Salaries and benefits declined by $2.5 million, mainly due to reduce incentive payment expense, and greater deferred costs related to new loan originations. This decreases were partially offset by increases in advertising expense of around $1.1 million as a result of increases in direct mail and sponsorships, expert fees of $955,000 linked to greater consulting prices for strategic initiatives, FDIC costs of $873,000 primarily because of a lowered FDIC bank that is small credit received in the 4th quarter and OREO and credit-related cost of around $542,000 as a result of OREO valuation changes driven by updated appraisals received through the quarter.
As being a reminder, we reached our $25 million access-related merger price saves target for a run price basis by the end associated with the 3rd quarter. Additionally please be aware that individuals try not to 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% into the quarter that is third. For the full-year the effective taxation price had been 16.2%. In 2020, we anticipate the year that is full taxation price to stay the 16.5% to 17% range.
Looking at the total amount sheet, period end assets that are total at $17.6 billion at December 31st, that is a growth of $122 million from September 30 amounts and a rise of $3.8 billion from December 31st, 2018 amounts mainly as a consequence of Access acquisition 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 quarter that is prior.
On a professional forma foundation, as though the Access purchase had closed on January first in place of February first, year-to-date loan balances expanded roughly 6% for an annualized foundation through December 31st of 2019. Anticipating, as John talked about, we task loan development of around 6% to 8per cent for the full-year of 2020 inclusive associated with anticipated run away from third-party customer loan balances.
At December total deposits that are 31st endured at $13.3 billion, a growth of $260.3 million or around 8% from September 30th, while typical deposits increased $491 million or 15.3per cent annualized through the previous quarter. Deposit stability development through the 4th quarter had been driven by increases in cash market and interest checking balances, partially offset by regular decreases in demand deposits and reduced time deposit account balances.
On a professional forma foundation, just as if the Access acquisition had closed on January 1st deposit balances increased more or less 9% when it comes to full-year. Loan to deposit ratio ended up being 94.8% at year-end, that is in accordance with our 95% target. For 2020 as John noted, we expect you’ll attain deposit development of 6% to 8per cent, which is consistent with our loan development objectives.
Now embracing credit quality, non-performing assets totaled $32.9 million or 26 basis points, as a share of total loans, a decrease of $3.5 million or 4 foundation points from 3rd quarter amounts. The allowance for loan losings reduced $1.5 million from September 30th to $42.3 million, mainly due to lessen incurred losings embedded in the customer loan profile since it continues to reduce and a better environment that is economic that has been partially offset by loan development throughout the quarter.
Now I wish to provide thoughts that are further the way the use for the current anticipated credit-loss model or CECL will influence Atlantic Union. Everbody knows, underneath the brand new CECL accounting standard that went into effect on January 1st 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.
Since our final regular up-date in October the economic perspective and portfolio traits were constant to slightly improved together with business now estimates that the allowance for credit losings will increase to roughly $95 million or even more than increase the allowance book degree at the time of December 31st underneath the previous incurred loss methodology.
As formerly noted, the allowance enhance under CECL is mainly driven by the business’s obtained loan profile therefore the customer loan profile. We now have finished an unbiased validation of our CECL model and now we intend to reveal the allowance that is final in our 10-K, even as we been employed by through the entire governance procedure during the day one recognition.
From a shareholder stewardship and money administration viewpoint, we have been invested in handling our money resources prudently whilst the deployment of money for the enhance — the enhancement of long-lasting shareholder value continues to be certainly one of our greatest priorities.
An increase of $0.02 per share or approximately 9%, compared to the prior year’s quarterly dividend level as such during the fourth quarter of 2019, the company declared and paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per common share. The Board of Directors had previously authorized a share repurchase program to acquire as much as $150 million regarding the business’s typical stock through 30th, 2021 in open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions june. At the time of January seventeenth, we’ve repurchased 2.4 million stocks at a normal cost of $36.91 or $89.6 million as a whole. The sum total remaining authorized shares to repurchase is about $60 million.
Therefore to conclude, Atlantic Union delivered solid monetary leads to the 4th quarter and in 2019, inspite of the headwinds regarding the reduced rate of interest environment together with company proceeded in order to make progress toward its strategic development priorities. We have been revising our operating monetary metric goals to mirror the challenging rate of interest environment, which we anticipate will continue in 2021, but we remain invested in attaining top tier financial performance in accordance with our peers.
Finally, take note that we remain focused on leveraging the Atlantic Union franchise to create sustainable lucrative growth and remain committed to building long-lasting value for the investors.
Along with that, we’ll change it right right back over to Bill Cimino to start it for concerns from our analyst community.
William P. Cimino — Senior Vice President and Director of Investor Relations
Many Thanks, Rob and Carl, we are prepared for the very first caller.
Concerns and Answers:
Operator
Operator directions your question that www.speedyloan.net/installment-loans-mt/ 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 morning.
Casey Orr Whitman — Piper Sandler — Analyst
Morning good. Hi, Good early early morning. Rob, in order to be clear in the updated economic objectives you simply outlined, exactly what are you assuming for further price cuts, if any?
Robert Michael Gorman — Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yes, on that front side, Casey that which we’re presuming is there isn’t any further price cuts because of the Fed in 2020 and 2021 where — nevertheless the bend stays consistent with where it really is today, a curve that is flat. With regards to the NIM forecast that people’re taking a look at, when it comes to those objectives we are thinking we will be stabilizing at the levels you see in the fourth quarter on a core basis, expect to be in about 3.35% to 3.40% range on a core basis that we set. Now in the event that Fed were to cut that your implied curves suggest possibly into the last half of the 12 months, you might observe that range could drop into the 3.30% to 3.35per cent range moving forward.
