resulted primarily from a reduction of $10.4 million, or 3.5%, in average interest-bearing deposits from $293.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 to $283.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026. Additionally, the cost of interest-bearing deposits decreased 12 basis points over the same period to 2.33% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from 2.45% for the same period in 2025.
Interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 decreased $64,000, or 1.1% to $5.6 million. Loan interest increased by $254,000, or 5.8% to $4.7 million for three months ended March 31, 2026 from $4.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Loan yields increased 26 basis points, or 4.4%, to 6.14% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from 5.88% for the same period in 2025. This was offset by a decrease of $266,000, or 25.9%, in interest on securities. Average securities decreased $18.1 million, or 18.8%, to $78.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $96.1 million for the same period in 2025. The average yield on securities also decreased 37 basis points, or 8.7% to 3.91% for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from 4.28% for the same period in 2025.
The provision for credit losses was $6,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026, a decrease of $107,000, or 94.7% compared to $113,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 primarily due to a $4.7 million decrease in loans in the 1st quarter of 2026 and changes in the composition of the loan portfolio. Net interest income after provision for credit losses was $3.4 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared to $3.2 million for the same period in 2025.
Noninterest income increased $236,000, or 51.1%, to $698,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to $462,000 for the same period in 2025. This was due primarily to $168,000 in rental income on a multifamily property foreclosed on in the 3rd quarter of 2025, as well as a $57,000 referral fee earned in connection with the payoff and transfer of an existing multifamily loan to capital markets. The foreclosed property is currently held in Other Real Estate Owned. It is over 90% occupied and is currently being marketed for sale.
Noninterest expense increased $240,000, or 8.2%, to $3.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 from $2.9 million for the same period in 2025. This was due primarily to $104,000 in expense related to the foreclosed multifamily noted previously, and a $77,000 increase in technology expense related to the implementation of an online loan origination and account opening platform.
Net interest margin increased 25 basis points, or 7.6%, to 3.49% for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to 3.24% for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Average interest-earning assets were $393.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to $411.0 million for the same period in 2025, and the yield on average interest-earning assets increased to 5.66% from 5.48% over the same period. Average interest-bearing liabilities decreased to $328.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, compared to $343.8 million for the same period in 2025, and the cost of interest-bearing liabilities decreased to 2.60% from 2.68% over the same period.
Financial Condition
Total assets increased $604,000, or 0.1%, to $430.4 million at March 31, 2026, compared to $429.8 million at December 31, 2025. Interest bearing deposits in banks increased $4.6 million, or 83.6%, to $10.1 million, from $5.5 million at December 31, 2025. Loans and leases receivable, net, decreased $4.7 million, or 1.6% to $298.5 million at March 31, 2026, compared to $303.2 million at December 31, 2025 following the payoff of a large multifamily loan in the first quarter of 2026. Total securities, including both available for sale and held to maturity securities, decreased $585,000, or 0.8%, to $77.6 million at March 31, 2026 compared to $78.2 million at December 31, 2025 due to maturities and paydowns, and partially offset by purchases made in the 1st quarter of 2026.
Total deposits increased $4.1 million, or 1.3%, to $332.0 million at March 31, 2026, compared to $327.9 million at December 31, 2025, with most of this growth in non-interest bearing deposit accounts. Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank decreased $4.1 million, or 9.0% to $41.6 million at March 31, 2026, compared to $45.7 million at December 31, 2025, as two advances totaling $4.0 million were repaid prior to maturity.