Interest-Earning Time Deposits in Banks. Interest-earning time deposits in banks increased $2.5 million, or 56.2%, to $6.8 million at March 31, 2024 from $4.4 million at December 31, 2023. Excess cash was invested in short-term certificates of deposit at other financial institutions in order to maximize the yield on interest-earning deposits.
Deposits. Deposits decreased $13.8 million, or 3.9%, to $343.8 million at March 31, 2024 from $357.6 million at December 31, 2023. Interest-bearing accounts decreased $12.9 million, or 4.2%, to $293.1 million at March 31, 2024 from $306.1 million at December 31, 2023. The largest decrease in interest-bearing deposits was in certificates of deposit which decreased $12.3 million, or 7.2%, to $158.9 million at March 31, 2024 from $171.3 million at December 31, 2023 due to a reduction in brokered time deposits. Interest-bearing checking accounts decreased $608,000, or 1.7%, to $34.5 million at March 31, 2024 from $35.1 million at December 31, 2023. Noninterest-bearing deposits decreased $899,000, or 1.7%, to $50.6 million at March 31, 2024 from $51.5 million at December 31, 2023.
Municipal deposits held at Generations Commercial Bank decreased $115,000, or 1.3%, to $9.1 million at March 31, 2024 from $9.2 million at December 31, 2023.
Federal Home Loan Bank Advances. Short-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances increased to $2.9 million at March 31, 2024 from $0 at December 31, 2023 as a result of new borrowings to offset the decrease in deposits. Long-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances decreased $1.0 million, or 4.3%, to $22.6 million at March 31, 2024 from $23.6 million at December 31, 2023 as a result of repayments.
Total Equity. Total equity decreased $793,000, or 2.1%, to $36.9 million at March 31, 2024 from $37.7 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to a net loss of $545,000 and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $300,000 as a result of a decrease in the fair market value of our investment securities available-for-sale during the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
General. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2024 was $545,000 as compared to net loss of $152,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $393,000, or 258.6%. The increase was due to a $628,000 decrease in net interest income, a $135,000 decrease in noninterest income, and a $60,000 increase in provision for credit losses, partially offset by a $301,000 decrease in noninterest expense and a $129,000 increase in income tax benefit.
Interest and Dividend Income. Interest and dividend income increased $703,000, or 18.6%, to $4.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. This increase was primarily attributable to a $643,000 increase in interest on loans receivable and a $66,000 increase in interest on interest earning deposits. The average balance of loans increased $24.8 million, or 8.1%, to $332.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $307.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The average yield on loans increased 45 basis points to 4.81% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from 4.36% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, reflecting an increase in higher-yielding loans quarter over quarter as well as higher market interest rates. The average balance of interest earning deposits increased $3.8 million, or 71.8%, to $9.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $5.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The average yield on interest earning deposits increased 147 basis points to 4.83% for the 2024 period from 3.36% for the 2023 period due to rising interest rates in the first half of 2023.
Interest Expense. Total interest expense increased $1.3 million, or 106.7%, to $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. Interest expense on total interest-bearing deposits increased $1.2 million, or 105.0%, to $2.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The increase was attributable to an increase of $34.4 million, or 27.1%, in the average balance of certificate of deposit accounts to $161.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from $127.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, in addition to an increase in the average cost of 170 basis points to 4.82% for the three months ended March 31, 2024 from 3.12% for the same period in 2023. The increase in the average balance of certificate of deposit accounts of $34.4 million was driven by a $36.1 million increase in organic certificate of deposit accounts, partially offset by a $1.7 million decrease in brokered certificate of