10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES United 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 alter its own exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. These financial instruments include loan commitments, standby letters of credit, and interest rate swap agreements. The instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the financial statements. Uniteds maximum exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the counterparty to the financial instrument for the loan commitments and standby letters of credit is the contractual or notional amount of those instruments. United uses the same policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. Collateral may be obtained, if deemed necessary, based on managements credit evaluation of the counterparty. Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the commitment contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require the payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily, and historically do not, represent future cash requirements. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary upon the extension of credit, is based on managements credit evaluation of the counterparty. United had approximately $4,041,076 and $3,826,370 of loan commitments outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, the majority of which contractually expire within one year. Included in the March 31, 2019 amount are commitments to extend credit of $422,953 related to George Masons mortgage loan funding commitments and are of a short-term nature. Commercial and standby letters of credit are agreements used by Uniteds customers as a means of improving their credit standing in their dealings with others. Under these agreements, United guarantees certain financial commitments of its customers. A commercial letter of credit is issued specifically to facilitate trade or commerce. Typically, under the terms of a commercial letter of credit, a commitment is drawn upon when the underlying transaction is consummated as intended between the customer and a third party. As of March 31, 2019, United had $5,092 of commercial letters of credit outstanding. As of December 31, 2018, United had no outstanding commercial letters of credit. A standby letter of credit is generally contingent upon the failure of a customer to perform according to the terms of an underlying contract with a third party. United has issued standby letters of credit of $131,536 and $141,032 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. In accordance with the Contingencies Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, United has determined that substantially all of its letters of credit are renewed on an annual basis and the fees associated with these letters of credit are immaterial. George Mason provides for its estimated exposure to repurchase loans previously sold to investors for which borrowers failed to provide full and accurate information on their loan application or for which appraisals have not been acceptable or where the loan was not underwritten in accordance with the loan program specified by the loan investor, and for other exposure to its investors related to loan sales activities. United evaluates the merits of each claim and estimates its reserve based on actual and expected claims received and considers the historical amounts paid to settle such claims. George Mason has a reserve of $636 as of March 31, 2019. United has derivative counter-party risk that may arise from the possible inability of George Masons third party investors to meet the terms of their forward sales contracts. George Mason works with third-party investors that are generally well-capitalized, are investment grade and exhibit strong financial performance to mitigate this risk. United does not expect any third-party investor to fail to meet its obligation. United and its subsidiaries are currently involved in various legal proceedings in the normal course of business. Management is vigorously pursuing all its legal and factual defenses and, after consultation with legal counsel, believes that all such litigation will be resolved with no material effect on Uniteds financial position.