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PENSION AND OTHER POST RETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSION AND OTHER POST RETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
PENSION AND OTHER POST RETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

The Corporation’s defined-benefit pension plans, including non-qualified plans for certain employees, former employees and former non-employee directors, cover approximately 9 percent of the Corporation’s employees. In 2005, the Board of Directors of the Corporation approved the curtailment of the accumulation of defined benefits for future services provided by certain participants in the First Merchants Corporation Retirement Plan. No additional pension benefits have been earned by any employees who had not attained both the age of 55 and accrued at least 10 years of vesting service as of March 1, 2005. The benefits are based primarily on years of service and employees’ pay near retirement. Contributions are intended to provide not only for benefits attributed to service-to-date, but also for those expected to be earned in the future.
The table below sets forth the plans’ funded status and amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, using measurement dates of December 31, 2023 and 2022.
20232022
Change in Benefit Obligation:  
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$55,764 $74,274 
Interest cost2,876 1,905 
Actuarial (gain) loss2,386 (14,546)
Benefits paid(5,265)(5,869)
Benefit obligation at end of year$55,761 $55,764 
Change in Plan Assets:  
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$77,534 $94,588 
Actual return on plan assets9,395 (11,799)
Employer contributions594 614 
Benefits paid(5,265)(5,869)
End of year82,258 77,534 
Funded status at end of year$26,497 $21,770 
Assets and Liabilities Recognized in the Balance Sheets:  
Deferred tax asset$1,141 $1,955 
Assets$29,262 $25,175 
Liabilities$2,765 $3,405 


As of December 31, 2023, the funded status of the plans increased $4.7 million and the accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, decreased $2.5 million from December 31, 2022. A primary contributing factor to these changes was the plans’ assets experiencing a gain of $9.4 million, which was $5.5 million more than the expected return.

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit plans was $55.8 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets consists solely of the non-qualified plans for certain employees, former employees and former non-employee directors, and is included in the table below.
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
Projected benefit obligation$2,765 $3,405 
Accumulated benefit obligation$2,765 $3,405 
Fair value of plan assets$— $— 


The Corporation recognized expense under these non-qualified plans of $174,000, $122,000 and $117,000 for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The following table shows the components of net periodic pension benefit cost:
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2021
Interest cost2,876 1,905 1,760 
Expected return on plan assets(3,887)(4,544)(4,246)
Amortization of prior service cost87 87 87 
Amortization of net loss80 13 305 
Net periodic pension benefit cost$(844)$(2,539)$(2,094)
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss):
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2021
Net periodic pension benefit cost$(844)$(2,539)$(2,094)
Net gain (loss)3,121 (1,797)9,460 
Amortization of net loss80 13 305 
Amortization of prior service cost87 87 87 
Total recognized in other comprehensive income (loss)3,288 (1,697)9,852 
Total recognized in net periodic pension benefit cost and other comprehensive income (loss)$4,132 $842 $11,946 


Significant assumptions include:
December 31, 2023December 31, 2022December 31, 2021
Weighted-average Assumptions Used to Determine Benefit Obligation:  
Discount rate5.10 %5.40 %2.70 %
Rate of compensation increase for accruing active participantsn/an/an/a
Weighted-average Assumptions Used to Determine Cost: 
Discount rate5.40 %2.70 %2.30 %
Expected return on plan assets5.25 %5.00 %5.00 %
Rate of compensation increase for accruing active participantsn/an/an/a


At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Corporation based its estimate of the expected long-term rate of return on analysis of the historical returns of the plans and current market information available.
 
The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid as of December 31, 2023. The minimum contribution required in 2024 will likely be zero, but the Corporation may decide to make a discretionary contribution during the year.
2024$5,495 
20255,448 
20265,265 
20274,968 
20284,789 
After 202820,577 
 $46,542 


The Savings Plan, a Section 401(k) qualified defined contribution plan, was amended on March 1, 2005 to provide enhanced retirement benefits, including employer and matching contributions, for eligible employees of the Corporation and its subsidiaries. The Corporation matches employees’ contributions at the rate of 100 percent for the first 3 percent of base salary contributed by participants and 50 percent of the next 3 percent of base salary contributed by participants.

Beginning in 2005, employees who have completed 1000 hours of service and are an active employee on the last day of the year receive an additional retirement contribution after year-end. Employees hired after January 1, 2010 do not participate in the additional retirement contribution. Effective January 1, 2013, the additional retirement contribution was fixed at 2 percent. Full vesting occurs after five years of service. The Corporation’s expense for the Savings Plan, including the additional retirement contribution, was $7.2 million, $6.5 million and $5.2 million for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Corporation also maintains a post retirement benefit plan that provides health insurance benefits for a closed group of participants that came to the Corporation through the 2019 MBT acquisition. To be eligible for the post retirement plan, the participants must (1) have been hired by MBT prior to January 1, 2007, (2) be a full-time employee of the Corporation and employed by MBT prior to the acquisition, and (3) be at least 55 years of age with 5 years of full-time service with MBT. The plan allowed retirees to be carried under the Corporation’s health insurance plan, generally from ages 55 to 65. The retirees’ premiums are determined based on their retiree class (per historical MBT guidelines) and also determined by the plan type for which the retiree is enrolled. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the obligation payable under the post retirement plan was $2.3 million and $2.4 million, respectively. Post retirement plan expense totaled $44,000, $53,000 and $62,000 for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Pension Plan Assets

The plans’ investment strategies are to provide for preservation of capital with an emphasis on long-term growth without undue exposure to risk. The assets of the plans’ are invested in accordance with the plans’ Investment Policy Statement, subject to strict compliance with ERISA and any other applicable statutes. The plans’ risk management practices include semi-annual evaluations of investment managers, including reviews of compliance with investment manager guidelines and restrictions; ability to exceed performance objectives; adherence to the investment philosophy and style; and ability to exceed the performance of other investment managers. The evaluations are reviewed by management with appropriate follow-up and actions taken, as deemed necessary. The Investment Policy Statement generally allows investments in cash and cash equivalents, real estate, fixed income debt securities and equity securities, and specifically prohibits investments in derivatives, options, futures, private placements, short selling, non-marketable securities and purchases of individual non-investment grade bonds.

Plan assets are re-balanced quarterly. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, plan assets by category are as follows:
 December 31, 2023December 31, 2022
 ActualTargetActualTarget
Cash and cash equivalents3.0 %3.0 %5.9 %3.0 %
Equity securities53.4 53.0 51.5 50.0 
Debt securities41.9 42.0 40.4 45.0 
Alternative investments1.7 2.0 2.2 2.0 
 100.0 %100.0 %100.0 %100.0 %

At December 31, 2023, the maturities of the plans’ debt securities ranged from 75 days to 8.2 years, with a weighted average maturity of 3.7 years. At December 31, 2022, the maturities of the plans’ debt securities ranged from 15 days to 9.1 years, with a weighted average maturity of 3.9 years.

Following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for pension plan assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as well as the general classification of pension plan assets pursuant to the valuation hierarchy.

Where quoted market prices are available in an active market, plan assets are classified within Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy.  Level 1 plan assets total $76.8 million and $74.0 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and include cash and cash equivalents, common stocks, mutual funds and corporate bonds and notes.  If quoted market prices are not available, then fair values are estimated by using pricing models, quoted prices of plan assets with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows.  Level 2 plan assets total $5.4 million and $3.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and include governmental agencies, taxable municipal bonds and notes, and certificates of deposit.  In certain cases where Level 1 or Level 2 inputs are not available, plan assets are classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy.  There are no assets classified within Level 3 of the hierarchy at December 31, 2023 and 2022.


  Fair Value Measurements Using
  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable InputsSignificant
Unobservable
Inputs
December 31, 2023Fair Value(Level 1)(Level 2)(Level 3)
Cash & Cash Equivalents$2,433 $2,433 $— $— 
Corporate Bonds and Notes17,224 17,224 — — 
Government Agency and Municipal Bonds and Notes5,164 — 5,164 — 
Certificates of Deposit245 — 245 — 
Party-in-Interest Investments
Common Stock2,243 2,243 — — 
Mutual Funds
Taxable Bond11,834 11,834 — — 
Large Cap Equity24,787 24,787 — — 
Mid Cap Equity9,520 9,520 — — 
Small Cap Equity4,900 4,900 — — 
International Equity2,494 2,494 — — 
Specialty Alternative Equity1,414 1,414 — — 
$82,258 $76,849 $5,409 $— 
  Fair Value Measurements Using
  Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets		Significant Other Observable InputsSignificant
Unobservable
Inputs
December 31, 2022Fair Value(Level 1)(Level 2)(Level 3)
Cash & Cash Equivalents$4,559 $4,559 $— $— 
Corporate Bonds and Notes17,159 17,159 — — 
Government Agency and Municipal Bonds and Notes3,010 — 3,010 — 
Certificates of Deposit492 — 492 — 
Party-in-Interest Investments
Common Stock2,487 2,487 — — 
Mutual Funds
Taxable Bond10,686 10,686 — — 
Large Cap Equity21,056 21,056 — — 
Mid Cap Equity9,610 9,610 — — 
Small Cap Equity4,419 4,419 — — 
International Equity2,357 2,357 — — 
Specialty Alternative Equity1,699 1,699 — — 
$77,534 $74,032 $3,502 $—