extinguishment of long-term debt, as well as to the restructuring of the debt securities portfolio in 2020 to reduce Juniata’s overall premium exposure resulting in a net gain of $283,000 on the sales of securities.
Fee-generated non-interest income consists of customer service fees derived from deposit accounts, trust relationships and sales of non-deposit products. In 2021, revenues from these services totaled $2,168,000, representing an increase of $78,000, or 3.7%, from 2020 revenues. Customer service fees decreased by $21,000, or 1.5%, due to a decline in overdraft fee income. Fees from estate settlements increased by $23,000, while non-estate trust fees increased by $14,000 in 2021 versus 2020. Variances in fees from estate settlements arise because estate settlements occur sporadically and are not necessarily consistent year to year. Non-estate fees are repeatable revenues that generally increase and decrease in relation to movements in interest rates as market values of trust assets under management increase or decrease and as new relationships are established. Commissions from sales of non-deposit products increased in 2021, in comparison to 2020, by $62,000, or 20.3%, as sales increased.
Fees generated by debit card activity increased by $290,000, or 19.8%, in 2021 compared to the prior year due to increased debit card usage, while earnings on bank-owned life insurance and annuities declined by $17,000, or 6.5%, in 2021 compared to 2020 caused by a decline in earnings resulting from the lower rate environment.
Other non-interest-related fees derived from loan activity increased by $143,000, or 48.0%, when comparing 2021 to 2020, primarily due to increased revenues generated from title insurance fees and Juniata’s loan referral program. Additionally, the change in value of equity securities increased $204,000, or 384.9%, in 2021 compared to 2020 resulting from an increase in bank stock market values.
As a percentage of average assets, non-interest income (excluding securities gains/losses on sales or calls of securities and change in value of equity securities) was 0.61% in both 2021 and 2020.
NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
Management strives to control non-interest expense where possible in order to improve operating results. Non-interest expense was $20,370,000 in 2021 compared to $19,293,000 in 2020, an increase of 5.6%. Most significantly impacting the comparative year-end periods was a $570,000, or 7.3%, increase in employee compensation expense as staffing levels returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 in comparison to 2020 when some employees were furloughed due to temporary branch closures resulting from Pennsylvania’s mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data processing expense increased by $399,000, or 17.4%, during the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 predominantly due to expenses incurred from the launch of Juniata’s new online deposit account opening platform at the end of 2020, as well as other technology enhancements.
Professional fees increased by $126,000, or 17.6%, during 2021 compared to 2020 predominantly due to higher consulting expenses in 2021. Additionally, long-term debt prepayment penalties increased by $167,000, or 31.9%, during the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to year end December 31, 2020 as $15,000,000 in long-term FHLB advances were prepaid in 2021, resulting in prepayment penalties of $691,000, compared to the prepayment of $10,000,000 in long-term FHLB advances in 2020, resulting in a prepayment penalty of $524,000. The prepayments were part of balance sheet strategies enacted to partially restructure the balance sheet.
Partially offsetting these increases was a $189,000 decline in equipment expense due to declines in depreciation, maintenance expenses and small office equipment. Also, a net gain on sales of other real estate owned of $64,000 was realized in 2021, while no such activity was recorded in 2020.
As a percentage of average assets, non-interest expense was 2.49% in 2021 as compared to 2.61% in 2020. Excluding the prepayment penalty on long-term debt, non-interest expense as a percentage of average assets was 2.41% in 2021 compared to 2.54% in 2020.