8. Credit Losses

The Company is exposed to credit losses primarily through the provision of its Executive Search, Consulting and Digital services. The Company’s expected credit loss allowance methodology for accounts receivable is developed using historical collection experience, current and future economic and market conditions and a review of the current status of customers' trade accounts receivables. Due to the short-term nature of such receivables, the estimate of the amount of accounts receivable that may not be collected is primarily based on historical loss-rate experience. When required, the Company adjusts the loss-rate methodology to account for current conditions and reasonable and supportable expectations of future economic and market conditions. The Company generally assesses future economic conditions for a period of sixty to ninety days, which corresponds with the contractual life of its accounts receivables. Additionally, specific allowance amounts are established to record the appropriate provision for customers that have a higher probability of default. The Company’s monitoring activities include timely account reconciliation, dispute resolution, payment confirmation, consideration of customers' financial condition and macroeconomic conditions. Balances are written off when determined to be uncollectible. The Company considered the current and expected future economic and market conditions surrounding the corona virus pandemic (“COVID-19”) as of the end of the quarter and determined that the estimate of credit losses was not significantly impacted as of that date.

The activity in the allowance for credit losses on the Company's trade receivables is as follows:

The fair value and unrealized losses on available for sale debt securities, aggregated by investment category and the length of time the security has been in an unrealized loss position, are as follows:

The unrealized losses on 13 and 18 investments in Commercial paper securities and 19 and 15 investments in Corporate notes/bonds on July 31, 2021 and April 30, 2021, respectively, were caused by fluctuations in market interest rates. The Company only purchases high grade bonds that have a maturity from the date of purchase of no more than two years. The Company monitors the credit worthiness of its investments on a quarterly basis. The Company does not intend to sell the investments and does not believe it will be required to sell the investments before the investments mature and therefore recover the amortized cost basis.