Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	(000's)
	Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Health Benefits
	2018			2017			2018		2017
Service cost	$	347		$	358		$	10	$	13
Interest cost	798			905			33		43
Expected return on plan assets	(991		)	(985		)	—		—
Net amortization of prior service cost	—			—			—		—
Net amortization of net (gain) loss	362			301			—		—
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$	516		$	579		$	43	$	56

Employer Contributions

First Financial Corporation previously disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 that it expected to contribute $2.3 million and $813 thousand respectively to its Pension Plan and ESOP and $264 thousand to the Post Retirement Health Benefits Plan in 2018. Contributions of $223 thousand have been made to the Pension Plan thus far in 2018. Contributions of $61 thousand have been made through the first three months of 2018 for the Post Retirement Health Benefits plan. No contributions have been made in 2018 for the ESOP. The Pension plan was frozen for most employees at the end of 2012 and for those employees there will be discretionary contributions to the ESOP plan and a 401K plan in place of the former Pension benefit. In the first three months of 2018 and 2017 there has been $419 thousand and $452 thousand of expense accrued for potential contributions to these alternative retirement benefit options.