Pension, Savings, and Other Employee Benefits

Pension plan. FHN sponsors a noncontributory, qualified defined benefit pension plan to employees hired or re-hired on or before September 1, 2007. Pension benefits are based on years of service, average compensation near retirement or other termination, and estimated social security benefits at age 65. Benefits under the plan are “frozen” so that years of service and compensation changes after 2012 do not affect the benefit owed. Minimum contributions are based upon actuarially determined amounts necessary to fund the total benefit obligation. Decisions to contribute to the plan are based upon pension funding requirements under the Pension Protection Act, the maximum amount deductible under the Internal Revenue Code, the actual performance of plan assets, and trends in the regulatory environment. FHN made an insignificant contribution to the qualified pension plan in the second quarter of 2018. Management does not currently anticipate that FHN will make a contribution to the qualified pension plan for the remainder of 2018.

FHN assumed two additional qualified plans in conjunction with the CBF acquisition. Both legacy CBF plans are frozen. FHN contributed $5.1 million to these plans in December 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the aggregate benefit obligation for the plans was $18.7 million and aggregate plan assets were $18.6 million. Benefit payments, expense and actuarial gains/losses related to these plans were insignificant for 2018 and 2017. Additional funding amounts to these plans are dependent upon the potential settlement of the plans. Due to the insignificant financial statement impact, these two plans are not included in the disclosures that follow.

FHN also maintains non-qualified plans including a supplemental retirement plan that covers certain employees whose benefits under the qualified pension plan have been limited by tax rules. These other non-qualified plans are unfunded, and contributions to these plans cover all benefits paid under the non-qualified plans. Payments made under the non-qualified plans were $5.4 million for 2017. FHN anticipates making benefit payments under the non-qualified plans of $5.7 million in 2018.

Savings plan. FHN provides all qualifying full-time employees with the opportunity to participate in FHN's tax qualified 401(k) savings plan. The qualified plan allows employees to defer receipt of earned salary, up to tax law limits, on a tax-advantaged basis. Accounts, which are held in trust, may be invested in a wide range of mutual funds and in FHN common stock. Up to tax law limits, FHN provides a 100 percent match for the first 6 percent of salary deferred, with company matching contributions invested according to a participant’s current investment elections. Through a non-qualified savings restoration plan, FHN provides a restorative benefit to certain highly-compensated employees who participate in the savings plan and whose contribution elections are capped by tax limitations.

Other employee benefits. FHN provides postretirement life insurance benefits to certain employees and also provides postretirement medical insurance benefits to retirement-eligible employees. The postretirement medical plan is contributory with FHN contributing a fixed amount for certain participants. FHN’s postretirement benefits include certain prescription drug benefits.

Service cost is included in Employee compensation, incentives, and benefits in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income. All other components of net periodic benefit cost are included in All other expense.

The components of net periodic benefit cost for the three months ended June 30 are as follows:



	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
(Dollars in thousands)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Service cost	$	10		$	10		$	34		$	27
Interest cost	6,987			7,380			327			325
Expected return on plan assets	(8,226		)	(8,890		)	(269		)	(237		)
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost/(credit)	—			13			—			24
Actuarial (gain)/loss	2,956			2,380			(91		)	(143		)
Net periodic benefit cost/(credit)	$	1,727		$	893		$	1		$	(4	)

The components of net periodic benefit cost for the six months ended June 30 are as follows:



	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
(Dollars in thousands)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Service cost	$	20		$	19		$	67		$	54
Interest cost	13,973			14,759			654			651
Expected return on plan assets	(16,451		)	(17,781		)	(538		)	(474		)
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost/(credit)	—			26			—			48
Actuarial (gain)/loss	5,912			4,760			(182		)	(285		)
Net periodic benefit cost/(credit)	$	3,454		$	1,783		$	1		$	(6	)