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RETIREMENT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
RETIREMENT PLANS RETIREMENT PLANS
The Company sponsors a defined benefit retirement plan, or Benefit Plan, that covers eligible employees hired prior to February 1, 2007. The benefits are based on years of service and the employee’s five-year final average salary. The accounting for the defined benefit plan requires the use of assumptions and estimates in order to calculate periodic benefit cost and the value of the plan's assets and benefit obligation. These assumptions include discount rates, investment returns, and projected salary increases, amongst others. The discount rates used in valuing the plan's benefits obligations were determined with reference to high quality corporate and government bonds that are appropriately matched to the duration of the plan's obligation.
Contributions are intended to provide for benefits attributable to service both to date and expected to be provided in the future. The Company funds the plan in accordance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA. The Company in April 2017 froze the Benefit Plan as it relates to future benefit accruals for participants.
The following table sets forth changes in the plan's net benefit obligation and accumulated benefit information as of December 31:
($ in thousands)20232022
Change in benefit obligation - Pension
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$8,487 $11,310 
Interest cost416 312 
Actuarial (gain)/loss assumption changes168 (2,780)
Benefits paid(303)(355)
Benefit obligation and accumulated benefit obligation at end of year$8,768 $8,487 
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$8,449 $11,125 
Actual return on plan assets752 (2,486)
Employer contribution165 165 
Benefits/expenses paid(303)(355)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year$9,063 $8,449 
Funded status - asset (liability)$295 $(38)
 
Amounts recorded in equity
Net actuarial loss$2,355 $2,588 
Total amount recorded$2,355 $2,588 
Amount recorded, net of taxes$1,696 $1,864 
Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income include the following as of December 31:
($ in thousands)20232022
Net (gain) loss$(166)$259 
Recognition of net actuarial loss(67)(47)
Total changes(233)212 
Changes, net of taxes$(168)$154 
The Company expects to recognize the following amounts as a component of net periodic pension costs during the next fiscal year: 
Expected return on plan assets$448 
Interest cost(416)
Amortization of net gain/(loss)(57)
Net periodic pension benefit/(cost)$(25)
At December 31, 2023, the Company had a long-term pension asset. At December 31, 2022, the Company had a long-term pension liability. For 2024, the Company is estimating that contributions to the pension plan will be approximately $165,000.
Based on actuarial estimates, it is expected that annual benefit payments from the pension trust will be as follows:
20242025202620272028Thereafter
$374 $472 $503 $501 $495 $2,851 
The Benefit Plan’s current investment policy has an investment strategy in which the primary focus is to minimize the volatility of the funding ratio. This objective will result in a prescribed asset mix between "return seeking" assets (e.g. stocks) and a bond portfolio (e.g., long duration bonds) according to a pre-determined customized investment strategy based on the Plan's Funded Status as the primary input. This path will be used as a reference point as to the mix of assets, which by design will de-emphasize the return seeking portion as funded status improves. At December 31, 2023, the investment mix was approximately 99% debt and 1% money market funds. At December 31, 2022, the investment mix was approximately 21% equity, 78% debt and 1% money market funds. Equity investments consist of a combination of individual equity securities plus value funds, growth funds, large cap funds and international stock funds. Debt investments consist of U.S. Treasury securities and investment grade corporate debt. The weighted-average discount rate used in determining the periodic pension cost is 4.85% in 2023 and 5.00% in 2022. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is 5.00% in 2023 and 5.00% in 2022. The long-term rate of return on plan assets is based on the historical returns within the plan and expectations for future returns. See the following table for fair value hierarchy by investment type at December 31:
($ in thousands)Fair Value Hierarchy20232022
Pension Plan Assets:
Cash and Cash EquivalentsLevel 1$91 $113 
Collective FundsLevel 28,972 8,336 
Fair value of plan assets$9,063 $8,449 
Total pension and retirement expense was as follows for each of the years ended December 31:
($ in thousands)202320222021
Cost components:
Interest cost$(416)$(312)$(291)
Expected return on plan assets418 553 752 
Net amortization and deferral(67)(47)(74)
Total net periodic pension earnings/(cost)$(65)$194 $387 
The Company has a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, or SERP, to restore to executives designated by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors the full benefits under the pension plan that would otherwise be restricted by certain limitations now imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. The SERP is currently unfunded. The Company in April 2017 froze the SERP plan as it relates to the accrual of additional benefits.
The following SERP benefit information is as of December 31:
($ in thousands)20232022
Change in benefit obligation - SERP
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$6,186 $7,847 
Interest cost290 182 
Actuarial gain/assumption changes168 (1,315)
Benefits paid(520)(528)
Benefit obligation and accumulated benefit obligation at end of year6,124 6,186 
Funded status - liability$(6,124)$(6,186)
($ in thousands)20232022
Amounts recorded in stockholders’ equity
Net actuarial loss$1,390 $1,263 
Total amount recorded$1,390 $1,263 
Amount recorded, net of taxes$1,001 $910 
Other changes in benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income for 2023 and 2022 included the following components: 
($ in thousands)20232022
Net loss (gain) $167 $(1,315)
Recognition of net actuarial loss(40)(115)
Total changes$127 $(1,430)
Changes, net of taxes$91 $(1,029)
The Company expects to recognize the following amounts as a component of net periodic pension costs during the next fiscal year ($ in thousands):
Interest cost$(276)
Amortization of net gain(54)
Net periodic pension earnings/(cost)$(330)
Based on actuarial estimates, it is expected that annual SERP benefit payments will be as follows ($ in thousands):
20242025202620272028Thereafter
$498 $573 $565 $555 $544 $2,500 
The weighted-average discount rate used in determining the actuarial present value of projected benefits obligation was 4.70% for 2023 and 4.90% for 2022. Total pension and retirement expense was as follows for each of the years ended December 31:
($ in thousands)202320222021
Cost components:
Interest cost$(291)$(182)$(163)
Net amortization and other(40)(114)(125)
Total net periodic pension cost$(331)$(296)$(288)