EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plan Amounts Recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Income

As a result of the plan’s actuarial projections, First Financial recorded expense as set forth in the following table. The amounts are recognized in First Financial’s Consolidated Statements of Income related to the Company's pension plan.

	Three months ended				Nine months ended
	September 30,				September 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2021		2020		2021		2020
Service cost	$	2,234	$	2,079	$	6,895	$	5,855
Interest cost	549		624		1,607		1,831
Expected return on assets	(2,515)		(2,443)		(7,603)		(7,382)
Amortization of prior service cost	(105)		(106)		(307)		(308)
Net actuarial loss	672		625		1,938		1,709
Net periodic benefit cost (income)	$	835	$	779	$	2,530	$	1,705