Note 5 — Advances



	December 31,
	2017			2016
Principal and interest	$	20,207		$	31,334
Taxes and insurance	144,454			170,131
Foreclosures, bankruptcy and other	63,597			94,369
	228,258			295,834
Allowance for losses	(16,465		)	(37,952		)
	$	211,793		$	257,882

Advances at December 31, 2017 and 2016 include $18.1 million and $29.0 million, respectively, of advances relating to sales of loans that did not qualify for sale accounting.

The following table summarizes the activity in net advances:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
Beginning balance	$	257,882		$	444,298		$	893,914
Sales of advances (1)	(444		)	(24,631		)	(253,335		)
Collections of advances, charge-offs and other, net	(67,132		)	(165,734		)	(224,414		)
Net decrease in allowance for losses	21,487			3,949			28,133
Ending balance	$	211,793		$	257,882		$	444,298


(1)	Servicing advances sold primarily in connection with sales of MSRs which met the requirements for sale accounting and which were derecognized from our financial statements at the time of the sale.

The changes in the allowance for losses are as follows:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
Beginning balance	$	37,952		$	41,901		$	70,034
Provision	21,429			(2,043		)	61,445
Net charge-offs and other	(42,916		)	(1,906		)	(89,578		)
Ending balance	$	16,465		$	37,952		$	41,901