Allowance for credit losses for advances and loans and commissions receivable as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 was $667,000 and $794,000, respectively.

Other assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

The net change in the carrying value of MSRs consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

The portfolio of loans serviced by the Company aggregated $1.7 billion for each of the periods ended March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021. See Note 8 – “Fair Value Measurements” for additional information on MSRs. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company received cancellation notices on certain servicing contracts. Amortization of those contracts was adjusted to reflect the cancellations.

In connection with MSR activities, the Company holds funds in escrow for the benefit of the lenders. These funds, which totaled $2.6 million and $4.1 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, and the offsetting obligations are not presented in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements as they do not represent assets and liabilities of the Company.

Deferred compensation and commissions consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

Prior to the IPO, certain employees of the Company were granted SARs under a stock-based compensation program assumed by MMC. In connection with the IPO, the SARs agreements were revised, the MMC liability of $20.0 million for the SARs was frozen as of March 31, 2013 and was transferred to MMI through a capital distribution. The SARs liability will be settled with each participant in ten annual installments in January of each year upon retirement or termination from service, or in full upon consummation of a change in control of the Company.

Under the revised agreements, MMI is required to accrue interest on the outstanding balance beginning on January 1, 2014 at a rate based on the treasury note, plus 2%. The rate resets annually. The rates at January 1, 2022 and 2021 were 3.63% and 2.93%, respectively. MMI recorded interest expense related to this liability of $135,000 and $122,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Estimated payouts within the next twelve months for participants that have separated from service have been classified as current. During each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company made total payments of $2.2 million, consisting of principal and accumulated interest.

Certain investment sales professionals can earn additional commissions after meeting certain annual revenue thresholds. These commissions are recognized as cost of services in the period in which they are earned as they relate to specific transactions closed. The Company may defer payment of certain commissions, at its election, for up to three years. Commissions payable that are not expected to be paid within twelve months are classified as long-term.

A select group of management is eligible to participate in the Marcus & Millichap Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”). The Deferred Compensation Plan is a deferred compensation plan that is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and permits participants to defer compensation up to the limits set forth in the Deferred Compensation Plan. Amounts are paid out generally when the participant is no longer a service provider; however, an payout election is available to participants. Participants may elect to receive payouts as a lump sum or quarterly over a two to fifteen-year period. The Company elected to fund the Deferred Compensation Plan through company owned variable life insurance policies. The Deferred Compensation Plan is managed by a third-party institutional fund manager, and the deferred compensation and investment earnings are held as a Company asset in a rabbi trust, which is recorded in assets held in rabbi trust in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. The assets in the trust are restricted unless the Company becomes insolvent, in which case the trust assets are subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors. The Company may also, in its sole and absolute discretion, elect to withdraw at any time a portion of the trust assets by an amount by which the fair market value of the trust assets exceeds 110% of the aggregate deferred compensation liability represented by the participants’ accounts. Estimated payouts within the next twelve months for participants that have separated from service or elected in service payout have been classified as current. During the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company made total payments to participants of $365,000 and $371,000, respectively.

The assets held in the rabbi trust are carried at the cash surrender value of the variable life insurance policies, which represents its fair value. The net change in the carrying value of the assets held in the rabbi trust and the net change in the carrying value of the deferred compensation liability, each exclusive of additional contributions, distributions and trust expenses, consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

Other liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):