decrease in occupancy and equipment expense, partially offset by a $19,000 increase in other expense. The decrease in noninterest expense for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 was primarily due to a $1.8 million decrease in salaries and employee benefits as a result of an adjustment to bonus accruals and decrease in full-time equivalent employees, partially offset by wage increases during 2023. This decrease was partially offset by a $300,000 increase in data processing expense relating to enhancements to the Bank’s network, a $231,000 increase in other expense due to increased FDIC insurance costs and professional fees, and a $28,000 increase in occupancy and equipment expense.
The provision for income taxes decreased $233,000, or 8.8%, to $2.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to $2.6 million for the third quarter of 2023 and decreased $419,000, or 14.8%, from $2.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2023 was 27.3%, compared to 28.5% for the prior quarter of 2023 and 27.0% for the fourth quarter of 2022. The effective tax rate was lower for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 due to accruals for non-deductible compensation expenses.
Loans and Credit Quality
Loans, net of deferred fees, decreased $41.0 million and $93.3 million from September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, and totaled $1.9 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $2.0 billion at both September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The decrease in loans from September 30, 2023 primarily was due to $56.5 million of loan repayments, including $578,000 in PPP loan repayments, partially offset by $16.9 million of new loan originations during the current quarter. At December 31, 2023, there were $3.8 million in PPP loans outstanding compared to $4.3 million at September 30, 2023, and $11.1 million at December 31, 2022.
Nonperforming loans, consisting of non-accrual loans and, at December 31, 2022, accruing loans 90 days or more past due, totaled $13.0 million or 0.67% of total loans at December 31, 2023, compared to $14.3 million or 0.73% of total loans at September 30, 2023, and $15.2 million or 0.75% of total loans at December 31, 2022. The decrease in nonperforming loans from the prior quarter-end was primarily due to the pay-off of three loans, consisting of two loans to one borrower totaling $1.2 million and a third loan with a balance of $247,000, and a charge-off of one non-accrual loan for $128,000, partially offset by three new loans placed on non-accrual during the current quarter totaling $406,000.
The portion of nonaccrual loans guaranteed by government agencies totaled $740,000 at December 31, 2023, compared to $801,000 and $839,000 at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. There were no loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing and in the process of collection at either December 31, 2023 or September 30, 2023, compared to one accruing loan (an SBA-guaranteed PPP loan), with a balance of $934,000, which was 90 days or more past due and in the process of forgiveness at December 31, 2022. Accruing loans past due between 30 and 89 days at December 31, 2023, were $4.8 million, compared to $2.6 million at September 30, 2023, and $1.5 million at December 31, 2022. The increase in accruing loans past due between 30-89 days at current period-end from September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, was primarily due to timing of borrower payments.
At December 31, 2023, the Company’s allowance for credit losses for loans was $22.0 million, or 1.14% of total loans, compared to $19.8 million, or 1.01% of total loans, at September 30, 2023 and $18.9 million, or 0.94% of total loans, at December 31, 2022. We recorded net charge-offs of $150,000 for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to net charge-offs of $25,000 in the prior quarter of 2023 and net recoveries of $233,000 in the fourth quarter of 2022.
As of December 31, 2023, acquired loans net of their discount totaled $215.2 million with a remaining net discount on these loans of $354,000, compared to $224.4 million of acquired loans with a remaining net discount of $419,000 at September 30, 2023, and $257.9 million of acquired loans with a remaining net discount of $522,000 at December 31, 2022. The net discount includes a credit discount based on estimated losses on the acquired loans, partially offset by a premium, if any, based on market interest rates on the date of acquisition.
Deposits and Borrowings
Deposits totaled $2.1 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $2.2 billion at September 30, 2023 and $2.1 billion at December 31, 2022. The deposit mix shifted, in part, due to interest rate sensitive clients moving a portion of their non-operating deposit balances from lower costing deposits, including noninterest-bearing deposits, into higher costing money