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PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS
In April 2000, the Lakeland Financial Corporation Pension Plan was frozen. The Company also maintains a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) for select officers that was established as a funded, non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Currently, six retired officers are the only participants in the SERP. The measurement date for both the pension plan and SERP is December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Information as to the Company’s employee benefit plans at December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:
Pension BenefitsSERP Benefits
(dollars in thousands)2023202220232022
Change in benefit obligation:        
Beginning benefit obligation$1,546 $2,298 $700 $867 
Interest cost75 53 33 20 
Actuarial (gain) loss(112)(611)93 (52)
Benefits paid(12)(194)(133)(135)
Ending benefit obligation1,497 1,546 693 700 
Change in plan assets (primarily equity and fixed income investments and money market funds), at fair value:
Beginning plan assets1,820 2,303 606 848 
Actual return232 (289)73 (107)
Employer contribution0 0 0 0 
Benefits paid(217)(194)(133)(135)
Ending plan assets1,835 1,820 546 606 
Funded status at end of year$338 $274 $(147)$(94)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of:
Pension BenefitsSERP Benefits
(dollars in thousands)2023202220232022
Funded status included in other liabilities$338 $274 $(147)$(94)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income consist of:
Pension BenefitsSERP Benefits
(dollars in thousands)2023202220232022
Net actuarial loss$478 $538 $502 $487 
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)
The accumulated benefit obligation for the pension plan was $1.5 million for both December 31, 2023 and 2022. The accumulated benefit obligation for the SERP was $693,000 and $700,000 for December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Net period benefit cost and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) include the following:
Pension BenefitsSERP Benefits
(dollars in thousands)202320222021202320222021
Net pension expense:            
Service cost$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 
Interest cost75 53 52 33 20 18 
Expected return on plan assets(123)(130)(133)(38)(45)(47)
Recognized net actuarial (gain) loss18 99 160 42 45 82 
Settlement cost27 23 65 0 0 0 
Net pension expense$(3)$45 $144 $37 $20 $53 
Net (gain) loss$(43)$(215)$(350)$56 $100 $(40)
Amortization of net loss(17)(99)(160)(42)(45)(82)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income (loss)(60)(314)(510)14 55 (122)
Total recognized in net pension expense and other comprehensive income (loss)$(63)$(269)$(366)$51 $75 $(69)
The estimated net loss (gain) for the defined benefit pension plan and SERP that will be amortized (accreted) from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year is ($34,000) for the pension plan and $42,000 for the SERP. The settlement costs in 2023, 2022 and 2021 were related to participants taking lump sum distributions from the pension plan during those years.
For 2023, 2022 and 2021, the assumed form of payment elected by active participants upon retirement was a lump sum to reflect participant trends. The lump sum assumed interest rates, on the next page, for December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 reflect the mortality table in effect for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. For 2023, 2022, and 2021, the mortality assumption was the PRI-2012 White Collar Mortality Table, with full generational Projection Scale MP-2021 at year-end.
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)
Pension BenefitsSERP Benefits
202320222021202320222021
The following assumptions were used in calculating the net benefit obligation:
Weighted average discount rate4.83 %5.03 %2.49 %4.83 %5.03 %2.49 %
Rate of increase in future compensationN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Lump sum assumed interest rates First 5 years5.77 %5.10 %0.87 %N/AN/AN/A
Next 15 years6.14 %5.83 %2.74 %N/AN/AN/A
All future years6.19 %5.68 %3.16 %N/AN/AN/A
The following assumptions were used in calculating the net pension expense:
Weighted average discount rate5.03 %2.49 %2.08 %5.03 %2.49 %2.08 %
Rate of increase in future compensationN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Expected long-term rate of return6.50 %6.50 %6.50 %6.50 %6.50 %6.50 %
Pension Plan and SERP Assets
The Company’s investment strategies are to invest in a prudent manner for the purpose of providing benefits to participants in the pension plan and the SERP. The investment strategies are targeted to maximize the total return of the portfolio net of inflation, spending and expenses. Risk is controlled through diversification of asset types and investments in domestic and international equities and fixed income securities. The target allocations for plan assets are shown in the tables below. Equity securities primarily include investments in common stocks. Debt securities include government agency and commercial bonds. Other investments consist of money market mutual funds.
The weighted average expected long-term rate of return on pension plan and SERP assets is developed in consultation with the plans actuary. It is primarily based upon industry trends and consensus rates of return which are then adjusted to reflect the specific asset allocations and historical rates of return of the Company’s plan assets. The following assumptions were used in determining the total long-term rate of return: equity securities were assumed to have a long-term rate of return of approximately 8.85% and debt securities were assumed to have a long-term rate of return of approximately 3.00%. These rates of return were adjusted to reflect an approximate target allocation of 60% equity securities and 40% debt securities with a small downward adjustment due to investments in the “Other” category, which consist of low yielding money market mutual funds.
Certain asset types and investment strategies are prohibited including, the investment in commodities, options, futures, short sales, margin transactions and non-marketable securities.
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)

The Company’s pension plan asset allocation at year end 2023 and 2022, target allocation for 2024, and expected long-term rate of return by asset category are as follows:
Target
Allocation		Percentage of Plan
Assets
at Year End		Weighted
Average Expected
Long-Term Rate
of Return
Asset Category202420232022
Equity securities55 -65 %63 %60 %8.85 %
Debt securities35 -45 %34 %39 %3.00 %
Other5 -10 %3 %1 %0.10 %
Total100 %100 %6.50 %
The Company’s SERP plan asset allocation at year end 2023 and 2022, target allocation for 2024, and expected long-term rate of return by asset category are as follows:
Target
Allocation		Percentage of Plan
Assets
at Year End		Weighted
Average Expected
Long-Term Rate
of Return
Asset Category202420232022
Equity securities55 -65 %65 %62 %8.85 %
Debt securities35 -45 %33 %35 %3.00 %
Other5 -10 %2 %3 %0.10 %
Total100 %100 %6.50 %
Fair Value of Pension Plan and SERP Assets
Fair value is the exchange price that would be received for an asset in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Also, a fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.
The Company used the following methods and significant assumptions to estimate the fair value of each type of financial instrument:
Equity and debt securities: The fair values of securities are determined on a recurring basis by obtaining quoted prices on nationally recognized securities exchanges (Level 1 inputs) or pricing models, which utilize significant observable inputs such as matrix pricing. This is a mathematical technique widely used in the industry to value debt securities without relying exclusively on quoted prices for the specific securities but rather by relying on the securities’ relationship to other benchmark quoted securities (Level 2 inputs).
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)

The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets at December 31, 2023, by asset category are as follows:
Asset CategoryTotalQuoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(dollars in thousands)
Equity securities - US large cap common stocks$763 $763 $0 $0 
Equity securities - US mid cap stock mutual funds44 44 0 0 
Equity securities - US small cap stock mutual funds135 135 0 0 
Equity securities - international stock mutual funds143 143 0 0 
Equity securities - emerging markets stock mutual funds68 68 0 0 
Debt securities - intermediate term bond mutual funds373 373 0 0 
Debt securities - short term bond mutual funds153 153 0 0 
Debt securities - high yield bond mutual funds18 18 0 0 
Debt securities - nontraditional bond mutual funds12 12 0 0 
Debt securities - bank loan mutual funds35 35 0 0 
Debt securities - preferred stock mutual funds36 36 0 0 
Cash - money market account55 55 0 0 
Total$1,835 $1,835 $0 $0 
The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets at December 31, 2022, by asset category are as follows:
Asset CategoryTotalQuoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2 )		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(dollars in thousands)        
Equity securities - US large cap common stocks$718 $718 $0 $0 
Equity securities - US mid cap stock mutual funds43 43 0 0 
Equity securities - US small cap stock mutual funds131 131 0 0 
Equity securities - international stock mutual funds158 158 0 0 
Equity securities - emerging markets stock mutual funds34 34 0 0 
Debt securities - intermediate term bond mutual funds232 232 0 0 
Debt securities - short term bond mutual funds484 484 0 0 
Cash - money market account20 20 0 0 
Total$1,820 $1,820 $0 $0 
There were no Level 2 or 3 securities during either year.
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)

The fair values of the Company’s SERP assets at December 31, 2023, by asset category are as follows:
Asset CategoryTotalQuoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(dollars in thousands)        
Equity securities - US large cap common stocks$236 $236 $0 $0 
Equity securities - US mid cap stock mutual funds42 42 0 0 
Equity securities - US small cap stock mutual funds13 13 0 0 
Equity securities - emerging markets stock mutual funds20 20 0 0 
Equity securities - international stock mutual funds45 45 0 0 
Debt securities - intermediate term bond mutual funds107 107 0 0 
Debt securities - short term bond mutual funds44 44 0 0 
Debt securities - high yield bond mutual funds5 5 0 0 
Debt securities - nontraditional bond mutual funds4 4 0 0 
Debt securities - bank loan mutual funds10 10 0 0 
Debt securities - preferred stock mutual funds10 10 0 0 
Cash - money market account10 10 0 0 
Total$546 $546 $0 $0 
The fair values of the Company’s SERP assets at December 31, 2022, by asset category are as follows:
Asset CategoryTotalQuoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
(dollars in thousands)        
Equity securities - US large cap common stocks$249 $249 $0 $0 
Equity securities - US mid cap stock mutual funds16 16 0 0 
Equity securities - US small cap stock mutual funds43 43 0 0 
Equity securities - emerging markets stock mutual funds12 12 0 0 
Equity securities - international stock mutual funds57 57 0 0 
Debt securities - intermediate term bond mutual funds63 63 0 0 
Debt securities - short term bond mutual funds149 149 0 0 
Cash - money market account17 17 0 0 
Total$606 $606 $0 $0 
There were no Level 2 or 3 securities during either year.
Contributions
The Company did not contribute to its pension or SERP plans in 2023.
NOTE 10 – PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS (continued)
Estimated Future Benefit Payments
The following benefit payments are expected to be paid over the next ten years:
Plan YearPension
Benefits		SERP
Benefits
(dollars in thousands)
2024$185 $129 
2025176 120 
2026186 109 
2027132 97 
2028132 84 
2029-2033491 232