The recovery of credit losses on unfunded commitments increased $110,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to no recovery for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The recovery of credit losses on unfunded commitments is based on an evaluation of the historical usage rate.
Total non-performing loans were $647,000 at September 30, 2024, compared to $0 at September 30, 2023. We did not have any loans over 90 days delinquent at September 30, 2023 compared to $647,000 at September 30, 2024. Classified loans totaled $647,000 at September 30, 2024, compared to $106,000 at September 30, 2023. As a percentage of nonperforming loans, the allowance for credit losses on loans was 262.6% at September 30, 2024, and there were no non-performing loans at September 30, 2023.
Noninterest Income. Noninterest income totaled $252,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2024, an increase of $3,000, or 1.2%, from $249,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023.
Noninterest Expense. Noninterest expense increased $1.6 million, or 59.9%, to $4.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits of $243,000, or 15.9%, an increase in occupancy and equipment expense of $28,000, or 6.5%, an increase in professional and legal fees of $16,000, or 41.0%, an increase in data processing expense of $9,000, or 3.3%, an increase in audit and examination fees of $68,000, or 194.3%, and an increase in charitable contributions of $1.3 million, or 9,615.4% from establishing the Fifth District Community Foundation, partially offset by a $5,000, or 8.8%, decrease in FDIC insurance expense, an $18,000, or 19.8% decrease in directors fees, and a $25,000, or 45.5% decrease in advertising.
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes. The provision (benefit) for income taxes decreased by $220,000, or 2,200.0%, to ($210,000) for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $10,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was due to a $1.0 million, or 2,136.7%, decrease in pretax income. The effective tax rate was 21% for both periods.
Comparison of Operating Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023
General. Net income (loss) for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was ($1.2) million, a decrease of $1.9 million, or 299.8%, compared to $619,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The net loss was primarily from an increase in non-interest expense of $1.9 million resulting from a $1.3 million charitable contribution to establish the Fifth District Community Foundation, an increase in interest expense of $2.6 million, a decrease in non-interest income of $956,000, partially offset by an increase in interest income of $2.0 million, and a $493,000 decrease in provision for income taxes.
Interest and Dividend Income. Interest and dividend income increased by $2.0 million, or 16.1%, to $14.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $12.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in interest income is attributed to a $931,000, or 8.9%, increase in interest on loans, a $624,000, or 135.4%, increase in interest on other interest-earning assets and $402,000, or 31.6%, increase in interest on investment securities available-for-sale.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, average loans receivable, net, increased by $9.6 million, or 2.7%, from the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The average yield on loans increased to 4.13% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from 3.89% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, due to the rising market interest rate environment.
The average balance of investment securities available-for-sale decreased $1.8 million, or 2.4%, to $71.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from $73.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The average yield on available-for-sale investment securities increased to 3.13% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from 2.32% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in the average yield on