Salaries and benefits declined by $2.5 million, mainly due to reduce compensation that is incentive, and greater deferred costs related to new loan originations. This decreases were partially offset by increases in advertising cost of around $1.1 million as a result of increases in direct mail and sponsorships, expert charges of $955,000 pertaining to greater consulting charges for strategic initiatives, FDIC costs of $873,000 mainly as a result of a reduced FDIC little bank evaluation credit received within the 4th quarter and OREO and credit-related expense of around $542,000 as a result of OREO valuation changes driven by updated appraisals received throughout the quarter.
As a reminder, we realized our $25 million access-related merger price saves target for a run rate basis by the end associated with quarter that is third. Also take note that individuals usually do not be prepared to incur any merger that is additional or rebranding expenses in 2020. The effective taxation price for the fourth quarter ended up being 16.7%, in comparison to 16.8% within the 3rd quarter. For the full-year the effective income tax price had been 16.2%. In 2020, we anticipate the complete 12 months effective taxation price to stay the 16.5per cent to 17% range.
Embracing the total amount sheet, period end assets that are total at $17.6 billion at December 31st, which will be a growth of $122 million from September 30 amounts and a growth of $3.8 billion from December 31st, 2018 amounts mainly as a consequence of Access purchase and loan development throughout the 12 months. At quarter end loans held for investment had been $12.6 billion, a rise of $304 million or roughly 10% annualized, while typical loans increased $87.4 million or 2.9% annualized through the previous quarter.
On a professional forma foundation, as though the Access purchase had closed on January first as opposed to February first, year-to-date loan balances grew around 6% on an annualized foundation through December 31st of 2019. Looking forward, as John talked about, we task loan development of about 6% to 8per cent when it comes to full-year of 2020 comprehensive for the anticipated run away from third-party customer loan balances.
At December total deposits that are 31st endured at $13.3 billion, a rise of $260.3 million or roughly 8% from September 30th, while average deposits increased $491 million or 15.3per cent annualized through the prior quarter. Deposit stability development throughout the quarter that is fourth driven by increases in cash market and interest checking balances, partially offset by seasonal decreases sought after deposits and reduced time deposit account balances.
On a professional forma foundation, just as if the Access purchase had closed on January deposit that is 1st increased more or less 9% for the full-year. Loan to deposit ratio had been 94.8% at year-end, which can be consistent with our 95% target. For 2020 as John noted, we expect you’ll attain deposit development of 6% to 8per cent, which is in accordance with our loan growth objectives.
Now looking at credit quality, non-performing assets totaled $32.9 million or 26 foundation points, as a portion of total loans, a decrease of $3.5 million or 4 foundation points from 3rd quarter amounts. The allowance for loan losses reduced $1.5 million from September 30th to $42.3 million, mainly due to lessen incurred losings embedded in the buyer loan profile since it continues to reduce and a greater economic environment, that has been partially offset by loan development throughout the quarter.
Now i would really like to offer further applying for grants how a use associated with the current expected credit-loss model or CECL will influence Atlantic Union. You may already know, beneath the brand brand new CECL accounting standard that went into influence on January first life time anticipated credit losings will now be determined utilizing macroeconomic forecast presumptions and administration judgments relevant to, and through the anticipated life of the mortgage portfolios.
The economic outlook and portfolio characteristics have been consistent to slightly improved and the company now estimates that the allowance for credit losses will increase to approximately $95 million or more than double the allowance reserve level as of December 31st under the former incurred loss methodology since our last seasonal update in October.
As formerly noted, the allowance enhance under CECL is mainly driven by the organization’s obtained loan portfolio as well as the customer loan profile. We now have finished an unbiased validation of our CECL model so we want to reveal the last allowance effect in our 10-K, as we been employed by through the total governance procedure for your day one recognition.
From the shareholder capital and stewardship administration viewpoint, we have been focused on managing our money resources prudently once the implementation of money for the enhance — the improvement of long-lasting shareholder value stays certainly one of our greatest priorities.
As a result throughout the fourth quarter of 2019, the organization declared and paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per typical share, a rise of $0.02 per share or around 9%, set alongside the previous 12 months’s quarterly dividend degree. The Board of Directors had previously authorized a share repurchase program to buy up to $150 million of this company’s typical stock through 30th, 2021 in open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions june. At the time of January seventeenth, we now have repurchased 2.4 million stocks at a typical cost of $36.91 or $89.6 million as a whole. The full total remaining authorized shares to repurchase is roughly $60 million.
Therefore to close out, Atlantic Union delivered solid economic leads to the quarter that is fourth in 2019, inspite of the headwinds regarding the reduced interest environment and also the business proceeded in order to make progress toward its strategic development priorities. We’re revising our running monetary metric objectives to reflect the interest that is challenging environment, which we anticipate will continue in 2021, but we remain dedicated to attaining top tier financial performance in accordance with our peers.
Finally, please be aware that we remain focused on leveraging the Atlantic Union franchise to come up with sustainable growth that is profitable remain committed to building long-lasting value for the investors.
In accordance with that, we’ll switch it straight back over to Bill Cimino to open up it for concerns from our analyst community.
William P. Cimino — Senior Vice President and Director of Investor Relations
Many Many Thanks, Rob and Carl, we are ready for the very first caller.
Concerns and responses:
Operator
Operator guidelines your question that is first comes the type of Casey Whitman from Piper Sandler. The line has become available.
John C. Asbury — President and Ceo
Hi, Casey, good early early morning.
Casey Orr Whitman — Piper Sandler — Analyst
Morning good. Hi, Good early early early morning. Rob, merely to be clear regarding the updated targets that are financial simply outlined, exactly what are you presuming for further price cuts, https://speedyloan.net/installment-loans-ma if any?
Robert Michael Gorman — Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes, on that front side, Casey that which we’re presuming is the fact that there is absolutely no further price cuts by the Fed in 2020 and 2021 where — nevertheless the bend stays consistent with where it really is today, an appartment bend. With regards to the NIM forecast that people’re considering, when it comes to those objectives that we set, we’re thinking I will be stabilizing during the amounts the thing is in the 4th quarter for a core foundation, be prepared to be in about 3.35% to 3.40per cent range for a core basis. Now in the event that Fed had been to cut that the implied curves suggest possibly in the half that is second of 12 months, you can observe that range could drop into the 3.30% to 3.35per cent range moving forward.