DEFERRED COMPENSATION

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Deferred Compensation [Abstract]

Deferred Compensation [Text Block]

NOTE 15. DEFERRED COMPENSATION

The Shore Bancshares, Inc. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) is for members of management and highly compensated employees of Shore Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The Plan permits a participant to elect, each year, to defer receipt of up to 100% of his or her salary and bonus to be earned in the following year. The Plan also permits the participant to defer the receipt of performance-based compensation not later than six months before the end of the period for which it is to be earned. The deferred amounts are credited to an account maintained on behalf of the participant and are invested at the discretion of each participant in certain deemed investment options selected from time to time by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Shore Bancshares, Inc. The Company may also make matching, mandatory and discretionary contributions for certain participants. A participant is fully vested at all times in the amounts that he or she elects to defer. Any contributions by the Company will vest over a five-year period. The Company made contributions to the Plan totaling $65 thousand, $94 thousand, and $85 thousand for 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively. There were no elective deferrals made by plan participants during 2011 or 2010. One plan participant made elective deferrals during 2009.

Shore Bancshares, Inc. has a supplemental deferred compensation plan to provide retirement benefits to its Chief Executive Officer. The participant is 100% vested in amounts credited to his account. No contributions have been made to this plan since the adoption of the Plan described above.

CNB has agreements with certain of its directors under which they have deferred part of their fees and compensation. The amounts deferred are invested in insurance policies, owned by CNB, on the lives of the respective individuals. Amounts available under the policies are to be paid to the individuals as retirement benefits over future years. The following table includes information on the cash surrender value and the accrued benefit obligation included in other assets and other liabilities at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

(Dollars in thousands)	2011		2010
Cash surrender value	$	3,006	$	3,191
Accrued benefit obligation		1,158		1,037