COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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 in the way of commitments to extend credit.  Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract.  Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee.  Since many of the commitments 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 creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.  Substantially all of the Company’s loans are to borrowers located in Cass, Morgan, Macoupin, Montgomery, and surrounding counties in Illinois.