of non-certificate accounts increased $36.1 million from the preceding quarter. Average FHLB advances decreased $28.7 million, and the cost of those funds decreased 66 basis points, resulting in a decrease of $238,000 in interest expense on FHLB advances.
The increase in net interest and dividend income from the prior year quarter reflected a decrease of $2.6 million, or 52.4%, in total interest expense, partially offset by a $1.4 million, or 3.6%, decrease in total interest and dividend income. The decreases reflect rate and volume changes in both interest-bearing assets and liabilities. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased 37 basis points, while the average balance increased $92.6 million. The yield on interest-earning assets decreased 30 basis points, while the average balance increased $178.3 million.
Noninterest Income
Total noninterest income decreased $2.8 million, or 12.9%, to $19.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, from $22.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Softening mortgage loan demand resulted in mortgage loan closings of $451.4 million and a gain on loan sales of $10.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $604.9 million in mortgage closings and $12.8 million in gain on sales for the preceding quarter. The locked residential mortgage pipeline decreased $100.8 million and negatively impacted the fair value of the derivative mortgage commitments recorded through the gain on loan sales. The change in the fair value of derivatives included in mortgage banking income was a negative $2.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021, as compared to a negative $833,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2021.
The change in the fair value of mortgage servicing rights positively impacted mortgage banking income; however, it was offset by the impact of residential mortgage loan payoffs, resulting in a net decrease of $245,000 and $992,000 in the fair value of mortgage servicing rights for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021, respectively. The fair value of the mortgage servicing rights increased $1.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021, as compared to a $621,000 increase for the three months ended September 30, 2021. Residential mortgage loan payoffs resulted in a decrease of mortgage servicing rights values in the amount of $1.3 million and $1.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021, respectively. The 10-year Treasury Constant Maturity rate was flat versus the third quarter of 2021, and prepayments began to slow. The change in the fair value of the mortgage servicing rights is generally consistent with the change in the 10-year Treasury Constant Maturity rate. As interest rates rise and prepayment speeds slow, mortgage servicing rights values tend to increase; conversely, as interest rates fall and prepayment speeds quicken, mortgage servicing rights values tend to decrease.
Deposit account fees increased $125,000, or 2.7%, to $4.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, from $4.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Other income for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 includes a write-off of $431,000 on a direct interest-rate swap related to a non-accrual loan. The quarter ended September 30, 2021 included gain on sale of securities in the amount of $241,000, and no such gain on sale of securities was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Total noninterest income decreased $17.9 million, or 48.2%, as compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2020, primarily due to an $18.6 million, or 58.5%, decrease in mortgage banking income, driven by the decrease in loan closings and narrowing gain-on-sale margins in 2021. The decrease in mortgage banking income was offset by a $1.1 million increase in deposit account fees as deposit fees were reinstated in 2021.
Noninterest Expense
Total noninterest expenses were $38.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $1.1 million, or 2.8%, from the quarter ended September 30, 2021. During the third quarter of 2021, the Bank paid a $1.1 million prepayment penalty on Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings, and no such penalty was paid in the fourth quarter of 2021. Loan expense decreased $591,000, reflecting the decrease in residential mortgage loan closings at HarborOne Mortgage, LLC (“HarborOne Mortgage”).
Total noninterest expenses decreased $3.1 million, or 7.5%, from the quarter ended December 31, 2020. Compensation and benefits decreased $2.6 million and loan expenses decreased $2.0 million, consistent with the decrease in residential mortgage loan closings.
Income Tax Provision
The effective tax rate was 23.2% for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, compared to 28.6% for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 and 15.7% for the quarter ended December 31, 2020. The effective tax rate for the quarter ended December 31, 2021 was impacted by the recognition of a net tax benefit in the amount of $754,000 for a reserve release upon the expiration of the statute of limitations. The effective tax rate for the quarter ended December 31, 2020 was impacted by a 2016 federal tax refund of $1.9 million recognized on the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Provision for Loan Losses and Asset Quality
The Company recorded a reversal of provision for loan losses of $1.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2021, compared to a reversal of provision of $1.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 and a provision for loan losses of $7.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2020. The allowance for loan losses was $45.4 million, or 1.26% of total loans, at December 31, 2021, compared to $48.0 million, or 1.39% of total loans, at September 30, 2021 and $55.4 million, or 1.59% of total loans, at December 31, 2020. The provision for loan losses is impacted by specific reserves, charge-offs, changes in historical charge-off trends, and adjusted