made without recourse. Gains and losses on the disposition of loans held for sale are determined on the specific identification basis. Net unrealized losses are recognized through a valuation allowance by charges to income.


Loans


Loans receivable that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff are reported at their unpaid principal balances, adjusted for any charge-offs, the ALL, and any deferred fees or costs on originated loans and unamortized premiums or discounts on purchased loans.


Loan interest income is accrued daily on outstanding balances. The following accounting policies, related to accrual and nonaccrual loans, apply to all portfolio segments and loan classes, which the Company considers to be the same. The accrual of interest is normally discontinued when a loan is specifically determined to be impaired and/or management believes, after considering collection efforts and other factors, that the borrower's financial condition is such that collection of interest is doubtful. Generally, any unpaid interest previously accrued on those loans is reversed against current period interest income. A loan may be restored to accrual status when its financial status has significantly improved and there is no principal or interest past due. A loan may also be restored to accrual status if the borrower makes six consecutive monthly payments or the lump sum equivalent. Income on nonaccrual loans is generally not recognized unless a loan is returned to accrual status or after all principal has been collected. Interest income generally is not recognized on impaired loans unless the likelihood of further loss is remote. Interest payments received on such loans are generally applied as a reduction of the loan principal balance. Delinquency status is determined based on contractual terms for all portfolio segments and loan classes. Loans past due 30 days or more are considered delinquent. Loans are considered in process of foreclosure when a judgment of foreclosure has been issued by the court.
Loan origination fees and direct loan origination costs are deferred and amortized as an adjustment of the related loan's yield using methods that approximate the interest method. The Company generally amortizes these amounts over the estimated average life of the related loans.


Allowance for loan losses


The ALL is established for estimated losses in the loan portfolio through a provision for loan losses charged to earnings. For all loan classes, loan losses are charged against the ALL when management believes the loan balance is uncollectible or in accordance with federal guidelines. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the ALL.
The ALL is maintained at a level believed by management to be appropriate to absorb probable credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the balance sheet date. The amount of the ALL is based on management's periodic evaluation of the collectability of the loan portfolio, including the nature, volume and risk characteristics of the portfolio, credit concentrations, trends in historical loss experience, estimated value of any underlying collateral, specific impaired loans and economic conditions. While management uses available information to recognize losses on loans, future additions to the ALL may be necessary based on changes in economic conditions or other relevant factors.
In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, regularly review the Company's ALL. Such agencies may require the Company to recognize additions to the ALL, with a corresponding charge to earnings, based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of their examination, which may not be currently available to management.
The ALL consists of specific, general and unallocated components. The specific component relates to loans that are classified as impaired. Loans are evaluated for impairment and may be classified as impaired when management believes it is probable
56


that the Company will not collect all the contractual interest and principal payments as scheduled in the loan agreement. Impaired loans may also include troubled loans that are restructured. A TDR occurs when the Company, for economic or legal reasons related to the borrower's financial difficulties, grants a concession to the borrower that would otherwise not be granted. A TDR classification may result from the transfer of assets to the Company in partial satisfaction of a troubled loan, a modification of a loan's terms (such as reduction of stated interest rates below market rates, extension of maturity that does not conform to the Company's policies, reduction of the face amount of the loan, reduction of accrued interest, or reduction or deferment of loan payments), or a combination. A specific reserve amount is allocated to the ALL for individual loans that have been classified as impaired based on management's estimate of the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans, an observable market price, or the present value of anticipated future cash flows. The Company accounts for the change in present value attributable to the passage of time in the loan loss reserve. Large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Company does not separately identify individual consumer, real estate or small balance commercial loans for impairment evaluation, unless such loans are subject to a restructuring agreement or have been identified as impaired as part of a larger customer relationship. Management has established the threshold for individual impairment evaluation for commercial loans with balances greater than $500 thousand, based on an evaluation of the Company's historical loss experience on substandard commercial loans.
The general component represents the level of ALL allocable to each loan portfolio segment with similar risk characteristics and is determined based on historical loss experience, adjusted for qualitative factors, for each class of loan. Management deems a five year average to be an appropriate time frame on which to base historical losses for each portfolio segment. Qualitative factors considered include underwriting, economic and market conditions, portfolio composition, collateral values, delinquencies, lender experience and legal issues. The qualitative factors are determined based on the various risk characteristics of each portfolio segment. Risk characteristics relevant to each portfolio segment are as follows:
Residential real estate - Loans in this segment are collateralized by owner-occupied 1-4 family residential real estate, second and vacation homes, 1-4 family investment properties, home equity and second mortgage loans. Repayment is dependent on


the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates and housing prices, could have an effect on the credit quality of this segment.
Construction real estate - Loans in this segment include residential and commercial construction properties, commercial real estate development loans (while in the construction phase of the projects), land and land development loans. Repayment is dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower and/or the underlying cash flows generated by the properties being constructed. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates, housing prices, vacancy rates and material costs, could have an effect on the credit quality of this segment.
Commercial real estate - Loans in this segment are primarily properties occupied by businesses or income-producing properties. The underlying cash flows generated by the properties may be adversely impacted by a downturn in the economy as evidenced by a general slowdown in business or increased vacancy rates which, in turn, could have an effect on the credit quality of this segment. Management requests business financial statements at least annually and monitors the cash flows of these loans.
Commercial - Loans in this segment are made to businesses and are generally secured by non-real estate assets of the business. Repayment is expected from the cash flows of the business. A weakened economy, and resultant decreased consumer or business spending, could have an effect on credit quality of this segment.
Loans originated under the PPP are also included in the this segment. Management requests business financial statements at least annually and monitors the cash flows of these loans.
Consumer - Loans in this segment are made to individuals for personal expenditures, such as an automobile purchase, and include unsecured loans. Repayment is primarily dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment, could have an effect on the credit quality of this segment.
Municipal - Loans in this segment are made to municipalities located within the Company's service area. Repayment is primarily dependent on taxes or other funds collected by the municipalities. Management considers there to be minimal risk surrounding the credit quality of this segment.
An unallocated component is maintained to cover uncertainties that could affect management's estimate of probable losses. The unallocated component of the ALL reflects management's estimate of the margin of imprecision inherent in the underlying assumptions used in the methodologies for estimating specific and general losses in the portfolio.
All evaluations are inherently subjective as they require estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available or as changes occur in economic conditions or other relevant factors.

Other
57


Mortgage Banking

Residential real estate ownedmortgages are originated by the Company both for its portfolio and for sale into the secondary market. The transfer of these financial assets is accounted for as a sale when control over the asset has been surrendered. Control is deemed to be surrendered when (i) the asset has been isolated from the Company, (ii) the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred asset, and (iii) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred asset through an agreement to repurchase it before its maturity. The Company records the gain on sale of the financial asset within net gains on sales of loans held for sale, net in the consolidated statements of income.

Real estate propertiesServicing assets are recognized as separate assets when servicing rights are acquired through orthe sale of residential mortgage loans with servicing rights retained. Capitalized servicing rights, which are reported in lieuother assets on the consolidated statements of loan foreclosure are to be sold andcondition, are initially recorded based on an independent appraisal or a broker price opinion at fair value and are amortized in proportion to, and over the period of, the estimated fair value less estimated selling costs atfuture servicing of the dateunderlying mortgages (typically, the contractual life of acquisition, establishingthe mortgage). The amortization of mortgage servicing rights is recorded as a new carrying basis. Thereafter, valuations are periodically performed by management, and the real estate is carried in Other assets at the lowerreduction of carrying amount or fair value, less estimated cost to sell. Costs of significant property improvements are capitalized, if deemed recoverable, whereas revenue and expenses from operations and changes in valuation are charged to Other expensesloan servicing fee income within noninterest income on the Company's consolidated statements of income. There were
Servicing assets are evaluated for impairment regularly based upon the fair value of the rights as compared to amortized cost. Impairment is determined by stratifying rights by predominant characteristics, such as interest rates and terms. Fair value is determined using prices for similar assets with similar characteristics, when available, or based upon discounted cash flows using market-based assumptions. Impairment of the servicing assets is recognized through a valuation allowance to the extent that fair value is less than the capitalized amount. If it is later determined that all or a portion of the impairment no OREO properties at December 31, 2018. There was one propertylonger exists, a reduction of the allowance may be recorded as non-interest income up to, but not in OREO at December 31, 2017 valued at $36 thousand.excess of, the prior impairment.

Servicing fee income is recorded for fees earned for servicing loans for investors. The fees are based on a contractual percentage of the outstanding principal or a fixed amount per loan and are recorded as income within noninterest income in the consolidated statements of income when earned.

Premises and equipment


Premises and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed principally by the straight line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The cost of assets sold or otherwise disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are eliminated from the accounts and the resulting gains or losses are reflected in the consolidated statement of income. Maintenance and repairs are charged to current expense as incurred and the costs of major renovations and betterments are capitalized. Construction in progress is stated at cost, which includes the cost of construction and other direct costs attributable to the construction. No provision for depreciation is made on construction in progress until such time as the relevant assets are completed and put into use.


Intangible assets


Intangible assets include goodwill, which represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in the 2011 Branch Acquisition as well as a core deposit intangible related to the deposits acquired (see Note 9)10). The core deposit intangible is amortized on a straight line basis over the estimated average life of the acquired core deposit base of 10 years. The Company evaluates the valuation and amortization of the core deposit intangible if events occur that could result in possible impairment. With respect to goodwill, inIn accordance with current authoritative guidance, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the Company is less than its carrying amount, which could result in goodwill impairment.




Federal Home Loan Bank stock


As a member of the FHLB, Union is required to invest in $100 par value stock of the FHLB in an amount to satisfy unpaid principal balances on qualifying loans, plus an amount to satisfy an activity based requirement. The stock is nonmarketable, and is redeemable by the FHLB at par value. Also, there is the possibility of future capital calls by the FHLB on member banks to ensure compliance with its capital plan. FHLB stock is reported in Other assets at its par value of $2.3$1.1 million and $1.0 million at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017.2020, respectively.


Company-owned life insurance


COLI represents life insurance on the lives of certain current or former directors or employees who have provided positive consent allowing the Company to be the beneficiary of such policies. The Company utilizes COLI as tax-efficient funding for certain benefit obligations to its employees and directors, including obligations under one of the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plans. (See Note 14.16.) The Company is the primary beneficiary of the insurance policies. Increases in the cash value of the policies, as well as any gain on insurance proceeds received, are recorded in Other income, and are not
58


currently subject to income taxes. COLI is recorded at the cash value of the policies, less any applicable cash surrender charges (of which there are currently none). The Company reviews the financial strength of the insurance carriers prior to the purchase of COLI to ensure minimum credit ratings of at least investment grade. The financial strength of the carriers is reviewed annually and COLI with any individual carrier is limited by Company policy to 15% of the sum of Tier 1 Capital and allowable Tier 2 capital.

Servicing assets

Servicing assets are recognized as separate assets when servicing rights are acquired through purchase or through sale of loans with servicing rights retained. Capitalized servicing rights are reported in Other assets, are initially recorded at estimated fair market value and are amortized against noninterest income in proportion to, and over the period of, the estimated future net servicing income of the underlying loans. The estimated fair value of capitalized servicing rights represents the present value of the future servicing fees arising from the right to service loans that have been previously sold. Servicing assets are evaluated regularly for impairment based upon the fair value of the rights as compared to amortized cost. Impairment is determined by stratifying rights by predominant characteristics, such as interest rates and terms. Fair value of a stratum is determined using prices for similar assets with similar characteristics, when available, or based upon discounted cash flows using market-based assumptions.
Impairment is recognized through a valuation allowance for an individual stratum, to the extent that estimated fair value is less than the capitalized amount for the stratum.


Investment in real estate limited partnerships


The Company has purchased various limited partnership interests in affordable housing partnerships. These partnerships were established to acquire, own and rent residential housing for elderly, low or moderate income residents in northern Vermont or in New Hampshire. GAAP permits an entity to amortize the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the amount of the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense. There were no impairment losses during the year resulting from the forfeiture or ineligibility of tax credits related to qualified affordable housing project investments. (See Note 10.11.)

Defined benefit pension plan

On October 18, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors voted to terminate Union Bank’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan. The settlement of all assets and liabilities under the Plan was completed by December 31, 2018. Participants were provided distribution options to either purchase an annuity, take a lump-sum cash payment, or do a direct rollover into a qualifying retirement plan. In future periods, the Company will no longer have any remaining defined benefit pension plan obligations and thus no periodic pension expense related to the Plan. (See Note 14.)


Advertising costs


The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred and they are included in Other expenses in the Company's consolidated statement of income.




Earnings per common share


Earnings per common share for the period are computedBasic EPS is calculated based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock issued during the period, including DRIP shares issuable upon reinvestment of dividends, retroactively adjusted for stock splits and stock dividends, if any, and reduced for shares held in treasury. Diluted EPS is calculated after adjusting the denominator of the basic EPS calculation for the effect of all potential dilutive common shares outstanding during the period. (See Note 16.18.)


Income taxes


The Company prepares its federal income tax return on a consolidated basis. Federal income taxes are allocated to members of the consolidated group based on taxable income. The Company recognizes income taxes under the asset and liability method. This involves estimating the Company's actual current tax exposure as well as assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items, such as timing of the deduction of expenses, for tax and GAAP purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are netted and included in Other assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The Company must also assess the likelihood that any deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and to the extent that recovery is not likely, a valuation allowance must be established. A change in enacted federal income tax rates for future periods such as occurred with enactment of the 2017 Tax Act, requires revaluation of deferred taxes. Significant management judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities. (See Note 13.15.)


Off-balance-sheet financial instruments


In the ordinary course of business, the Company is a party to off-balance-sheet financial instruments consisting of commitments to originate credit, unused lines of credit including commitments under credit card arrangements, commitments to purchase investment securities, commitments to invest in real estate limited partnerships, commercial letters of credit, standby letters of credit and risk-sharing commitments on certain sold loans. (See Notes 19 and 20.) Such financial instruments are recorded in the financial statements when they become fixed and certain.


Comprehensive income (loss)


Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains and losses be included in net income or loss. Certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as the after tax effect of unrealized gains and losses on investmentdebt securities AFS that are not OTTI, and the unfunded liability for the defined benefit pension plan, are not reflected in the consolidated statement of income. The cumulative effect of such items, net of tax effect, is reported as a separate component of the equity section of the consolidated balance sheet (Accumulated OCI) (See Note 23)25). OCI, along with net income, comprises the Company's total comprehensive income or loss.



59


Transfers of financial assets


Transfers of financial assets are accounted for as sales when control over the assets has been surrendered. Control over transferred assets is deemed to be surrendered when the assets have been isolated from the Company, the transferee obtains the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets, and the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before their maturity.


Stock Based Compensation


Effective May 21,Under the Company's 2014 upon approvalEquity Plan approved by the stockholders, the Company adopted the 2014 Equity Plan. Under the 2014 Equity Plan, 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (including approximately 25,000 unused shares from the 2008 ISO Plan) are availablewere authorized for equity awards of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock and restricted stock units to eligible officers and (except for awards of incentive stock options) nonemployee directors. Stock based compensation awards are measured at the fair value of the stock at the grant date and recognized as expense over the period in which they vest. (See Note 15.17.)


Segment Reporting

Operating segments are the components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision-maker in order to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company's chief operating decision-maker assesses consolidated financial results to make operating and strategic decisions, assess performance, and allocate resources. Therefore, the Company has determined that its business is conducted in 1 reportable segment and represents the consolidated financial statements of the Company.

Recent accounting pronouncements


The Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) using a modified-retrospective transition method, as of January 1, 2018. The ASU requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. While the guidance replaces most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP, the ASU is not applicable to financial instruments and, therefore, did not impact a majority of the Company’s revenues, including net interest income. The Company's assessment determined that no cumulative-effect adjustment


to beginning stockholders' equity was required under the modified retrospective transition method within the consolidated financial statements as there was no change in revenue recognition upon adoption of ASU No. 2014-09.
The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The ASU was issued to enhance the reporting model for financial instruments to provide users of financial statements with more decision-useful information. This ASU changes how entities account for equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The ASU also changes certain disclosure requirements and other aspects of GAAP, including a requirement for public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes. The ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2018. Adoption of the ASU did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The ASU was issued to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and liabilities (including operating leases) on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Previous lease accounting did not require the inclusion of operating leases in the balance sheet. In July 2018, the FASB provided additional guidance on implementation of Topic 842 as well as an additional transition method. The ASU, including the updated guidance, became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. The Company has evaluated the impact of the ASU on its consolidated financial statements by reviewing its lease contracts and has estimated increases of $2.0 million in other assets and other liabilities as a result of recording the right of use assets and related lease liabilities.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. Under the new guidance, which will replace the existing incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses, banks and other lending institutions will be required to recognize the full amount of expectedcredit losses. The new guidance, which is referred to as the current expected credit loss model ("CECL"), requires that expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date that are accounted for at amortized cost be measured and recognized based on historical experience and current and reasonably supportable forecasted conditions to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. A modified version of these requirements also applies to debt securities classified as AFS. TheAs initially proposed, the ASU is effectivewas to become effective forfiscalfiscal years beginning after Decemberbeginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption iswas permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within such years. In October 2019, the FASB approved amendments to delay the effective date of the ASU to fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years, for smaller reporting companies, as defined by the SEC, and other non-SEC reporting entities. As the Company is a smaller reporting company, the delay is applicable to the Company and the Company does not intend to early adopt the ASU at this time. The Company has established a CECL implementation team and developed a transition project plan. Following evaluationThe Company utilizes a software package for its current calculation of the allowance for loan losses that will also be utilized for CECL implementation software providers by the Company's CECL implementation team, the Company entered into an agreement with Sageworks.implementation. Historical data has been compiled and training on utilizing the software for the existing incurred loss model has been completed. Training wasThe Company continues to collect historical data and training is ongoing during 2018 surrounding CECL implementation and methodologies, including the running ofmethodologies. In addition, parallel incurred loss model and CECL calculations will be run throughout the year, and continues during 2019.2022. This will facilitate the eventual implementation process and management's evaluation of the potential impactof the ASU on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017,March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting, and Other (Topic 350): Simplifyinghas issued subsequent amendments thereto, which provides temporary optional guidance to ease the Testpotential burden in accounting for Goodwill Impairment.reference rate reform. The ASU was issuedprovides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles to reducecontract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. It is intended to help stakeholders during the cost and complexity of the goodwill impairment test. To simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill, step two of the goodwill impairment test was eliminated. Instead, a company will recognize an impairment of goodwill should the carrying value of a reporting unit exceed its fair value (i.e. step one).global market-wide reference rate transition period. The ASU will beguidance is effective for the Company on January 1,all entities as of March 12, 2020 and will be applied prospectively.through December 31, 2022. The Company doestransition away from LIBOR is not expect the implementationexpected to have a material effectimpact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, various financial institution regulatory agencies, including the FRB and the FDIC (“the agencies”), issued an interagency statement on loan modifications and reporting for financial institutions working with customers affected by COVID-19. The Company adopted ASUguidance was subsequently amended following passage of the CARES Act, which included a provision for
60


addressing certain COVID-19 related loan modifications. The interagency statement was effective immediately and impacted accounting for loan modifications. Under ASC No. 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation, Scope310-40, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, a restructuring of Modification Accounting (Topic 718)debt constitutes a TDR if the creditor, for economic or legal reasons related to the debtor’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the debtor that it would not otherwise consider. The agencies confirmed with the staff of the FASB that short-term modifications made on a good faith basis in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current prior to any relief, are not to be considered TDRs. This includes short-term (e.g., effective January 1, 2018.six months or less) modifications such as payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant. Borrowers considered current are those that are less than 30 days past due on their contractual payments at the time a modification program is implemented. The ASU was issuedagencies supplemented their interagency guidance on August 3, 2020 to provide clarity and reduce both 1) diversity in practice and 2) cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation, to a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The ASU includes guidance on determining which changes to the terms and conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting under Topic 718. Adoption of the ASU did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. The ASU was issued to make certain specific improvements to hedge accounting to better align hedge accounting withprudent risk management activities, eliminate the separate measurement and recording of hedge ineffectiveness, improve presentation and disclosure, and other simplifications. The ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. All transition requirements and elections are to be applied to existing hedging relationships upon adoption. While the Company continues to assess the impact of ASU 2017-12, it does not believe that adoption of the ASU will have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss). This ASU was issued to allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from


the 2017 Tax Act. Consequently, the amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act and will improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permittedconsumer protection principles for financial statements that have not yet been issued. The Company adopted the ASU for its December 31, 2017 consolidated financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework - Changesinstitutions to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.This guidance, which is a part of the FASB’s disclosure framework project to improve disclosure effectiveness, eliminates certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements regarding the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, an entity’s policy for the timing of transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy and an entity’s valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. This guidance also adds new disclosure requirements for public entities regarding changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of instruments held atconsider while working with borrowers near the end of the reporting period, and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop recurring and nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements, including how the weighted average is calculated.  In addition, thistheir initial loan accommodation period. The interagency guidance modifies certain requirements regarding the disclosure of transfers into and out of Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, purchases and issuances of Level 3 assets and liabilities, and information about the measurement uncertainty of Level 3 fair value measurements as of the reporting date. This update is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company doeshas not expect that adoption of the ASU will havehad a material effectimpact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.


Note 2.  Restrictions on Cash and Cash Equivalents


The nature of the Company's business requires that it maintain amounts due from correspondent banks which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The balances in these accounts at December 31, were as follows:
20182017 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Noninterest bearing accounts$266
$210
Noninterest bearing accounts$336 $190 
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston32,077
34,344
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston61,047 117,225 
FHLB of Boston1,374
310
FHLB of Boston692 1,578 
No losses have been experienced in these accounts and the Company believes it is not exposed to any significant risk with respect to the accounts.


The Company had no reserve requirement and was not required to maintain contracted clearing balances at December 31, 20182021 or 2017.2020. Balances at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and a portion of the funds at the FHLB are classified as overnight deposits as they earn interest. The Company is required to maintain vault cash or noninterest bearing reserve balances with Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Total reserve balances required at December 31, 2018 and 2017 were $1.0 million and $1.4 million, respectively, which were both satisfied by vault cash.


Note 3.  Interest Bearing Deposits in Banks


Interest bearing deposits in banks consist of certificates of deposit purchased from various financial institutions. Deposits at each institution are generally maintained at or below the FDIC insurable limit of $250 thousand. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company held $13.2 million in certificates with rates ranging from 1.25%0.15% to 3.55% and various maturity dates through 2028,2026, with $1.7$7.7 million scheduled to mature in 2019.2022.




Note 4. Investment Securities
Investment securities as of the balance sheet dates consisted of the following:
December 31, 2021Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Available-for-sale(Dollars in thousands)
Debt securities:    
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$37,176 $55 $(593)$36,638 
Agency MBS181,216 574 (3,540)178,250 
State and political subdivisions44,068 1,293 (107)45,254 
Corporate7,323 381 (27)7,677 
Total$269,783 $2,303 $(4,267)$267,819 
61


December 31, 2018
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
(Dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Available-for-sale Available-for-sale(Dollars in thousands)
Debt securities: Debt securities: 
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$6,528
$1
$(208)$6,321
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$6,462 $137 $(51)$6,548 
Agency MBS36,851
84
(683)36,252
Agency MBS61,123 1,307 (78)62,352 
State and political subdivisions23,527
130
(486)23,171
State and political subdivisions27,025 1,439 (3)28,461 
Corporate7,792
18
(149)7,661
Corporate7,817 660 (75)8,402 
Total$74,698
$233
$(1,526)$73,405
Total$102,427 $3,543 $(207)$105,763 

December 31, 2017
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
 (Dollars in thousands)
Available-for-sale    
Debt securities:    
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$7,805
$12
$(122)$7,695
Agency MBS28,378
12
(274)28,116
State and political subdivisions24,704
249
(239)24,714
Corporate4,412
48
(67)4,393
Total debt securities65,299
321
(702)64,918
Mutual funds (1)521


521
Total$65,820
$321
$(702)$65,439
Held-to-maturity    
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$1,000
$
$(1)$999
____________________
(1)As of December 31, 2017, mutual funds were classified as AFS investment securities. Effective January 1, 2018, these investments were reclassified to other investments on the consolidated balance sheets as they are no longer eligible to be classified as AFS upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-01.

ThereAt December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, there were no investment securities HTM atHTM. At December 31, 2018. Investment2021, investment securities AFS with a carrying amount of $2.5 million and $4.6 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively,$589 thousand were pledged as collateral for public unit deposits customer repurchase agreements andor for other purposes as required or permitted by law.

As of There were no investment securities pledged as collateral at December 31, 2018, other investments consisted of mutual funds with a fair value of $556 thousand, a cost basis of $652 thousand and unrealized loss of $96 thousand.2020.




Information pertaining to all investment securities with gross unrealized losses as of the balance sheet dates, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous loss position, follows:
December 31, 2021Less Than 12 Months12 Months and OverTotal
 Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
(Dollars in thousands)
Debt securities:      
U.S. Government-
  sponsored enterprises
18 $29,754 $(464)14 $3,885 $(129)32 $33,639 $(593)
Agency MBS41 130,742 (2,252)17 32,955 (1,288)58 163,697 (3,540)
State and political
  subdivisions
17 17,483 (107)— — — 17 17,483 (107)
Corporate985 (15)488 (12)1,473 (27)
Total78 $178,964 $(2,838)32 $37,328 $(1,429)110 $216,292 $(4,267)
December 31, 2018Less Than 12 Months12 Months and OverTotal
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Less Than 12 Months12 Months and OverTotal
Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of SecuritiesFair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
 (Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Debt securities:      Debt securities:   
U.S. Government-
sponsored enterprises
2
$1,184
$(11)12
$4,854
$(197)14
$6,038
$(208)U.S. Government-
sponsored enterprises
15 $2,005 $(16)$1,661 $(35)23 $3,666 $(51)
Agency MBS5
3,516
(21)40
26,198
(662)45
29,714
(683)Agency MBS19 21,698 (78)— — — 19 21,698 (78)
State and political
subdivisions
4
1,301
(16)36
15,067
(470)40
16,368
(486)State and political
subdivisions
575 (3)— — — 575 (3)
Corporate5
2,424
(12)5
2,285
(137)10
4,709
(149)Corporate— — — 1,424 (75)1,424 (75)
Total16
$8,425
$(60)93
$48,404
$(1,466)109
$56,829
$(1,526)Total35 $24,278 $(97)11 $3,085 $(110)46 $27,363 $(207)
December 31, 2017Less Than 12 Months12 Months and OverTotal
 Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
Number of Securities
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
  (Dollars in thousands)
Debt securities:         
U.S. Government-
  sponsored enterprises
3
$1,824
$(7)9
$4,374
$(116)12
$6,198
$(123)
Agency MBS26
19,315
(143)7
5,222
(131)33
24,537
(274)
State and political
  subdivisions
8
3,803
(22)18
7,899
(217)26
11,702
(239)
Corporate2
870
(31)2
964
(36)4
1,834
(67)
Total39
$25,812
$(203)36
$18,459
$(500)75
$44,271
$(703)
The Company has the ability to hold the investment securities that had unrealized losses at December 31, 20182021 for the foreseeable futurefuture. The decline in fair value is the result of market conditions and not attributable to credit quality in the investment securities and no declines were deemed by management to be OTT.OTT at December 31, 2021 or 2020.


62


The following table presents the proceeds from sales and calls resulting in gross gains and gross losses from salesthe disposition of AFS securities:
For the Years Ended December 31,
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Proceeds from sales$8,717 $3,076 
Proceeds from calls789 — 
Gross gains58 32 
Gross losses(58)(21)
Net gains$— $11 
 For The Years Ended December 31,
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Proceeds$1,060
$14,409
$6,620
Gross gains10
147
131
Gross losses
(130)(60)
Net gains$10
$17
$71




The amortized cost and estimated fair value of debt securities by contractual scheduled maturity as of December 31, 2018,2021, were as follows:
Amortized
Cost
Fair
Value
Amortized
Cost
Fair
Value
Available-for-sale(Dollars in thousands)Available-for-sale(Dollars in thousands)
Due in one year or less$200
$202
Due from one to five years4,062
4,078
Due from one to five years$12,382 $12,633 
Due from five to ten years20,946
20,536
Due from five to ten years37,279 37,390 
Due after ten years12,639
12,337
Due after ten years38,906 39,546 
37,847
37,153
88,567 89,569 
Agency MBS36,851
36,252
Agency MBS181,216 178,250 
Total debt securities available-for-sale$74,698
$73,405
TotalTotal$269,783 $267,819 
Actual maturities may differ for certain debt securities that may be called by the issuer prior to the contractual maturity. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities on agency MBS because the mortgages underlying the securities may be prepaid, usually without any penalties. Therefore, these agency MBS are shown separately and not included in the contractual maturity categories in the above maturity summary.

Note 5.  Loans Held for Sale and Loan Servicing


At December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, loans held for sale consisted of conventional residential mortgages originated for subsequent sale, with an estimated fair value in excess of their carrying value. Therefore, no valuation reserve was necessary for loans held for sale as of the balance sheet dates.

Commercial and residential mortgage loans serviced for others are not included in the accompanying balance sheets. The unpaid principal balance of commercial and residential mortgage loans serviced for others was $534.2$659.3 million and $499.2$629.5 million at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively.

Loans sold consisted of the following during the years ended December 31:
20182017201620212020
Loans SoldNet Gains on SaleLoans SoldNet Gains on SaleLoans SoldNet Gains on SaleLoans SoldNet Gains on SaleLoans SoldNet Gains on Sale
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Residential loans$116,710
$1,847
$121,985
$2,279
$135,294
$2,880
Residential loans$216,817 $4,956 $263,063 $8,158 
Commercial loans

226
24
251
18
Commercial loans— — 131 10 
Total$116,710
$1,847
$122,211
$2,303
$135,545
$2,898
Total$216,817 $4,956 $263,194 $8,168 
There were no obligations to repurchase loans for any amount at December 31, 2018,2021, but there were contractual risk sharing commitments on certain sold loans totaling $702$837 thousand as of such date. (See Note 20.)
The Company generally retains the servicing rights on loans sold. At December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, the unamortized balance of servicing rights on loans sold with servicing retained was $1.7$2.5 million and $2.3 million, respectively, and is included in Other
63


assets. The estimated fair value of these servicing rights was in excess of their carrying value at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, and therefore no impairment reserve was necessary. The net capitalization and amortization of MSRs is included in Other income.

The following table presents the capitalization and amortization of loan servicing rights:
For The Years Ended December 31,
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Capitalization of servicing rights$1,454 $1,736 
Amortization of servicing rights1,211 1,194 
Net capitalization of servicing rights$243 $542 
 For The Years Ended December 31,
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Capitalization of servicing rights$697
$770
$823
Amortization of servicing rights720
716
720
Net (amortization) capitalization of servicing rights$(23)$54
$103


Note 6.  Loans
The composition of Net loans at December 31, was as follows:
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$246,827 $183,166 
Construction real estate65,149 57,417 
Commercial real estate344,816 320,627 
Commercial49,788 108,861 
Consumer2,376 2,601 
Municipal78,094 98,497 
    Gross loans787,050 771,169 
Allowance for loan losses(8,336)(8,271)
Net deferred loan costs (fees)705 (146)
    Net loans$779,419 $762,752 
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$187,320
$178,999
Construction real estate55,322
42,935
Commercial real estate276,500
254,291
Commercial47,228
50,719
Consumer3,241
3,894
Municipal72,850
55,777
    Gross loans642,461
586,615
Allowance for loan losses(5,739)(5,408)
Net deferred loan costs938
795
    Net loans$637,660
$582,002
There were 154 and 679 PPP loans totaling $13.6 million and $66.2 million classified as commercial loans as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, remaining PPP deferred loan origination fees of $558 thousand and $1.6 million, respectively, will be amortized into interest income over the lives of the respective loans. PPP loan origination fees of $2.8 million and $953 thousand were recognized in earnings during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Qualifying residential first mortgage loans and certain commercial real estate loans with a carrying value of $167.7$224.4 million and $164.5$210.0 million were pledged as collateral for borrowings from the FHLB under a blanket lien at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively.


A summary of current, past due and nonaccrual loans as of the balance sheet dates follows:
December 31, 2021Current30-59 Days60-89 Days90 Days and over and accruingNonaccrualTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$245,169 $1,328 $130 $53 $147 $246,827 
Construction real estate64,939 72 — — 138 65,149 
Commercial real estate340,209 242 — — 4,365 344,816 
Commercial49,699 36 45 — 49,788 
Consumer2,376 — — — — 2,376 
Municipal78,094 — — — — 78,094 
Total$780,486 $1,678 $138 $98 $4,650 $787,050 
64


December 31, 2018Current30-59 Days60-89 Days90 Days and over and accruingNonaccrualTotal
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Current30-59 Days60-89 Days90 Days and over and accruingNonaccrualTotal
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$183,624
$1,984
$696
$422
$594
$187,320
Residential real estate$179,794 $2,166 $211 $368 $627 $183,166 
Construction real estate52,807
1,451
1,023

41
55,322
Construction real estate57,116 70 67 143 21 57,417 
Commercial real estate273,778
1,703
153
718
148
276,500
Commercial real estate317,748 1,130 — — 1,749 320,627 
Commercial47,163
24
8

33
47,228
Commercial108,749 99 — — 13 108,861 
Consumer3,215
21
5


3,241
Consumer2,595 — — — 2,601 
Municipal72,789
61



72,850
Municipal98,497 — — — — 98,497 
Total$633,376
$5,244
$1,885
$1,140
$816
$642,461
Total$764,499 $3,471 $278 $511 $2,410 $771,169 

December 31, 2017Current30-59 Days60-89 Days90 Days and over and accruingNonaccrualTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$173,914
$3,047
$750
$472
$816
$178,999
Construction real estate42,857


22
56
42,935
Commercial real estate253,266
357
361

307
254,291
Commercial50,675
21
11

12
50,719
Consumer3,884
7
3


3,894
Municipal55,777




55,777
Total$580,373
$3,432
$1,125
$494
$1,191
$586,615

There were threeno residential real estate loans totaling $255 thousand and one commercial real estate loan totaling $146 thousand in process of foreclosure at December 31, 2018.2021 or 2020. A moratorium on residential mortgage foreclosures instituted by the State of Vermont in April 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted effective July 15, 2021. Aggregate interest not recognized on nonaccrual loans not recognized was $1.3 million$504 thousand and $420 thousand for the yearyears ended December 31, 2018, $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 20172021 and $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.2020, respectively.




Note 7.  Allowance for Loan Losses and Credit Quality

Changes in the ALL, by class of loans, were as follows for the years ended:
December 31, 2021Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2020$1,776 $763 $4,199 $458 $15 $214 $846 $8,271 
Provision (credit) for loan
   losses
226 74 (77)(183)(3)(128)91 — 
Recoveries of amounts
   charged off
66 — — — — — 68 
2,068 837 4,122 275 14 86 937 8,339 
Amounts charged off— — — — (3)— — (3)
Balance, December 31, 2021$2,068 $837 $4,122 $275 $11 $86 $937 $8,336 
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2018Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2017$1,361
$488
$2,707
$395
$30
$64
$363
$5,408
Balance, December 31, 2019Balance, December 31, 2019$1,392 $774 $3,178 $394 $23 $76 $285 $6,122 
Provision (credit) for loan
losses
118
128
226
(36)(3)18
(1)450
Provision (credit) for loan
losses
376 (11)1,075 64 (3)138 561 2,200 
Recoveries of amounts
charged off
20
1


17


38
Recoveries of amounts
charged off
28 — — — — — 29 
1,499
617
2,933
359
44
82
362
5,896
1,796 763 4,253 458 21 214 846 8,351 
Amounts charged off(131)

(5)(21)

(157)Amounts charged off(20)— (54)— (6)— — (80)
Balance, December 31, 2018$1,368
$617
$2,933
$354
$23
$82
$362
$5,739
Balance,December 31, 2020Balance,December 31, 2020$1,776 $763 $4,199 $458 $15 $214 $846 $8,271 

65
December 31, 2017Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2016$1,399
$391
$2,687
$342
$26
$40
$362
$5,247
Provision for loan losses17
73
20
49
16
24
1
200
Recoveries of amounts
   charged off
138
24

4
2


168
 1,554
488
2,707
395
44
64
363
5,615
Amounts charged off(193)


(14)

(207)
Balance, December 31, 2017$1,361
$488
$2,707
$395
$30
$64
$363
$5,408


December 31, 2016Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2015$1,419
$514
$2,792
$209
$28
$38
$201
$5,201
Provision (credit) for loan
   losses
64
(135)(105)158
5
2
161
150
Recoveries of amounts
   charged off
36
12

8
3


59
 1,519
391
2,687
375
36
40
362
5,410
Amounts charged off(120)

(33)(10)

(163)
Balance, December 31, 2016$1,399
$391
$2,687
$342
$26
$40
$362
$5,247

The allocation of the ALL, summarized on the basis of the Company's impairment methodology by class of loan, as of the balance sheet dates, was as follows:
December 31, 2021Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
   for impairment
$26 $— $20 $— $— $— $— $46 
Collectively evaluated
   for impairment
2,042 837 4,102 275 11 86 937 8,290 
Total allocated$2,068 $837 $4,122 $275 $11 $86 $937 $8,336 
December 31, 2018Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
for impairment
$47
$
$9
$10
$
$
$
$66
Individually evaluated
for impairment
$30 $— $21 $$— $— $— $58 
Collectively evaluated
for impairment
1,321
617
2,924
344
23
82
362
5,673
Collectively evaluated
for impairment
1,746 763 4,178 451 15 214 846 8,213 
Total allocated$1,368
$617
$2,933
$354
$23
$82
$362
$5,739
Total allocated$1,776 $763 $4,199 $458 $15 $214 $846 $8,271 



December 31, 2017Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalUnallocatedTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
   for impairment
$47
$
$1
$
$
$
$
$48
Collectively evaluated
   for impairment
1,314
488
2,706
395
30
64
363
5,360
Total allocated$1,361
$488
$2,707
$395
$30
$64
$363
$5,408


Despite the allocation shown in the tables above, the ALL is general in nature and is available to absorb losses from any class of loan.

The recorded investment in loans, summarized on the basis of the Company's impairment methodology by class of loan, as of the balance sheet dates, was as follows:
December 31, 2021Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
   for impairment
$1,750 $198 $4,819 $$— $— $6,776 
Collectively evaluated
   for impairment
245,077 64,951 339,997 49,779 2,376 78,094 780,274 
Total$246,827 $65,149 $344,816 $49,788 $2,376 $78,094 $787,050 
December 31, 2018Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
for impairment
$1,678
$119
$2,276
$352
$
$
$4,425
Individually evaluated
for impairment
$1,782 $210 $2,422 $207 $— $— $4,621 
Collectively evaluated
for impairment
185,642
55,203
274,224
46,876
3,241
72,850
638,036
Collectively evaluated
for impairment
181,384 57,207 318,205 108,654 2,601 98,497 766,548 
Total$187,320
$55,322
$276,500
$47,228
$3,241
$72,850
$642,461
Total$183,166 $57,417 $320,627 $108,861 $2,601 $98,497 $771,169 

December 31, 2017Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Individually evaluated
   for impairment
$1,718
$82
$1,074
$378
$
$
$3,252
Collectively evaluated
   for impairment
177,281
42,853
253,217
50,341
3,894
55,777
583,363
Total$178,999
$42,935
$254,291
$50,719
$3,894
$55,777
$586,615


Risk and collateral ratings are assigned to loans and are subject to ongoing monitoring by lending and credit personnel with such ratings updated annually or more frequently if warranted. The following is an overview of the Company's loan rating system:


1-3 Rating - Pass
Risk-rating grades "1" through "3" comprise loans ranging from those with lower than average credit risk, defined as borrowers with high liquidity, excellent financial condition, strong management, favorable industry trends or loans secured by highly liquid assets, through those with marginal credit risk, defined as borrowers that, while creditworthy, exhibit some characteristics requiring special attention by the account officer.

4/M Rating - Satisfactory/Monitor
Borrowers exhibit potential credit weaknesses or downward trends warranting management's attention. While potentially weak, these borrowers are currently marginally acceptable; no loss of principal or interest is envisioned. When warranted, these credits may be monitored on the watch list.

66



5-7 Rating - Substandard
Borrowers exhibit well defined weaknesses that jeopardize the orderly liquidation of debt. The loan may be inadequately protected by the net worth and paying capacity of the obligor and/or the underlying collateral is inadequate.




The following tables summarize the loan ratings applied by management to the Company's loans by class as of the balance sheet dates:
December 31, 2021Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
(Dollars in thousands)
Pass$227,684 $39,135 $191,902 $45,407 $2,371 $78,094 $584,593 
Satisfactory/Monitor16,820 25,816 147,645 4,301 — 194,587 
Substandard2,323 198 5,269 80 — — 7,870 
Total$246,827 $65,149 $344,816 $49,788 $2,376 $78,094 $787,050 
December 31, 2018Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
December 31, 2020December 31, 2020Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Pass$170,416
$41,141
$174,802
$34,303
$3,209
$72,850
$496,721
Pass$166,119 $42,853 $172,048 $98,314 $2,595 $98,497 $580,426 
Satisfactory/Monitor14,008
14,053
98,327
12,150
31

138,569
Satisfactory/Monitor13,756 14,319 144,784 10,116 — 182,981 
Substandard2,896
128
3,371
775
1

7,171
Substandard3,291 245 3,795 431 — — 7,762 
Total$187,320
$55,322
$276,500
$47,228
$3,241
$72,850
$642,461
Total$183,166 $57,417 $320,627 $108,861 $2,601 $98,497 $771,169 

December 31, 2017Residential Real EstateConstruction Real EstateCommercial Real EstateCommercialConsumerMunicipalTotal
 (Dollars in thousands)
Pass$164,733
$33,401
$177,388
$38,877
$3,859
$55,777
$474,035
Satisfactory/Monitor11,296
9,374
73,772
11,165
30

105,637
Substandard2,970
160
3,131
677
5

6,943
Total$178,999
$42,935
$254,291
$50,719
$3,894
$55,777
$586,615


The following tables provide information with respect to impaired loans by class of loan as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016:2020:
December 31, 2021For The Year Ended December 31, 2021
Recorded Investment
(1)
Principal Balance
(1)
Related AllowanceAverage Recorded InvestmentInterest Income Recognized
(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$199 $209 $26 
Commercial real estate1,591 1,764 20 
With an allowance recorded1,790 1,973 46 
Residential real estate1,551 2,043 — 
Construction real estate198 218 — 
Commercial real estate3,228 3,274 — 
Commercial— 
With no allowance recorded4,986 5,544 — 
Residential real estate1,750 2,252 26 $1,749 $197 
Construction real estate198 218 — 205 
Commercial real estate4,819 5,038 20 4,552 217 
Commercial— 82 
Total$6,776 $7,517 $46 $6,588 $427 
67


 December 31, 2018For The Year Ended December 31, 2018
 
Recorded Investment
(1)
Principal Balance
(1)
Related AllowanceAverage Recorded InvestmentInterest Income Recognized
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$228
$238
$47
  
Commercial real estate193
193
9
  
Commercial12
13
10
  
With an allowance recorded433
444
66
  
      
Residential real estate1,450
2,039

  
Construction real estate119
135

  
Commercial real estate2,083
2,174

  
Commercial340
340

  
With no allowance recorded3,992
4,688

  
      
Residential real estate1,678
2,277
47
$1,730
$65
Construction real estate119
135

88
4
Commercial real estate2,276
2,367
9
1,699
77
Commercial352
353
10
367
29
Total$4,425
$5,132
$66
$3,884
$175



 December 31, 2017For The Year Ended December 31, 2017
 
Recorded Investment
(1)
Principal Balance
(1)
Related AllowanceAverage Recorded InvestmentInterest Income Recognized
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$238
$247
$47
  
Commercial real estate137
141
1
  
With an allowance recorded375
388
48
  
      
Residential real estate1,480
1,983

  
Construction real estate82
82

  
Commercial real estate937
1,011

  
Commercial378
378

  
With no allowance recorded2,877
3,454

  
      
Residential real estate1,718
2,230
47
$1,691
$67
Construction real estate82
82

85
4
Commercial real estate1,074
1,152
1
1,975
86
Commercial378
378

405
26
Total$3,252
$3,842
$48
$4,156
$183

December 31, 2016For The Year Ended December 31, 2016December 31, 2020For The Year Ended December 31, 2020
Recorded Investment
(1)
Principal Balance
(1)
Related AllowanceAverage Recorded InvestmentInterest Income RecognizedRecorded Investment
(1)
Principal Balance
(1)
Related AllowanceAverage Recorded InvestmentInterest Income Recognized
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$308
$317
$63
 Residential real estate$208 $218 $30 
Commercial real estate488
520
40
 Commercial real estate1,634 1,774 21 
CommercialCommercial11 
With an allowance recorded796
837
103
 With an allowance recorded1,851 2,003 58 
 
Residential real estate1,140
1,561

 Residential real estate1,574 2,182 — 
Construction real estate88
88

 Construction real estate210 231 — 
Commercial real estate2,840
2,910

 Commercial real estate788 890 — 
Commercial432
432

 Commercial198 200 — 
With no allowance recorded4,500
4,991

 With no allowance recorded2,770 3,503 — 
 
Residential real estate1,448
1,878
63
$1,303
$50
Residential real estate1,782 2,400 30 $1,710 $73 
Construction real estate88
88

90
4
Construction real estate210 231 — 216 
Commercial real estate3,328
3,430
40
3,113
107
Commercial real estate2,422 2,664 21 2,977 70 
Commercial432
432

462
33
Commercial207 211 253 17 
Total$5,296
$5,828
$103
$4,968
$194
Total$4,621 $5,506 $58 $5,156 $164 
____________________
(1)Does not reflect government guaranties on impaired loans as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 totaling $423 thousand and $514 thousand, respectively.
(1)
Does not reflect government guaranties on impaired loans as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 totaling $641 thousand, $550 thousandand $637 thousand, respectively.



The following is a summary of TDR loans by class of loan as of the balance sheet dates:
December 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Number of LoansPrincipal BalanceNumber of LoansPrincipal Balance
(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate29 $1,750 32 $1,782 
Construction real estate81 87 
Commercial real estate375 788 
Commercial207 
Total35 $2,215 45 $2,864 
 December 31, 2018December 31, 2017
 Number of LoansPrincipal BalanceNumber of LoansPrincipal Balance
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate27
$1,678
24
$1,718
Construction real estate2
119
1
82
Commercial real estate9
1,172
10
1,074
Commercial4
340
2
378
Total42
$3,309
37
$3,252


The TDR loans above represent loan modifications in which a concession was provided to the borrower, including due date extensions, maturity date extensions, interest rate reductions or the forgiveness of accrued interest. Troubled loans that are restructured and meet established thresholds are classified as impaired and a specific reserve amount is allocated to the ALL on the basis of the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans, an observable market price, or the present value of anticipated future cash flows.


The following table provides new TDR activity by class of loan for the years ended December 31, 20182021 and 2017:2020:
New TDRs During theNew TDRs During the
Year Ended December 31, 2021Year Ended December 31,2020
Number of ContractsPre-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentPost-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentNumber of ContractsPre-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentPost-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
(Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate$445 $445 $547 $549 
68


 New TDRs During theNew TDRs During the
 Year Ended December 31, 2018Year Ended December 31, 2017
 Number of ContractsPre-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentPost-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentNumber of ContractsPre-Modification Outstanding Recorded InvestmentPost-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
 (Dollars in thousands)
Residential real estate3
$190
$193
9
$649
$673
Construction real estate1
44
44



Commercial real estate1
204
204
2
293
293
Commercial2
31
31





At December 31, 2018, thereThere were no TDR loans modified within the previous twelve months that had subsequently defaulted during the year then ended. At December 31, 2017, there was one residential TDR loan with a recorded investment balance of $62 thousand that had been modified within the previous twelve months that defaulted during the yearyears ended December 31, 2017. 2021 or 2020. TDR loans are considered defaulted at 90 days past due.


In March 2020, the CARES Act was passed and federal banking agencies issued guidance, confirmed by the FASB, providing that certain short-term modifications made to loans to borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and government shutdown orders would not be considered TDRs under specified circumstances (See Note 1). Through December 31, 2021, the Company had executed modifications under this guidance and the CARES Act on outstanding loan balances of $139.9 million, with total accrued interest of $849 thousand. Of the total modifications executed, outstanding loan balances of $369 thousand remained subject to modified terms and carried accrued interest of $9 thousand as of December 31, 2021.

At December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, the Company was not committed to lend any additional funds to borrowers whose loans were nonperforming, impaired or restructured.


Note 8.  Premises and Equipment
The major classes of premises and equipment and accumulated depreciation at December 31, were as follows:
20182017 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Land and land improvements$3,260
$2,975
Land and land improvements$4,466 $4,052 
Building and improvements14,760
14,261
Building and improvements20,412 18,697 
Furniture and equipment9,053
7,450
Furniture and equipment11,310 10,329 
Construction in progress and deposits on equipment809
438
Construction in progress and deposits on equipment122 170 
27,882
25,124
36,310 33,248 
Less accumulated depreciation(11,809)(10,869)Less accumulated depreciation(14,695)(13,209)
$16,073
$14,255
$21,615 $20,039 
Depreciation included in Occupancy and Equipment expenses amounted to $1.2$1.8 million and $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively.

Note 9. Leases
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had operating real estate leases for two branch locations, one loan production office, land upon which a branch location was constructed and $1.3 milliontwo ATM locations. The lease agreements have maturity dates ranging from October 2022 to September 2047. As of December 31, 2021, the weighted average remaining life of the lease term for the yearoperating leases was 23.05 years.
The discount rate used in determining the lease liability for each individual lease was the FHLB fixed advance rate as of January 2019 that corresponded to the remaining lease term for each lease at adoption of the ASU or the date the lease became effective. As of December 31, 2021, the weighted average discount rate for operating leases was 3.90%.
The right-of-use assets and lease liabilities related to operating leases were as follows at December 31:
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Right-of-use assets included in Other assets$1,612 $1,732 
Lease liabilities included in Accrued interest and other liabilities1,690 1,789 


69


Total estimated rental commitments for operating leases were as follows as of December 31, 2021:
(Dollars in thousands)
2022$132 
2023115 
2024111 
2025112 
2026114 
Thereafter2,111 
Total$2,695 
A reconciliation of the operating lease undiscounted cash flows in the maturity analysis above and the operating lease liability recognized in the consolidated balance sheet is shown below:
December 31, 2021
(Dollars in thousands)
Undiscounted cash flows$2,695 
Discount effect of cash flows(1,005)
Lease liabilities$1,690 

Operating lease costs, included in Occupancy expense, net on the consolidated statements of income were $195 thousand and $206 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2016.



The Company is obligated under noncancelable operating leases for premises that expire in various years through the year 2047. Options to renew for additional periods are available with these leases. Future minimum rental commitments for these leases with original or remaining terms of one year or more at December 31, 2018 were as follows:
  (Dollars in thousands)
 
 2019$213
 
 2020183
 
 2021169
 
 2022120
 
 2023108
 
 2024 and beyond1,804
 
  $2,597
 
Rent expense for 2018, 20172021 and 2016 amounted to $180 thousand, $148 thousand and $144 thousand,2020, respectively. Occupancy expense is shown in the consolidated statements of income, net of rental income of $225$251 thousand $194and $230 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2021 and $220 thousand in 2018, 2017 and 2016,2020, respectively.


Note 9.10. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets


As a result of the 2011 Branch Acquisition, the Company recorded goodwill amounting to $2.2 million.$2.2 million. The goodwill is not amortizable. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment annually, in accordance with current authoritative accounting guidance. Management assesses qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the Company, in total, is less than its carrying amount. Management is not aware of any such events or circumstances that would cause it to conclude that the fair value of the Company is less than its carrying amount.
The Company also recorded $1.7 million of acquired identifiable intangible assets in connection with the 2011 Branch Acquisition, representing the core deposit intangible which is subject to straight-line amortization over the estimated 10 yearyears average life of the acquired core deposit base, absent any future impairment. Management will evaluate the core deposit intangible for impairment if conditions warrant.
Amortization expense for theThe core deposit intangible was fully amortized in 2021. Amortization expense was $71 thousand for 2021 and $171 thousand for 2018, 2017 and 2016.2020. The amortization expense is included in Other expenses onin the consolidated statements of income and is deductible for tax purposes. As of December 31, 2018, the remaining amortization expense related to the core deposit intangible, absent any future impairment, is expected to be as follows:
  (Dollars in thousands) 
 2019$171
 
 2020171
 
 202170
 
 Total$412
 


Note 10.11.  Investment in Real Estate Limited Partnerships

The Company has purchased from time to time various interests in limited partnerships established to acquire, own and rent residential housing for elderly, low or moderate income individuals in northern Vermont and New Hampshire. The carrying valuesfollowing is a summary of investments carried at equity were $4.0 million and $3.2 millionin real estate limited partnerships at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The capital contribution payable related to these investments was $1.3 million and $546 thousand at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. 31:
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Carrying values of investment carried at equity included in Other assets$7,572 $6,584 
Capital contribution payable included in Accrued interest and other liabilities1,158 1,351 


70


The following table presents the net impact on the Provision for income taxes related to investments carried at equity:
For the Years Ended December 31,
20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Provision for undistributed net losses of limited partnership investments$1,011 $935 
Federal income tax credits related to limited partnership investments(1,057)(987)
Net effect on Provision for income taxes$(46)$(52)
 For The Years Ended December 31,
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Provision for undistributed net losses of limited partnership investments$591
$627
$565
Federal income tax credits related to limited partnership investments(656)(660)(881)
Net effect on Provision for income taxes$(65)$(33)$(316)




Note 11.12. Deposits


The following is a summary of interest bearing deposits at December 31:
20182017 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Interest bearing checking accounts$157,847
$162,996
Interest bearing checking accounts$281,638 $231,465 
Savings and money market accounts286,875
255,625
Savings and money market accounts441,841 405,904 
Time deposits, $100,000 and over64,474
41,182
Time deposits, $100,000 and over50,019 70,373 
Other time deposits64,603
59,947
Other time deposits56,696 71,315 
$573,799
$519,750
$830,194 $779,057 
Included in time deposits are brokered deposits of $16.0 million and $2.0$15.0 million at December 31, 2018 and2020. There were no brokered deposits at December 31, 2017, respectively.2021. Reciprocal deposits of $114.2$168.9 million and $78.5$160.5 million at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, respectively, are included in deposit balances in the consolidated balance sheets.


The following is a summary of time deposits by maturity at December 31, 2018:2021:
  (Dollars in thousands) 
 2019$83,078
 
 202015,199
 
 202122,613
 
 20225,203
 
 20232,984
 
  $129,077
 
(Dollars in thousands)
2022$80,564 
202310,847 
202410,315 
20252,740 
20262,249 
 $106,715 
Time deposits of $13.6$16.2 million and $9.9$22.9 million equalmeet or exceed the FDIC insurance limit of $250 thousand at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively.


Note 12.13. Borrowed Funds


BorrowedThere were no borrowed funds were comprisedat December 31, 2021 and borrowed funds of $7.2 million at December 31, 2020 consisting of option advance borrowings from the FHLB of $27.5 million and $30.2 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and secured customer repurchase agreement sweeps of $370 thousand and $1.4 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

FHLB. The FHLB option advance borrowings arewere a mix of straight bullets, balloons and amortizers with contractual maturities through 2023. All of the FHLB borrowingsand had interest rates ranging from 0.00% to 2.59%3.09% at December 31, 2018 and 0.00% to 4.31% at December 31, 2017.2020. The weighted average interest rates on the borrowings were 1.84% and 1.42%3.07% at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.2020.

The contractual payments due for FHLB option advance borrowings, as of December 31, 2018, were as follows:
  (Dollars in thousands) 
 2019$27,287
 
 2020
 
 2021164
 
  $27,451
 

The Company has established both overnight and longer term lines of credit with the FHLB. These borrowings are secured by a blanket lien on qualified collateral consisting primarily of loans with first mortgages secured by one-to-four family properties and certain commercial real estate loans. At December 31, 2018,2021, pledged loans with a carrying value of $167.7$224.4 million provided a borrowing capacity of $100.1$138.7 million at the FHLB, less outstanding borrowings and other credit subject to collateralization of $45.6$22.0 million, resulting in remaining year-end borrowing capacity of $54.5$116.7 million. At December 31, 2017,2020, pledged loans with a carrying value of $164.5$210.0 million provided a borrowing capacity of $100.6$134.1 million at the FHLB, less outstanding borrowings and other credit subject to collateralization of $60.8$21.9 million, resulting in remaining year-end borrowing capacity of $39.8$112.2 million.




A separate agreement has been established with the FHLB under which the Company has the authority, up to its available borrowing capacity, to collateralize public unit deposits with letters of credit issued by the FHLB. At December 31, 2018, FHLB letters of credit in the
71


amount of $17.3$37.5 million and $29.6$23.6 million were utilized as collateral for these deposits at December 31, 20182021 and 2020, respectively. Total fees paid by the Company in connection with the issuance of these letters of credit were $45 thousand and $30 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2017,2021 and 2020, respectively. Union also maintains an IDEAL Way Line of Credit with the FHLB. The total line available was $551 thousand and there were no borrowings against this line of credit as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.


In addition to its borrowing arrangements with the FHLB, Union maintains a preapproved Federal Funds line of credit with a correspondent bank totaling $15.0 million.$15.0 million. Interest on these borrowingsadvances under this line is payable daily and charged at the federal fundsFederal Funds rate at the time of the borrowing. There were no outstanding borrowings on the Federal Funds purchase line at December 31, 20182021 or 2017.

Secured customer repurchase agreement sweeps are collateralized by U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise securities2020. In addition to the foregoing funding sources available to Union, the Company maintains a $5.0 million revolving line of credit with a carrying value of $1.7 millioncorrespondent bank. There were no outstanding borrowings on the line at December 31, 20182021 or 2020.

Note 14.  Subordinated Notes

In August 2021, the Company completed the private placement of $16.5 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2031 (the "Notes") to certain qualified institutional buyers and $2.0 millionaccredited investors. The Notes initially bear interest, payable semi-annually, at the rate of 3.25% per annum, until September 1, 2026. From and including September 1, 2026, the interest rate applicable to the outstanding principal amount due will reset quarterly to the then current three-month secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) plus 263 basis points. The Company may, at its option, beginning with the interest payment date of September 1, 2026 but not generally prior thereto, and on any scheduled interest payment date thereafter, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part. The Notes have been structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital instruments for the Company under bank regulatory guidelines.

The Company used the proceeds to provide additional capital support to the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Union Bank, to support growth and for other general corporate purposes.

At December 31, 2017. The average daily balance2021, the unamortized issuance costs of these repurchase agreement sweeps was $551 thousand and $1.6 million during 2018 and 2017, respectively with weighted average interest rates of 0.26% during 2018 and 2017. The maximum borrowings outstanding on these agreements during 2018 and 2017the Notes were $3.5 million and $4.9 million, respectively. These repurchase agreements mature$329 thousand. For the next business day and carried weighted average interest rates of 0.20% atyear ended December 31, 2018 and 0.25% at December 31, 2017.2021, $11 thousand in issuance costs were recorded in interest expense. The Notes are presented net of unamortized issuance costs in the consolidated balance sheets.


Note 13.15.  Income Taxes


The components of the Provisionprovision for income taxes for the years ended December 31, were as follows:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Current federal tax provision$2,149 $3,134 
Current state tax provision126 62 
Deferred tax provision (benefit)371 (777)
 $2,646 $2,419 


72

 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Current tax provision$1,695
$2,610
$2,032
Deferred tax (benefit) provision(508)993
566
 $1,187
$3,603
$2,598

The termination of Union’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan resulted in a deferred tax benefit and a reduction in the Provision for income taxes of $900 thousand with the settlement of all assets and liabilities under the Plan for the year ended December 31, 2018. As a result of the 2017 Tax Act, the federal tax rate decreased from 34% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. The deferred taxtotal provision and Provision for income taxes shown above were impacted by one-time charges of $32 thousand and $447 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, for the revaluation of the Company's deferred tax assets to reflect the 21% tax rate for future periods.

The total Provision for income taxes differs from the amounts computed at the statutory federal income tax rate of 21% for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 34% for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 primarily due to the following for the years ended December 31:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Computed “expected” tax expense$3,321 $3,197 
State taxes100 49 
Tax exempt interest(446)(555)
Increase in cash surrender value of COLI(65)(67)
Tax credits(1,093)(1,013)
Equity in losses of limited partnerships842 788 
Non-deductible expenses24 44 
Other(37)(24)
 $2,646 $2,419 
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Computed “expected” tax expense$1,734
$4,098
$3,777
Tax exempt interest(413)(642)(596)
Increase in cash surrender value of COLI(103)(83)(115)
Tax credits(684)(694)(896)
Equity in losses of limited partnerships528
413
373
Non-deductible expenses36
36
29
True-up adjustment for effect of enacted tax law changes32
447

Other57
28
26
 $1,187
$3,603
$2,598




Listed below are the significant components of the net deferred tax asset (liability) at December 31:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Components of the deferred tax asset  
Bad debts$1,813 $1,798 
Deferred compensation308 300 
Origination fees121 — 
Loans held for sale56 271 
Core deposit intangible109 119 
Unrealized loss on investment securities available-for-sale412 — 
Other74 55 
Total deferred tax asset2,893 2,543 
   
Components of the deferred tax liability  
Depreciation(1,397)(1,254)
Mortgage servicing rights(543)(490)
Limited partnership investments(136)(86)
Unrealized gain on investment securities available-for-sale— (701)
Goodwill(341)(309)
Prepaid expenses(162)(132)
Total deferred tax liability(2,579)(2,972)
Net deferred tax asset (liability)$314 $(429)
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Components of the deferred tax asset  
Bad debts$1,244
$1,171
Deferred compensation205
227
Net pension liability
339
Core deposit intangible94
81
Limited partnership investments
23
Unrealized loss on investment securities available-for-sale272
80
Other38
90
Total deferred tax asset1,853
2,011
   
Components of the deferred tax liability  
Depreciation(913)(493)
Mortgage servicing rights(360)(364)
Limited partnership investments(16)
Goodwill(244)(211)
Prepaid expenses(114)(130)
Total deferred tax liability(1,647)(1,198)
Net deferred tax asset$206
$813


Deferred tax assets are recognized subject to management's judgment that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will be realized. Based on the temporary taxable items, historical taxable income and estimates of future taxable income, the Company believes that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets at December 31, 20182021 will be realized and therefore no valuation allowance is warranted.

NetThe net deferred income tax assets areasset is included in Other assets and the net deferred income tax liability is included in Accrued interest and other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 20182021 and 2017.

2020, respectively.
Based on management's evaluation, management has concluded that there were no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in the Company's financial statements at December 31, 20182021 or 2020. The Company is subject to income tax at the federal level and 2017.in the state of New Hampshire. Although the Company is not currently the subject of a taxan examination by the IRS,taxing authorities, the Company's tax years ended December 31, 20152018 through 20172020 are open to examination by the IRS under the applicable statute of limitations. The 20182021 tax return has not yet been filed.


73


The Company may from time to time be assessed interest and/or penalties by federal or state tax jurisdictions, although any such assessments historically have been minimal and immaterial to the Company's financial results. In the event that the Company receives an assessment for interest and/or penalties, it will be classified in the financial statements as Other expenses.


Note 14.16.  Employee Benefit Plans


Defined Benefit Pension401(k) Plan:
In October 2017,Union maintains a tax-qualified defined contribution 401(k) plan under which employees may elect to make tax deferred contributions of up to the Company's Board of Directors votedIRS maximum from their annual salary. All employees meeting service requirements are eligible to terminate Union’s Defined Benefit Pension Plan. The settlement of all assets and liabilities under the Plan was completed by December 31, 2018. Participants were provided distribution options to either purchase an annuity, take a lump-sum cash payment, or do a direct rollover into a qualifying retirement plan. Net periodic pension expense for 2018 includes a settlement lossparticipate in the amount of $4.0 million, resulting in total pension expense of $4.6 million. This expense was partially offset by a reduction in401(k) plan. Union may make employer matching and profit-sharing contributions to the provision for income taxes of $900 thousand as a result401(k) plan at the discretion of the settlementBoard. Company contributions are fully vested after three years of the Plan's assets and liabilities. In future periods, the Company will no longer have any remaining defined benefit pensionservice. The 401(k) plan obligations and thus no periodic pension expense relatedincludes "Safe Harbor" provisions requiring annual nondiscretionary minimum contributions to the Plan.


401(k) plan for all eligible participants in an amount equal to 3% of eligible earnings of each eligible participant. Additionally, in 2021 and 2020 a discretionary profit-sharing contribution was made to the 401(k) plan in an amount equal to 3% percent of each employee's eligible earnings, as defined by the 401(k) plan. The following table sets forth the Plan's obligations and funded status at December 31:
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Change in projected benefit obligation  
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year$20,832
$17,687
Interest cost599
688
Settlement gain(326)
Actuarial (gain) loss(2,667)3,150
Benefits paid(712)(693)
Settlement payments(17,726)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year
20,832
   
Change in fair value of plan assets  
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year18,499
16,631
Actual (loss) return on plan assets(717)1,811
Administrative expenses(194)
Employer contributions850
750
Benefits paid(712)(693)
Settlement payments(17,726)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
18,499
Net liability for pension benefits$
$(2,333)
   
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Accumulated benefit obligation at December 31$
$20,832

The impact of the Plan activity for 2018 and 2017 on OCI is detailed in Note 23.
The Company uses the alternate amortization method for prior service costs, as provided in FASB ASC Topic 715, Employers' Accounting for Pensions.

Net periodic pension benefit for 2018, 2017 and 2016 consisted of the following components:
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation$599
$688
$701
Expected return on plan assets(531)(973)(1,036)
Amortization of net actuarial loss502
204
165
Net periodic pension cost (benefit)$570
$(81)$(170)
Recognized settlement loss4,061


Total net periodic pension cost (benefit)$4,631
$(81)$(170)


The discount rate is not applicable for 2018 as there is no future pension benefit obligation. Weighted average assumptions used to determine the pension benefit obligation at December 31, 2017 and 2016 were a discount rate of 3.52% and 3.99%, respectively. There was no assumed rate of compensation increase for 2017 or 2016 due to the freeze on Plan benefit accruals in 2012.

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic pension cost (benefit)summarizes employer contributions for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016 were a discount rate of 3.52%, 3.99% and 4.17%, respectively, no rate of compensation increase for 2018, 2017 or 2016, and an expected long-term rate of return on plan assets of 3.52%, 6.00% and 6.75% for 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.2020:

20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Employer matching$320 $318 
Profit sharing367 339 
Safe harbor395 382 
Total$1,082 $1,039 



The fair values of the Plan's investments at December 31, 2017 segregated by fair value hierarchy level, are summarized below:
  Fair Value Measurement
  December 31, 2017
 Fair ValueQuoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 (Dollars in thousands)
U.S. Government$7,131
$
$7,131
$
Mutual and exchange traded funds11,368
11,368


Total$18,499
$11,368
$7,131
$

The fair values of the Plan assets were determined by an independent pricing service which, given the nature of the assets within the portfolio, was able to utilize quoted prices in an active market to value the majority of the assets held. The market inputs sought for assets without a specific quote listed, in approximate order of priority, include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data including market research publications that vary by asset class. For certain security types, additional inputs may be used, or some standard inputs may not be applicable. There were no Level 3 assets held by the Plan at any time during 2017.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans: The Company and Union have two nonqualified deferred compensation plans for directors and certain key officers. Theofficers, referred to in this Note as the 2008 Plan replaced a 1990and the 2020 Plan. The Company accrued an expense of $7$7 thousand, and $8 thousand in 2021 and $9 thousand in 2018, 2017 and 2016,2020, respectively, under the 2008 Plan. The benefit obligations under the 2008 Plan represent general unsecured obligations of the Company and no assets are segregated for such payments. However, the Company and Union have purchased life insurance contracts on the lives of each participant in order to recoup the funding costs of these benefits. The benefits accrued under the 2008 Plan aggregated $388$292 thousand and $525$327 thousand at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively, and are included in Accrued interest and other liabilities. The cash surrender value of the life insurance policies purchased to recoup the funding costs under the 2008 Plan aggregated $974 thousand and $986 thousand$1.1 million at December 31, 20182021 and 2017, respectively,2020, and are included in Company-owned life insurance in the Company's consolidated balance sheets.


The 20062020 Plan, waswhich amended and restated an earlier plan adopted for directors and certain key officers. Thein 2006, Plan is a non-qualified defined contribution plan that provides a means by which participants may elect to defer receipt of current compensation from the Company or its subsidiary in order to provide retirement or other benefits as selected in the individual adoption agreements. Although the Plan did not originally allow for employer contributions, the Board subsequently determined that employer contributions may be appropriate in certain circumstances and accordingly amended and restated the plan effective February 1, 2020 to permit such contributions. Participants may select among designated reference investments consisting of investment funds, with the performance of the participant's account mirroring the selected reference investment. Distributions are made only upon a qualifying distribution event, which may include a separation from service, death, disability or unforeseeable emergency, or upon a date specified in the participant's deferral election form. The 2006 Plan is intended to comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. The 20062020 Plan is unfunded, representing a general unsecured obligationobligations of the Company of $558 thousand and $522 thousand$1.1 million as of December 31, 20182021 and 2017, respectively.

401(k) Plan: Union maintains a tax-qualified defined contribution 401(k) plan under which employees may elect to make tax deferred2020, and are included in Accrued interest and other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, including employer contributions of up to the IRS maximum from their annual salary. All employees meeting service requirements are eligible to participate in the plan. Union may make employer matching and profit-sharing contributions to the 401(k) plan at the discretion$24 thousand accrued as of the Board. Company contributions are fully vested after three years of service. The 401(k) plan includes "Safe Harbor" provisions requiring annual nondiscretionary minimum contributions to the plan for all eligible participants in an amount equal to 3% of eligible earnings of each eligible participant. Additionally, in 2018, 2017 and 2016 a discretionary profit-sharing contribution was made to the plan in an amount equal to 3% percent of each employee's eligible earnings, as defined by the plan. The following table summarizes employer contributions for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016:2020.

 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands)
Employer matching$236
$223
$221
Profit sharing279
281
301
Safe harbor304
296
294
Total$819
$800
$816



Note 15.17.  Stock Based Compensation


The Company's current stock-based compensation plan is the Union Bankshares, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. Under the 2014 Equity Plan, 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock are available for equity awards of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock and RSUs to eligible officers and (except for awards of incentive stock options) nonemployee directors. Shares available for issuance of awards under the 2014 Equity Plan consist of unissued shares of the Company’s common stock and/or shares held in treasury. As of December 31, 2018,2021, there were outstanding grants of RSUs under the plan of RSUs and incentive stock options.as noted in the tables below.


RSUs. Each RSU represents the right to receive one1 share of the Company's common stock upon satisfaction of applicable vesting conditions. For each of the awards granted in 2018, 2017,2021 and 2016,2020, 50% of the RSUs awarded were in the form of Time-Based RSUs, which vest over three years, approximately one-third per year on the anniversary of the earned date; and 50% of
74


the RSUs awarded were in the form of Performance-Based RSUs, which are subject to both performance and time based vesting conditions, with vesting of awards over two years, approximately one-half per year on the anniversary of the earned date. Prior to vesting, the RSUs do not earn dividends or dividend equivalents, nor do they bear any voting rights.


The following table presents a summary of RSUs from the 2016, 2017, and 2018respective Award Plan Summaries as of December 31, 2018:2021:
Number of RSUs GrantedWeighted-Average Grant Date Fair ValueNumber of Unvested RSUs
2020 Award8,918 $36.26 1,355 
2021 Award17,685 26.73 10,051 
Total26,60311,406
 Number of RSUs GrantedWeighted-Average Grant Date Fair ValueNumber of Unvested RSUs
2016 Award3,569
$45.45
478
2017 Award3,225
52.95
1,831
2018 Award3,734
47.75
3,734
Total10,528 6,043

Unrecognized compensation expense related to the unvested RSUs was $297 thousand, $283$317 thousand and $248$209 thousand, as of December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016,2020, respectively.
On May 19, 2021, the Company's board of directors, as a component of total director compensation, granted an aggregate of 1,220 RSUs to the Company's non-employee directors. Each RSU represents the right to receive 1 share of the Company's common stock upon satisfaction of applicable vesting conditions. The RSUs will vest in May 2022, subject to continued board service through the vesting date, other than in the case of the director's death or disability. Prior to vesting, the RSUs do not earn dividends or dividend equivalents, nor do they bear any voting rights. Director compensation expense related to this award is estimated to be $41 thousand of which $24 thousand has been recorded for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Incentive stock options. The 2014 Equity Plan replaced the Company's 2008 ISO Plan. There were no options granted in 2018, 2017,2021 or 2016 under the 2014 Equity Plan. As of December 31, 2018, 4,500 incentive stock options2020 under the 2014 Equity Plan and 3,000as of December 31, 2021, there were no incentive stock options grantedoutstanding under the 2008 ISO Plan remained outstanding and exercisable.2014 Equity Plan.

The exercise price of outstanding options under both plans is equal to the market price of the stock at the date of grant; therefore, the intrinsic value of the options at the date of the grant is $0. All outstanding options have a one year requisite service period, vest after one year, and have a seven year contractual term. There was no compensation cost charged against income in 2021 or 2020 for stock options issued under the plans for 2018, 2017, and 2016.2014 Equity Plan or the 2008 ISO Plan.


The following summarizes the stock option activity under the 2014 Equity Plan for the year ended December 31, 2018:2021:
 SharesWeighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
Period
End
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Outstanding at January 1, 20214,500 $24.00   
Exercised(3,000)24.00   
Forfeited/expired(1,500)24.00  
Outstanding at December 31, 2021— 000
 Shares
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
Period
End
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Outstanding at January 1, 20184,500
$24.00
  
Exercised

  
Forfeited/expired

  
Outstanding at December 31, 20184,500
$24.00
2.96107
Exercisable at December 31, 20184,500
$24.00
2.96107



The following summarizes the stock option activity under the 2008 ISO Plan for the year ended December 31, 2018:
 Shares
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
Period
End
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Outstanding at January 1, 20183,000
$22.00
  
Exercised

  
Forfeited/expired

  
Outstanding at December 31, 20183,000
$22.00
1.9677
Exercisable at December 31, 20183,000
$22.00
1.9677


The following summarizes information regarding the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of stock options during 2017 and 2016:the years ended December 31:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Proceeds received$72 $22 
Number of shares exercised3,000 1,000 
Weighted average price per share$24.00 $22.00 
Total intrinsic value of options exercised$27 $14 


75

 20172016
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Proceeds received$19
$56
Number of shares exercised1,000
2,500
Weighted average price per share$19.60
$22.24
Total intrinsic value of options exercised$25
$21

There were no stock options exercised during 2018. As of December 31, 2018, there was no unrecognized compensation cost as all options under both plans were fully vested and exercisable.

Note 16.18.  Earnings Per Share


The following table presents the reconciliation ofbetween the calculation of basic earnings per share EPS and diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016:2020:
20212020
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Net income$13,170 $12,805 
Weighted average common shares outstanding for basic EPS4,483,791 4,474,649 
Dilutive effect of stock-based awards (1)25,157 18,508 
Weighted-average common and potential common shares for diluted EPS4,508,948 4,493,157 
Earnings per common share:
Basic EPS$2.94 $2.86 
Diluted EPS$2.92 $2.85 
 201820172016
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
Weighted average common shares outstanding4,465,675
4,462,192
4,459,001
Basic earnings per share$1.58
$1.89
$1.91
____________________
Basic earnings per share were computed by dividing net income by(1)Dilutive effect of stock based awards represents the weighted average numbereffect of shares outstanding during the year. There were incentiveassumed exercise of stock options with respect to 7,500 shares outstanding at December 31, 2018 and 2017, and 8,500 shares outstanding at December 31, 2016, excluded from the computationvesting of diluted earnings per share since dilution resulting from theserestricted stock options is immaterial.units. Unvested awards do not have dividend or dividend equivalent rights.


Note 17.19.  Financial Instruments With Off-Balance-Sheet Risk


The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers and to reduce its own exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, interest rate caps and floors written on adjustable-rate loans, commitments to participate in or sell loans, commitments to buy or sell securities, guarantees on certain sold loans and risk-sharing commitments on certain sold loans under the MPF program with the FHLB. At December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, the Company had binding loan commitments to sell residential mortgage loans at fixed rates totaling $2.7 million and $4.2$18.3 million, respectively. The fair value adjustment of these commitments is not material to the Company's financial statements.
Such instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet. The contract or notional amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular


classes of financial instruments and the potential impact on the Company's future financial position, financial performance and cash flow.
The Company's exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual notional amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance-sheet instruments. For interest rate caps and floors embedded in adjustable-rate loans, the contract or notional amounts do not represent exposure to credit loss. The Company controls the risk of interest rate cap agreements through credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures. Interest rate caps and floors on adjustable rate loans permit the Company to manage its interest rate risk and cash flow risk on these loans within parameters established by Company policy.
The Company generally requires collateral or other security to support financial instruments with credit risk. The following table shows financial instruments outstanding whose contract amount represents credit risk at December 31:
 Contract or
Notional Amount
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Commitments to originate loans$48,910 $61,431 
Unused lines of credit168,442 132,502 
Standby and commercial letters of credit2,158 3,115 
Credit card arrangements170 308 
MPF credit enhancement obligation, net (See Note 20)818 728 
Commitment to purchase investment in a real estate limited partnership4,574 2,000 
        Total$225,072 $200,084 
76

 
Contract or
Notional Amount
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Commitments to originate loans$22,673
$25,394
Unused lines of credit109,457
85,906
Standby and commercial letters of credit2,308
2,064
Credit card arrangements259
1,326
MPF credit enhancement obligation, net (See Note 18)684
640
Commitment for purchase of Jericho branch property1,220

Commitment for construction of Williston branch3,208

Commitment to purchase investment in a real estate limited partnership
1,470
Contract commitment for renovation project
662
        Total$139,809
$117,462

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer at either a fixed or variable interest rate as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates within 90 days of the commitment. Unused lines of credit are generally renewable at least annually except for home equity lines which usually have a specified draw period followed by a specified repayment period. Unused lines may have other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee.
Since many of the commitments and lines are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each customer's credit worthinesscreditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company, upon issuance of a commitment to extend credit is based on management's credit evaluation of the customer. Collateral held varies but may include real estate, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment and income-producing commercial properties.
Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are issued to support the customer's private borrowing arrangements or guarantee the customer's contractual performance on behalf of a third party. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loans to customers and the Company evaluates each customer's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The fair value of standby letters of credit has not been included in the Company's consolidated balance sheet for either year as the fair value is immaterial.
The Company did not hold or issue derivative instruments or hedging instruments during the years ended December 31, 20182021 and 2017.2020.


Note 18.20. Commitments and Contingencies
Contingent Liabilities: The Company sells 1-4 family residential mortgage loans under the MPF program with FHLB (See Note 17)19). Under this program, the Company shares in the credit risk of each mortgage loan, while receiving fee income in return. The Company is responsible for a Credit Enhancement Obligation based on the credit quality of these loans. FHLB funds a First Loss Account based on the Company's outstanding MPF mortgage loan balances. This creates a laddered approach to sharing in any losses. In the event of default, homeowner's equity and private mortgage insurance, if any, are the first sources of repayment; the FHLB First Loss Account funds are then utilized, followed by the member's Credit Enhancement Obligation, with the balance the responsibility of FHLB. These loans meet specific underwriting standards of the FHLB. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the Company


had sold $30.6$33.5 million in loans through the MPF program since inception of its participation in the program, with an outstanding principal balance of $15.5$9.5 million as of such date.


The volume of loans sold to the MPF program and the corresponding credit obligationCredit Enhancement Obligation are closely monitored by management. As of December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, the notional amount of the maximum contingent contractual liability related to this program was $702$837 thousand and $665$747 thousand, respectively, of which $18 thousand and $25$19 thousand had been recorded as a reserve through Accrued interest and other liabilities at December 31, 20182021 and 2017, respectively.2020.


Legal Contingencies: In the normal course of business, the Company is involved in various legal and other proceedings. In the opinion of management, any liability resulting from such proceedings is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.


Note 19.21. Fair Value Measurement
The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for the Company’s assets that are measured on a recurring basis at estimated fair value:
Investment securities available-for-saleAFS: TheCertain U.S. Treasury notes have been valued using unadjusted quoted prices from active markets and therefore have been classified as Level 1. However, the majority of the Company’s AFS investment securities have been valued utilizing Level 2 inputs. For these securities, the Company obtains fair value measurements from an independent pricing service. The fair value measurements consider observable data that may include market maker bids, quotes and pricing models. Inputs to the pricing models include recent trades, benchmark interest rates, spreads and actual and projected cash flows.
Mutual funds: Mutual funds have been valued using unadjusted quoted prices from active markets and therefore have been classified as Level 1.

77


Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, segregated by fair value hierarchy level, are summarized below:
 Fair Value Measurement
 Fair
Value
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
December 31, 2021:(Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale    
Debt securities:
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$36,638 $2,875 $33,763 $— 
Agency MBS178,250 — 178,250 — 
State and political subdivisions45,254 — 45,254 — 
Corporate7,677 — 7,677 — 
Total debt securities$267,819 $2,875 $264,944 $— 
Other investments:
Mutual funds$1,132 $1,132 $— $— 
December 31, 2020:(Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale
Debt securities:
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$6,548 $— $6,548 $— 
Agency MBS62,352 — 62,352 — 
State and political subdivisions28,461 — 28,461 — 
Corporate8,402 — 8,402 — 
Total debt securities$105,763 $— $105,763 $— 
Other investments:
Mutual funds$1,047 $1,047 $— $— 
 Fair Value Measurement
 
Fair
Value
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
Significant Other Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
December 31, 2018:(Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale    
Debt securities:    
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$6,321
$
$6,321
$
Agency MBS36,252

36,252

State and political subdivisions23,171

23,171

Corporate7,661

7,661

Total debt securities$73,405
$
$73,405
$
     
Other investments:    
Mutual funds$556
$556
$
$
     
December 31, 2017:    
Investment securities available-for-sale    
Debt securities:    
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises$7,695
$
$7,695
$
Agency MBS28,116

28,116

State and political subdivisions24,714

24,714

Corporate4,393

4,393

Total debt securities64,918

64,918

Mutual funds521
521


Total$65,439
$521
$64,918
$




There were no transfers in or out of Levels 1 and 2 forduring the yearyears ended December 31, 2018,2021 and 2020, nor were there any Level 3 assets at any time during the period.those periods. Certain other assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, that is, the instruments are not measured at fair value on an ongoing basis but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances (for example, when there is evidence of impairment). Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in periods after initial recognition, such as collateral-dependent impaired loans HTM investment securities,and MSRs, and OREO, were not considered material at December 31, 20182021 or 2017.2020. The Company has not elected to apply the fair value method to any financial assets or liabilities other than those situations where other accounting pronouncements require fair value measurements.
FASB ASC Topic 825, Financial Instruments, requires disclosure of the estimated fair value of financial instruments. Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices. However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for the Company’s various financial instruments. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. Management’s estimates and assumptions are inherently subjective and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment. Changes in assumptions could dramatically affect the estimated fair values.
Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument. Certain financial instruments and all nonfinancial instruments may be excluded from disclosure requirements. Thus, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the actual underlying fair value of such instruments of the Company.



78


As of the balance sheet dates, the estimated fair values and related carrying amounts of the Company's significant financial instruments were as follows:
December 31, 2021
Fair Value Measurement
Carrying
Amount
Estimated Fair
Value
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(Dollars in thousands)
Financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents$65,922 $65,922 $65,922 $— $— 
Interest bearing deposits in banks13,196 13,196 — 13,196 — 
Investment securities268,951 268,951 4,007 264,944 — 
Loans held for sale13,829 14,088 — 14,088 — 
Loans, net
Residential real estate244,980 246,573 — — 246,573 
Construction real estate64,370 64,539 — — 64,539 
Commercial real estate340,066 341,451 — — 341,451 
Commercial49,558 48,682 — — 48,682 
Consumer2,367 2,350 — — 2,350 
Municipal78,078 78,748 — — 78,748 
Accrued interest receivable3,248 3,248 — 734 2,514 
Nonmarketable equity securities1,164 N/AN/AN/AN/A
Financial liabilities
Deposits
Noninterest bearing264,888 264,888 264,888 — — 
Interest bearing723,479 723,479 723,479 — — 
Time106,715 106,588 — 106,588 — 
Subordinated notes16,171 16,179 — 16,179 — 
Accrued interest payable225 225 — 225 — 
79


 December 31, 2018
 Fair Value Measurement
 
Carrying
Amount
Estimated Fair
Value
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 (Dollars in thousands)
Financial assets     
Cash and cash equivalents$37,289
$37,289
$37,289
$
$
Interest bearing deposits in banks9,300
9,177

9,177

Investment securities73,961
73,961
556
73,405

Loans held for sale2,899
2,954

2,954

Loans, net     
Residential real estate186,225
183,836


183,836
Construction real estate54,786
54,694


54,694
Commercial real estate273,609
272,187


272,187
Commercial46,943
45,713


45,713
Consumer3,223
3,193


3,193
Municipal72,874
72,689


72,689
Accrued interest receivable2,812
2,812

423
2,389
Nonmarketable equity securities2,376
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Financial liabilities     
Deposits     
Noninterest bearing132,971
132,971
132,971


Interest bearing444,722
444,722
444,722


Time129,077
127,554

127,554

Borrowed funds     
Short-term370
370
370


Long-term27,451
27,374

27,374

Accrued interest payable203
203

203




December 31, 2017December 31, 2020
Fair Value MeasurementFair Value Measurement
Carrying
Amount
Estimated Fair
Value
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
Carrying
Amount
Estimated Fair
Value
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
Financial assets Financial assets
Cash and cash equivalents$38,508
$38,508
$38,508
$
$
Cash and cash equivalents$122,771 $122,771 $122,771 $— $— 
Interest bearing deposits in banks9,352
9,333

9,333

Interest bearing deposits in banks12,699 12,699 — 12,699 — 
Investment securities66,439
66,438
521
65,917

Investment securities106,810 106,810 1,047 105,763 — 
Loans held for sale7,947
8,111

8,111

Loans held for sale32,188 33,437 — 33,437 — 
Loans, net Loans, net
Residential real estate177,880
178,818


178,818
Residential real estate181,355 185,890 — — 185,890 
Construction real estate42,505
42,069


42,069
Construction real estate56,643 56,882 — — 56,882 
Commercial real estate251,566
248,746


248,746
Commercial real estate315,522 324,085 — — 324,085 
Commercial50,393
49,132


49,132
Commercial108,382 106,358 — — 106,358 
Consumer3,869
3,919


3,919
Consumer2,586 2,557 — — 2,557 
Municipal55,789
55,778


55,778
Municipal98,264 98,973 — — 98,973 
Accrued interest receivable2,500
2,500

395
2,105
Accrued interest receivable4,129 4,129 — 446 3,683 
Nonmarketable equity securities2,331
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Nonmarketable equity securities1,150 N/A
Financial liabilities Financial liabilities
Deposits Deposits
Noninterest bearing127,824
127,824
127,824


Noninterest bearing215,245 215,245 215,245 — — 
Interest bearing418,621
418,621
418,621


Interest bearing637,369 637,369 637,369 — — 
Time101,129
99,967

99,967

Time141,688 142,605 — 142,605 — 
Borrowed funds Borrowed funds
Short-term1,365
1,364
1,364


Long-term30,216
29,039

29,039

Long-term7,164 7,585 — 7,585 — 
Accrued interest payable97
97

97

Accrued interest payable108 108 — 108 — 
The carrying amounts in the preceding tables are included in the consolidated balance sheets under the applicable captions.


Note 20.22.  Transactions with Related Parties
The Company has had, and may beis expected to have in the future, banking transactions in the ordinary course of business with principal stockholders, directors, principal officers, their immediate families and affiliated companies in which they are principal stockholders (commonly referred to as related parties), all of which have been, in. In the opinion of management, these transactions were made on the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with unrelated parties and which do not represent more than the normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.
Aggregate loan transactions with related parties for the years ended December 31 were as follows:
 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)
Balance, January 1,$731 $1,300 
    New loans and advances on lines2,050 1,632 
    Repayments(1,635)(1,222)
    Other, net— (979)
Balance, December 31,$1,146 $731 
Balance available on lines of credit or loan commitments$571 $1,123 
80

 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Balance, January 1,$961
$475
    New loans and advances on lines827
945
    Repayments(1,039)(459)
Balance, December 31,$749
$961
Balance available on lines of credit or loan commitments$693
$669



There were no loans to related parties that were past due, in nonaccrual status or that had been restructured to provide a reduction or deferral of interest or principal because of deterioration in the financial position of the borrower, or that were considered classified at December 31, 20182021 or 2017.2020.
Deposit accounts with related parties were $1.2$1.6 million and $969 thousand$1.1 million at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively. Union's Asset Management Group also invested $397$204 thousand and $472$266 thousand in certificates of deposit with Union at December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively.


Note 21.23.  Regulatory Capital Requirements


The Company (on a consolidated basis) and Union are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary, actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company's and Union's financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Company and Union must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Company's and Union's capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings and other factors.
Under the current guidelines, banking organizations must have a minimum total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0%, a minimum Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 6.0%, a minimum common equity Tier I risk-based capital ratio of 4.5%, and a minimum leverage ratio of 4.0% in order to be "adequately capitalized." In addition to these requirements, banking organizations must maintain a 2.5% capital conservation buffer consisting of common Tier I equity, subject to a transition schedule. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company and the Bank were required to maintain a capital conservation buffer of 1.875%, increasing the minimum required total risk-based capital, Tier I risk-based and common equity Tier I capital to risk-weighted assets they must maintain to avoid limits on capital distributions and certain bonus payments to executive officers and similar employees. The fully phased-in 2.5% capital conservation buffer became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019.
In May 2018, theThe Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act was signed into law. This act rolls back certain provisions of 2018 directed the Dodd-Frank Actfederal banking regulators to adopt rules providing for a simplified regulatory capital framework for qualifying community banking organizations. In September 2019, the banking regulators finalized a rule that introduced the community bank leverage ratio (CBLR) framework as an optional simplified measure of 2010 providing relief to all butcapital adequacy for qualifying institutions. Beginning with the largest banking organizations in the United States. AMarch 31, 2020 regulatory capital calculation, a banking organization with a Tier I leverage ratio greater than 9.0%, less than $10 billion in average consolidated assets, and limited amounts of off-balance sheet exposures and trading assets and liabilities may be exempt from current leverageopt into the CBLR framework and risk-based capital ratio requirements if it maintains a community bank leverage ratio ("CBLR") above a threshold to be set by federal banking regulators between eight and 10 percent. The banking organization will be deemed "well capitalized" if it meetsand will not be required to report or calculate risk-based capital. A community banking organization that does not meet the CBLR.requirements for use of the simplified CBLR framework will continue to calculate its regulatory capital ratios under existing guidelines. A provision of the CARES Act temporarily lowered the minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio to 8.0% for a banking organization to elect to use the CBLR framework, with a phased increase back to 9.0% by the end of 2021. As of December 31, 2018,2021, the banking regulators had not yet taken final action to establish the percentageTier I leverage ratio was 7.12% and 8.44% for the CBLR.Company and Union, respectively.
The Company and Bank'sUnion's risk-based capital ratios exceeded regulatory guidelines at December 31, 20182021 and December 31, 2017,2020, and, specifically, the BankUnion was "well capitalized" under Prompt Corrective Action provisions for each period. There were no conditions or events that occurred subsequent to December 31, 20182021 that would change the CompanyCompany's or Bank'sUnion's regulatory capital categorization.
81


Union's and the Company's regulatory capital amounts and ratios as of the balance sheet dates are presented in the following tables:
 ActualFor Capital
Adequacy
Purposes
To Be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective
Action Provisions
As of December 31, 2021AmountRatioAmountRatioAmountRatio
Company:(Dollars in thousands)
Total capital to risk weighted assets$108,175 15.39 %$56,231 8.00 %N/AN/A
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets83,668 11.90 %42,186 6.00 %N/AN/A
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets83,668 11.90 %31,639 4.50 %N/AN/A
Tier 1 capital to average assets83,668 7.12 %47,004 4.00 %N/AN/A
Union:
Total capital to risk weighted assets$107,480 15.31 %$56,162 8.00 %$70,202 10.00 %
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets99,144 14.12 %42,129 6.00 %56,172 8.00 %
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets99,144 14.12 %31,597 4.50 %45,640 6.50 %
Tier 1 capital to average assets99,144 8.44 %46,988 4.00 %58,735 5.00 %
ActualFor Capital
Adequacy
Purposes
To be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective
Action Provisions
Actual
For Capital
Adequacy
Purposes
To Be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective
Action Provisions
As of December 31, 2018AmountRatioAmountRatioAmountRatio
As of December 31, 2020As of December 31, 2020AmountRatioAmountRatioAmountRatio
Company:(Dollars in thousands)Company:(Dollars in thousands)
Total capital to risk weighted assets$68,616
12.86%$42,685
8.00%N/A
N/A
Total capital to risk weighted assets$83,464 13.87 %$48,141 8.00 %N/A
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets62,877
11.78%32,026
6.00%N/A
N/A
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets75,933 12.62 %36,101 6.00 %N/A
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets62,877
11.78%24,019
4.50%N/A
N/A
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets75,933 12.62 %27,076 4.50 %N/A
Tier 1 capital to average assets62,877
8.03%31,321
4.00%N/A
N/A
Tier 1 capital to average assets75,933 7.31 %41,550 4.00 %N/A


 



  
Union:      Union:
Total capital to risk weighted assets$68,305
12.82%$42,624
8.00%$53,280
10.00%Total capital to risk weighted assets$82,842 13.79 %$48,059 8.00 %$60,074 10.00 %
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets62,566
11.75%31,949
6.00%42,598
8.00%Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets75,324 12.54 %36,040 6.00 %48,054 8.00 %
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets62,566
11.75%23,961
4.50%34,611
6.50%Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets75,324 12.54 %27,030 4.50 %39,044 6.50 %
Tier 1 capital to average assets62,566
8.00%31,283
4.00%39,104
5.00%Tier 1 capital to average assets75,324 7.26 %41,501 4.00 %51,876 5.00 %


 Actual
For Capital
Adequacy
Purposes
To be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective
Action Provisions
As of December 31, 2017AmountRatioAmountRatioAmountRatio
Company:(Dollars in thousands)
Total capital to risk weighted assets$66,472
13.66%$38,929
8.00%N/A
N/A
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets61,064
12.55%29,194
6.00%N/A
N/A
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets61,064
12.55%21,895
4.50%N/A
N/A
Tier 1 capital to average assets61,064
8.46%28,872
4.00%N/A
N/A
 











Union:

 



  
Total capital to risk weighted assets$66,212
13.64%$38,834
8.00%$48,543
10.00%
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets60,804
12.52%29,139
6.00%38,852
8.00%
Common Equity Tier 1 to risk weighted assets60,804
12.52%21,854
4.50%31,568
6.50%
Tier 1 capital to average assets60,804
8.43%28,851
4.00%36,064
5.00%


Dividends paid by Union are the primary source of funds available to the Company for payment of dividends to its stockholders. Union is subject to certain requirements imposed by federal banking laws and regulations, which among other things, establish minimum levels of capital and restrict the amount of dividends that may be distributed by Union to the Company.


Note 22.24.  Treasury Stock
The basis for the carrying value of the Company's treasury stock is the purchase price of the shares at the time of purchase. The Company maintains a limited stock repurchase plan which authorizes the repurchase of up to 2,500 shares of its common stock each calendar quarter in open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions, as management may deem advisable and as market conditions may warrant. The repurchase authorization for a calendar quarter expires at the end of that quarter to the extent it has not been exercised, and is not carried forward into future quarters. The quarterly repurchase program, which was initially adopted in 2010, was most recently reauthorized in December 2018January 2022 and will expire on December 31, 20192022 unless reauthorized. The Company repurchased 2,209 shares under this program, at a total cost of $107 thousand during 2018, while 1,43097 shares, at a total cost of $60$2 thousand, under this program during 2021, while no shares were repurchased under the program during 2017.2020. Since inception, the Company had repurchased 17,39317,790 shares of its common stock as of December 31, 2018,2021, at prices ranging from $17.86$17.86 to $48.82$48.82 per share and at a total cost of $458$474 thousand.
The Company maintains a Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (DRIP) whereby registered stockholders may elect to reinvest cash dividends and optional cash contributions to purchase additional shares of the Company's common stock. The Company has reserved 200,000 shares of its common stock for issuance and sale under the DRIP. As of December 31, 2018, 1,4602021, 5,430 shares of stock had been issued from treasury stock under the DRIP, since inception.inception of the Plan in 2016.
82




Note 23.25. Other Comprehensive LossIncome
The components of Accumulated OCI, net of tax, at December 31 were:
20212020
 (Dollars in thousands)
Net unrealized (loss) gain on investment securities available-for-sale$(1,552)$2,636 
 20182017
 (Dollars in thousands)
Net unrealized loss on investment securities available-for-sale$(1,023)$(301)
Defined benefit pension plan net unrealized actuarial loss
(4,795)
Total$(1,023)$(5,096)



The following table discloses the tax effects allocated to each component of OCI for the years ended:
 December 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Before-Tax AmountTax (Expense) or BenefitNet-of-Tax AmountBefore-Tax AmountTax (Expense) or BenefitNet-of-Tax Amount
 (Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale:
Net unrealized holding (losses) gains arising during the year on investment securities available-for-sale$(5,300)$1,112 $(4,188)$2,099 $(440)$1,659 
Reclassification adjustment for net gains on investment securities available-for-sale realized in net income— — — (11)(9)
Total other comprehensive (loss) income$(5,300)$1,112 $(4,188)$2,088 $(438)$1,650 
 December 31, 2018December 31, 2017December 31, 2016
 Before-Tax AmountTax (Expense) or Benefit (1)Net-of-Tax AmountBefore-Tax AmountTax (Expense) or Benefit (1)Net-of-Tax AmountBefore-Tax AmountTax (Expense) or Benefit (1)Net-of-Tax Amount
 (Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale:         
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the year on investment securities available-for-sale$(905)$191
$(714)$641
$(218)$423
$(894)$304
$(590)
Reclassification adjustment for net gains on investment securities available-for-sale realized in net income(10)2
(8)(17)6
(11)(71)24
(47)
Total(915)193
(722)624
(212)412
(965)328
(637)
Defined benefit pension plan:         
Net actuarial gain (loss) arising during the year1,546
(325)1,221
(2,311)786
(1,525)(680)231
(449)
Reclassification adjustment for amortization of net actuarial loss realized in net income502
(105)397
203
(69)134
165
(56)109
Reclassification adjustment for recognized settlement loss4,022
(845)3,177






Total6,070
(1,275)4,795
(2,108)717
(1,391)(515)175
(340)
Total other comprehensive loss$5,155
$(1,082)$4,073
$(1,484)$505
$(979)$(1,480)$503
$(977)
__________________
(1)Tax expense/benefit is calculated using a marginal tax rate of 21% and 34% for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.


The following table discloses information concerning the reclassification adjustments from OCI for the years ended December 31:
Reclassification Adjustment Description20212020Affected Line Item in
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Dollars in thousands)
Investment securities available-for-sale:
Net gains on investment securities available-for-sale$— $(11)Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale
Tax benefit— Provision for income taxes
Total reclassifications$— $(9)Net income

Reclassification Adjustment Description201820172016
Affected Line Item in
Consolidated Statements of Income
 (Dollars in thousands) 
Investment securities available-for-sale:    
Net gains on investment securities available-for-sale$(10)$(17)$(71)Net gains on sales of investment securities available-for-sale
Tax benefit (1)2
6
24
Provision for income taxes
 (8)(11)(47)Net income
Defined benefit pension plan:    
Net actuarial loss502
203
165
Pension expense (benefit)
Recognized settlement loss4,022


Pension expense (benefit)
 4,524
203
165
Income before provision for income taxes
Tax expense (1)(950)(69)(56)Provision for income taxes
 3,574
134
109
Net income
Total reclassifications$3,566
$123
$62
Net income
__________________
(1)Tax expense/benefit is calculated using a marginal tax rate of 21% and 34% for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Note 24.26. Subsequent Events
Events occurring subsequent to December 31, 20182021 have been evaluated as to their potential impact on the consolidated financial statements.


On January 16, 2019,19, 2022, the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.31$0.35 per share for the quarter, an increase of 3.3%6.1% from the cash dividend of $0.30$0.33 paid in recent prior quarters. The dividend is payable February 7, 20193, 2022 to shareholders of record as of January 28, 2019.29, 2022.
















83


Note 25.27.  Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company Only)
The following condensed financial statements are for Union Bankshares, Inc. (Parent Company Only), and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary.

UNION BANKSHARES, INC. (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, 20182021 and 20172020
20182017 20212020
(Dollars in thousands)(Dollars in thousands)
ASSETS ASSETS 
Cash$48
$77
Cash$342 $93 
Investment securities available-for-sale
99
Other investments67

Other investments73 60 
Investment in subsidiary - Union64,180
58,401
Investment in subsidiary - Union99,817 80,257 
Other assets767
843
Other assets837 869 
Total assets$65,062
$59,420
Total assets$101,069 $81,279 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 
LIABILITIES LIABILITIES 
Subordinated notesSubordinated notes$16,171 $— 
Other liabilities$571
$759
Other liabilities557 412 
Total liabilities571
759
Total liabilities16,728 412 
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 
Common stock, $2.00 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 4,943,690 shares
issued at December 31, 2018 and 4,940,961 shares issued at December 31, 2017
9,888
9,882
Common stock, $2.00 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 4,967,093 shares
issued at December 31, 2021 and 4,954,732 shares issued at December 31, 2020
Common stock, $2.00 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 4,967,093 shares
issued at December 31, 2021 and 4,954,732 shares issued at December 31, 2020
9,934 9,910 
Additional paid-in capital894
755
Additional paid-in capital1,769 1,393 
Retained earnings58,911
57,197
Retained earnings78,350 71,097 
Treasury stock at cost; 477,011 shares at December 31, 2018 and 475,385 shares
at December 31, 2017
(4,179)(4,077)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(1,023)(5,096)
Treasury stock at cost; 473,438 shares at December 31, 2021 and 474,632 shares
at December 31, 2020
Treasury stock at cost; 473,438 shares at December 31, 2021 and 474,632 shares
at December 31, 2020
(4,160)(4,169)
Accumulated other comprehensive incomeAccumulated other comprehensive income(1,552)2,636 
Total stockholders' equity64,491
58,661
Total stockholders' equity84,341 80,867 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$65,062
$59,420
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$101,069 $81,279 
The investment in subsidiary is carried under the equity method of accounting. The investment in subsidiary and cash, which is on deposit with Union, have been eliminated in consolidation.




84


UNION BANKSHARES, INC. (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020
 20212020
Revenues(Dollars in thousands)
Dividends - bank subsidiary - Union$5,400 $6,350 
Other income26 28 
Total revenues5,426 6,378 
Expenses  
Interest17 18 
Interest on subordinated notes200 — 
Administrative and other583 539 
        Total expenses800 557 
Income before applicable income tax benefit and equity in undistributed
  net income of subsidiary
4,626 5,821 
Applicable income tax benefit(164)(113)
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiary4,790 5,934 
Equity in undistributed net income - Union8,380 6,871 
Net income$13,170 $12,805 

85

 201820172016
Revenues(Dollars in thousands)
Dividends - bank subsidiary - Union$5,625
$5,550
$5,050
Other income254
30
40
Total revenues5,879
5,580
5,090
Expenses   
Interest18
27
25
Administrative and other419
400
441
        Total expenses437
427
466
Income before applicable income tax benefit and equity in undistributed
  net income of subsidiary
5,442
5,153
4,624
Applicable income tax benefit(89)(59)(153)
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiary5,531
5,212
4,777
Equity in undistributed net income - Union1,541
3,237
3,734
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511

UNION BANKSHARES, INC. (PARENT COMPANY ONLY)
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years Ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020
 20212020
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES(Dollars in thousands)
Net income$13,170 $12,805 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:  
Equity in undistributed net income of Union(8,380)(6,871)
Amortization of debt issuance costs11 — 
Decrease (increase) in other assets32 (157)
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities76 (30)
Net cash provided by operating activities4,909 5,747 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES  
Investment in Union(15,000)— 
Purchases of other investments(13)(33)
Net cash used in investing activities(15,013)(33)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES  
Proceeds from issuance of subordinated notes16,500 — 
Debt issuance costs incurred with issuance of subordinated notes(340)— 
Dividends paid(5,877)(5,689)
Issuance of common stock72 22 
Purchase of treasury stock(2)— 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities10,353 (5,667)
Net increase in cash249 47 
Cash, beginning of year93 46 
Cash, end of year$342 $93 
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information  
Interest paid$17 $18 
Dividends paid on Common Stock:
Dividends declared$5,917 $5,727 
Dividends reinvested(40)(38)
$5,877 $5,689 

 201820172016
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES(Dollars in thousands)
Net income$7,072
$8,449
$8,511
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:   
Equity in undistributed net income of Union(1,541)(3,237)(3,734)
(Increase) decrease in other assets(205)(70)38
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities(233)80
(45)
Net cash provided by operating activities5,093
5,222
4,770
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES   
Proceeds from sale of investment securities available-for-sale44
17
16
Purchases of investment securities available-for-sale(12)(19)(4)
Proceeds of Company-owned life insurance death benefit281

99
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities313
(2)111
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES   
Dividends paid(5,328)(5,151)(4,939)
Issuance of common stock
19
56
Purchase of treasury stock(107)(60)(6)
Net cash used in financing activities(5,435)(5,192)(4,889)
Net (decrease) increase in cash(29)28
(8)
Cash, beginning of year77
49
57
Cash, end of year$48
$77
$49
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information   
Interest paid$18
$27
$25
Dividends paid on Common Stock:   
Dividends declared$5,358
$5,176
$4,949
Dividends reinvested(30)(25)(10)
 $5,328
$5,151
$4,939

86





Note 26.28.  Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)


A summary of consolidated financial data for each of the four quarters of 2018, 20172021 and 20162020 is presented below:
 Quarters in 2021 Ended
 March 31,June 30,Sept. 30,Dec 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and dividend income$9,500 $9,898 $9,852 $10,023 
Interest expense1,101 979 706 779 
Net interest income8,399 8,919 9,146 9,244 
Provision (credit) for loan losses150 75 — (225)
Noninterest income2,621 3,139 4,201 3,002 
Noninterest expenses7,453 8,389 8,548 8,465 
Net income2,876 2,991 3,925 3,378 
Basic earnings per common share$0.64 $0.67 $0.87 $0.76 
Diluted earnings per common share$0.64 $0.66 $0.87 $0.75 
 Quarters in 2020 Ended
 March 31,June 30,Sept. 30,Dec 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and dividend income$8,963 $9,139 $9,343 $9,305 
Interest expense1,457 1,361 1,158 1,171 
Net interest income7,506 7,778 8,185 8,134 
Provision for loan losses300 500 800 600 
Noninterest income2,518 2,988 5,508 4,989 
Noninterest expenses7,172 7,111 7,995 7,904 
Net income2,196 2,668 4,147 3,794 
Basic earnings per common share$0.49 $0.60 $0.92 $0.85 
Diluted earnings per common share$0.49 $0.59 $0.92 $0.85 

 Quarters in 2018 Ended
 March 31,June 30,Sept. 30,Dec 31,
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and dividend income$7,571
$7,943
$8,095
$8,571
Interest expense647
731
1,086
1,117
Net interest income6,924
7,212
7,009
7,454
Provision for loan losses
150
150
150
Noninterest income2,471
2,152
2,452
2,398
Noninterest expenses6,135
6,318
6,547
10,363
Net income2,747
2,450
2,311
(436)
Earnings per common share$0.62
$0.54
$0.52
$(0.10)

 Quarters in 2017 Ended
 March 31,June 30,Sept. 30,Dec 31,
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and dividend income$6,839
$7,101
$7,397
$7,680
Interest expense537
516
587
615
Net interest income6,302
6,585
6,810
7,065
Provision for loan losses

150
50
Noninterest income2,233
2,333
2,506
2,323
Noninterest expenses5,941
5,871
5,941
6,152
Net income1,930
2,227
2,370
1,922
Earnings per common share$0.43
$0.50
$0.53
$0.43

 Quarters in 2016 Ended
 March 31,June 30,Sept. 30,Dec 31,
 (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest and dividend income$6,448
$6,688
$6,786
$6,914
Interest expense513
519
471
558
Net interest income5,935
6,169
6,315
6,356
Provision for loan losses75
75


Noninterest income2,186
2,597
2,804
2,553
Noninterest expenses5,703
5,808
6,024
6,121
Net income1,759
2,139
2,268
2,345
Earnings per common share$0.39
$0.48
$0.51
$0.53



Note 27.29. Other Noninterest Income and Other Noninterest Expenses


The components of other noninterest income and other noninterest expenses which are in excess of one percent of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 20162020 were as follows:
20212020
Income(Dollars in thousands)
Income from mortgage servicing rights, net$243 $542 
Other income461 411 
Total other income$704 $953 
Expenses
Vermont franchise tax$968 $759 
Professional fees922 774 
ATM network and debit card expense898 800 
FDIC insurance assessment644 443 
Advertising and public relations530 544 
Director and advisory board fees524 505 
Other expenses3,991 3,695 
Total other expenses$8,477 $7,520 
87
 201820172016
Income(Dollars in thousands)
Income from life insurance$488
$244
$339
Other income226
141
224
Total other income$714
$385
$563
    
Expenses   
ATM and debit card expense$690
$698
$639
Advertising and public relations456
469
507
Vermont franchise tax620
582
555
Professional fees625
573
731
Trust expenses347
362
409
Director and advisory board fees450
405
368
Other expenses3,562
3,228
3,341
Total other expenses$6,750
$6,317
$6,550




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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



Board of Directors and Stockholders
Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary


Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting


We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary (the Company) as of December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year periodthen ended, December 31, 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in the Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 20182021 and 2017,2020, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year periodthen ended, December 31, 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.


Basis for Opinion


The Company's management is responsible for theseThese financial statements for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessmentare the responsibility of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report over Internal Control over Financial Reporting.Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements and an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB")(PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.


We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the auditsaudit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effectivefraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits,we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, was maintained in all material respects.but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.


Our audits of the financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.opinion.


Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

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88



Board of Directors and Stockholders
Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary
Page 2




DefinitionAllowance for Loan Losses

As described in Notes 1, 6 and Limitations7 to the Company's consolidated financial statements, the Company has a gross loan portfolio of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company's internal control over financial reporting$787.1 million and related allowance for loan losses of $8.3 million as of December 31, 2021. The Company's allowance for loan losses is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regardingmaterial and complex estimate requiring significant management judgment in the reliabilityevaluation of financial reportingthe credit quality and the preparationestimation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain toinherent losses within the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositionsloan portfolio. The level of the assetsallowance for loan losses is based on management’s periodic evaluation of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparationloan portfolio, credit concentrations, trends in historical loss experience, estimated value of financial statementsany underlying collateral,specific impaired loans and economic conditions. Changes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets thatthese assumptions could have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.results. The allowance for loan losses includes a general reserve which is determined based on the results of a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of all loans not measured for impairment at the reporting date.


BecauseThe general component of the allowance for loan losses is based on historical loss experience, adjusted for qualitative factors, for each class of loans with similar risk characteristics. The Company considers relevant credit quality indicators for each loan class, stratifies loans by risk rating, and estimates losses for each loan class based upon their nature and risk profile. This process requires significant management judgment in the review of the loan portfolio and assignment of risk ratings based upon the characteristics of loans. The qualitative factors determined for each loan class are subjectively selected by management using certain objective measurements period over period. The qualitative factors are adjusted based on management’s assessment and include changes in loan underwriting, economic and market conditions,portfolio composition, collateral values, delinquencies, lender experience and legal and regulatory issues.Auditing these complex judgments and assumptions involves especially challenging auditor judgment due to the nature and extent of audit evidence and effort required to address these matters, including the extent of specialized skill or knowledge needed.

The primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter included:

Testing the design of controls relating to management's review of loans, assignment of risk ratings,and consistency of application of accounting policies.
Evaluating the reasonableness of assumptions and sources of data used by management informing the qualitative loss factors by performing retrospective review of historic loan loss experience and analyzing data used in developing the assumptions, including assessment of whether there were additional qualitative considerations relevant to the loan portfolio.
Evaluating the appropriateness of inputs and factors that the Company used in forming the qualitative loss factors and assessing whether such inputs and factors were relevant, reliable, and reasonable for the purpose used.
Evaluating the appropriateness of the Company's loan risk rating policy and testing the consistency of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not preventapplication.
Evaluating the appropriateness of specific reserves for impaired loans.
Verifying the mathematical accuracy and computation of the allowance for loan losses by re-performing or detect misstatements. Also, projectionsindependently calculating significant elements of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.allowance for loan losses based on relevant source documents.




unb-20211231_g4.jpg
Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker, LLC

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2009.


Portland, Maine
March 15, 201923, 2022


Vermont Registration No. 92-0000278

PCAOB registration No. 136

89


Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, with the assistance of the Disclosure Control Committee, evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2018.2021. Based on this evaluation they concluded that those disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files with the Commission is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its principal executive and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required information.

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting, as such term is defined in the Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). The Company's management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on the Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based on the evaluation, the Company's management concluded that the Company's internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2018.2021.

Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker, LLC,This annual report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of the Company's independent registered public accounting firm which has audited and reported on the consolidated financial statements contained in this Form 10-K, has issued its written audit report on the Company’sregarding internal control over financial reporting. ThisManagement's report can be found on page 90.

was not subject to attestation by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to permanent relief from such requirement accorded to smaller reporting companies.
There have beenwere no changes in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 20182021 that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal controls over financial reporting. While the Company believes that its existing disclosure controls and procedures have been effective to accomplish these objectives, the Company intends to continue to examine, refine and formalize its disclosure controls and procedures and to monitor ongoing developments in this area.


Item 9B. Other Information

None


Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.

PART III

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

The following information from the Company's Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is hereby incorporated by reference:

Listing of the names, ages, principal occupations, business experience and specific qualifications of the directors and nominees under the caption “PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS”.

Listing of the names, ages, titles and business experience of the executive officers and named executives under the caption “EXECUTIVE OFFICERS” and, with respect to the named executive officers who are also directors, under the caption "PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS".

Information regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 under the caption “SHARE OWNERSHIP INFORMATION - Delinquent Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance”Reports”.

Information regarding the composition and meetings of the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee financial expert, under the caption "PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS - Board Committees and Corporate Governance - Audit Committee."



The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers and the Chief Executive Officer and a Code of Ethics for all directors, officers and employees. A request for either of the Company's Code of Ethics can be made either in writing to Kristy Adams Alfieri, Union Bankshares, Inc., PO Box 667, Morrisville, VT 05661, by email at ubexec@unionbankvt.com or a
90


copy can be found on the Company's investor relations page accessed via Union Bank's website at www.ublocal.com. The Company will make any legally required disclosures regarding amendments to, or waivers of provisions of its Codes of Ethics in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC including posting the codes on the Company's investor relations page accessed via Union Bank's website at www.ublocal.com.


Item 11. Executive Compensation

The following information from the Company's Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is hereby incorporated by reference:

Information regarding compensation of directors under the caption “PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS - Directors' Compensation”.

Information regarding executive officer and named executive compensation and benefit plans under the captions - "COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS," “EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION” and "COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT".

Information regarding management interlocks and certain transactions underis omitted, in accordance with the caption “PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS - Compensation Committee Interlocksregulatory relief available to smaller reporting companies in Release Nos. 33-10513 and Insider Participation”.34-83550.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The following information from the Company's Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is hereby incorporated by reference:

Information regarding the share ownership of management and principal shareholders under the caption “SHARE OWNERSHIP INFORMATION - Share Ownership of Management and Principal Holders”.

The following table summarizes certain information regarding securities available for issuance under the Company's equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2018:

2021:
Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 2018:2021:
Plan CategoryNumber of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rightsWeighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rightsNumber of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))Plan CategoryNumber of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rightsWeighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rightsNumber of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))
(a) (1)(b) (2)(c) (3) (a) (1)(b) (2)(c) (3)
       
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 13,543
 $23.20
 23,563
 Equity compensation plans approved by security holders12,626 $— 1,076 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders 
 
 
 Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders —  —  —  
               
Total 13,543
 $23.20
 23,563
 Total 12,626  $—  1,076  
____________________
(1)Includes 3,000 shares issuable upon exercise of incentive stock options granted under the 2008 ISO Plan, 4,500 shares issuable upon exercise of incentive stock options granted under the 2014 Equity Plan, and 6,043 shares issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted under the 2014 Equity Plan for which 2018, 2017 and 2016 performance conditions have been satisfied but which are also subject to time-based vesting conditions.
(2)Calculated solely with respect to outstanding stock options; RSUs not included in calculation.
(3)All of such shares are available for issuance pursuant to future awards under the 2014 Equity Plan.

(1)Includes shares issuable upon vesting of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted under the 2014 Equity Plan for which performance conditions have been satisfied but which are also subject to time-based vesting conditions.

(2)There were no outstanding stock options; RSUs not included as they do not include an exercise price.
(3)All of such shares are available for issuance pursuant to future awards under the 2014 Equity Plan.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence

The following information from the Company's Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is hereby incorporated by reference:

Information regarding transactions with management and directors under the caption “PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS - Transactions with Management and Directors”.

Directors.”
Information regarding Director independence under the caption "PROPOSAL I: TO ELECT DIRECTORS - Director Independence."


Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following information from the Company's Proxy Statement for the 20192022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is hereby incorporated by reference:

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Information on fees paid to the Independent Auditors set forth under the caption “PROPOSAL 4: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS - Fees Paid to Independent Auditors”.

Audit Fees.”
Description of Audit Committee pre-approval guidelines set forth under the caption “PROPOSAL 4: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS - Fees Paid to Independent Auditors”.

Audit Committee Preapproval Guidelines.”

PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
Documents Filed as Part of this Report:
(1)The following consolidated financial statements are included:
1)Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2021 and 2020
2)Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
3)Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
4)Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
5)Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
6)Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
7)Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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(2)The following exhibits are either filed herewith as part of this report, or are incorporated herein by reference:
(1)The following consolidated financial statements are included:
1)
Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2018 and 2017
2)
Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016
3)
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016
4)
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016
5)
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016
6)Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
7)Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
(2)The following exhibits are either filed herewith as part of this report, or are incorporated herein by reference:
Item No:
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Union Bankshares, Inc. (as of August 1, 2007), previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's June 30, 2007 Form 10-Q and incorporated herein by reference.
Bylaws of Union Bankshares, Inc., as amended and restated, previously filed with the Commission on March 18, 2021 as Exhibit 3.199.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Description of Securities, previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's September 30, 20072019 Form 10-Q10-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Form of 3.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Debentures Due 2031 (Qualified Institutional Buyers), previously filed with the Commission on August 27,2021 as Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Form of 3.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Debentures Due 2031 (Accredited Investors), previously filed with the Commission on August 27,2021 as Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
2008 Amended and Restated Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan of Union Bankshares, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's 2008 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Union Bankshares, Inc.2020 Amended and Restated Executive Nonqualified Excess Plan of Union Bankshares Inc. and Subsidiary, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.410.2 to the Company's 20062020 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
First Amendment to the Union Bankshares, Inc. Executive Nonqualified Excess Plan, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's 2008 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
2008 Incentive Stock Option Plan of Union Bankshares Inc. and Subsidiary, previously filed on April 10, 2008 with the Commission as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Short Term Incentive Performance Plan, previously filed with the Commission on February 9, 2012 as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Union Bankshares, Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, previously filed with the Commission on April 15, 2014 as Appendix A to the Definitive Proxy Statement for the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and incorporated herein by reference.*
Amended and Restated Change in Control Agreement dated June 2, 2014,August 18, 2021, between Union Bank and David S. Silverman, previously filed with the Commission on June 4, 2014August 24, 2021 as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Form of Amended and Restated Change in Control Agreement dated June 2, 2014,August 18, 2021, between Union Bank and each of Karyn J. Hale and Jeffrey J. Coslett, previously filed with the Commission on June 4, 2014August 24, 2021 as Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Form of Change in Control Agreement date June 2, 2014,dated August 18, 2021, between Union Bank and Jeffery G. Coslett,each of four senior managers of Union Bank, previously filed with the Commission on August 24, 2021 as Exhibit 10.1010.3 to the Company's 2014 Form 10-K8-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Form of Restricted Stock Option Agreement for 2008 Incentive Stock Option Plan of Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.11 toUnit Award Certificate under the Company's 2014 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Form of Stock Option Agreement for 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, of Union Bankshares, Inc. and Subsidiary, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.12 to the Company's 20142020 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement dated March 1, 2020 between David S. Silverman and Union Bank, previously filed with the Commission as Exhibit 10.13 to the Company's 2020 Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference.*
Form of Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement dated as of August 26, 2021 between the Company and the several Note Purchasers, previously filed with the Commission on August 27, 2021 as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
Subsidiaries of the Company.
Consent of Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker, LLC
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.**
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.**
101The following materials from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20182021 formatted in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL)(iXBRL): (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets, (ii) the audited consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016,2020, (iii) the audited consolidated statements of comprehensive income, (iv) the audited consolidated statement of changes in stockholders' equity, (v) the audited consolidated statements of cash flows and (vi) related notes.
____________________
*
*    denotes compensatory plan or agreement


****    This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

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Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
Not applicable.

SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, as of March 15, 2019.23, 2022.
 Union Bankshares, Inc.
By:/s/ David S. SilvermanBy:/s/ Karyn J. Hale
David S. SilvermanKaryn J. Hale
Chief Executive Officer and PresidentChief Financial Officer


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated as of March 15, 2019.
23, 2022.
NameTitle
/s/ David S. SilvermanDirector, Chief Executive Officer and President
David S. Silverman(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Karyn J. HaleChief Financial Officer
Karyn J. Hale(Principal Financial/Accounting Officer)
/s/ Cornelius J. Van DykeDirector, Chairman of the Board
Cornelius J. Van Dyke
NameTitle
/s/ David S. SilvermanTimothy W. SargentDirector, Chief Executive Officer and President
David S. Silverman(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Karyn J. HaleChief Financial Officer
Karyn J. Hale(Principal Financial/Accounting Officer)
/s/ Kenneth D. GibbonsDirector, Chairman of the Board
Kenneth D. Gibbons
/s/ Cornelius J. Van DykeDirector, Vice Chairman of the Board
Cornelius J. Van DykeTimothy W. Sargent
/s/ Steven J. BourgeoisJoel S. BourassaDirector
Steven J. BourgeoisJoel S. Bourassa
/s/ Dawn D. BugbeeDirector
Dawn D. Bugbee
/s/ John M. GoodrichDirector
John M. Goodrich
/s/ Nancy C. PutnamDirector
Nancy C. Putnam
/s/ Timothy W.Gregory D. SargentDirector
Timothy W.Gregory D. Sargent
/s/ John H. SteelDirector
John H. Steel
/s/ Schuyler W. SweetDirector
Schuyler W. Sweet

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EXHIBIT INDEX *
Subsidiaries of the Company.
Subsidiaries of the Company.
Consent of Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker, LLC
Certifications of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certifications of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.**
Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.**
101The following materials from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20182021 formatted in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL)(iXBRL): (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets, (ii) the audited consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172021 and 2016,2020, (iii) the audited consolidated statements of comprehensive income, (iv) the audited consolidated statementsstatement of changes in stockholders' equity, (v) the audited consolidated statements of cash flows and (vi) related notes.
____________________
*other than exhibits incorporated by reference to prior filings.
**
*    other than exhibits incorporated by reference to prior filings.
**    This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

97
95