reflect rate and volume changes in both interest-bearing assets and liabilities. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased 186 basis points, while the average balance increased $597.7 million, and the yield on interest-earning assets increased 54 basis points, while the average balance increased $496.8 million.
The quarter and year-to-date results reflect the continuing impact of the successive federal funds rate increases that occurred from March 2022 to July 2023 totaling 525 basis points. The current market expectations for 2024 suggest falling rates throughout the year, although pressure may remain on deposit pricing in competitive markets as financial institutions continue to prioritize customer deposit funding.
Noninterest Income
Total noninterest income decreased $2.7 million, or 23.2%, to $8.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, from $11.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in the mortgage servicing rights (“MSR”) valuation for the three months ended December 31, 2023 of $3.1 million, compared to an increase of $770,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The MSR valuation was negatively impacted by key benchmark rates used in the valuation model, which decreased from the prior quarter. The impact on the MSR of principal payments on the underlying mortgages was $487,000 and $645,000 for the quarters ended, December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023, respectively.
Persistent low inventory of for-sale residential real estate and elevated mortgage interest rates continued to impact the results of HarborOne Mortgage with gain on loan sales of $2.2 million from mortgage loan closings of $124.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, compared to $2.7 million in gain on loan sales from mortgage loan closings of $157.6 million in the preceding quarter.
Total noninterest income for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 included a $305,000 gain on sale of a former bank branch, and $582,000 recognized on a revenue enhancing Bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”) surrender and exchange strategy. The BOLI income was offset by a $464,000 corresponding tax impact included in the provision for income taxes and a modified endowment contract charge included in noninterest expense.
Total noninterest income decreased $996,000, or 10.1%, compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to a $1.1 million, or 53.7%, decrease in mortgage banking income. The prior year quarter reflected a $2.1 million decrease in the fair value of the MSR.
Noninterest Expense
Total noninterest expense increased $11.3 million, or 35.6% to $43.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, from $31.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Excluding the one-time $10.8 million goodwill impairment charge, noninterest expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 were $32.4 million. The linked-quarter increase, excluding the goodwill impairment charge, was $582,000. Loan expense for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 includes a $629,000 reversal of repurchase reserve at HarborOne Mortgage based on updated assumptions used to determine the estimate.
Total noninterest expense increased $8.6 million, or 24.7% compared to the prior year quarter of $34.6 million. Excluding the goodwill impairment charge, noninterest expenses decreased $2.2 million from the prior year quarter. Full-time equivalent employees decreased 80 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as HarborOne Mortgage and the Bank proactively enacted cost saving measures, including reductions in force. The reduction in force resulted in a decrease in compensation and benefits expense of $905,000, primarily reflecting decreased salary, mortgage origination commission and incentive accruals, and an occupancy and equipment expense decrease of $265,000. These decreases were partially offset by a $409,000 increase in deposit insurance expense.
Asset Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses
Total nonperforming assets were $17.6 million at December 31, 2023, compared to $18.8 million at September 30, 2023 and $14.8 million at December 31, 2022. Nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets were 0.31% at December 31, 2023, 0.33% at September 30, 2023, and 0.28% at December 31, 2022.
The Company recorded a provision for loan credit losses of $970,000 and $6.7 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. The provision for loan credit losses for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2022 was $2.1 million and $5.7 million, respectively, and the Company recorded a provision for loan credit losses of $474,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Net charge-offs totaled $1.3 million, or 0.11%, and $4.0 million, or 0.08%, of average loans outstanding on an annualized basis, for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023, respectively. Net charge-offs totaled $2.1 million, or 0.19%, of average loans outstanding on an annualized basis, for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 and net recoveries totaled $18,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Loan credit loss provisioning for the fourth quarter and the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, primarily reflect replenishment of the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) on loans due to charge-offs and loan growth.
The ACL on loans was $48.0 million, or 1.01% of total loans, at December 31, 2023, compared to $48.3 million, or 1.02% of total loans, at September 30, 2023 and $45.2 million, or 0.99% of total loans, at December 31, 2022. The ACL on unfunded commitments, included