CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income attributable to Tompkins Financial Corporation	$ 52,494	$ 59,340	$ 58,421
Adjustments to reconcile net income, attributable to Tompkins Financial Corporation, to net cash provided by operating activities:
Provision for loan and lease losses	4,161	4,321	2,945
Depreciation and amortization of premises, equipment, and software	8,269	6,829	6,468
Accretion related to purchase accounting	(2,978)	(3,324)	(5,453)
Amortization of intangible assets	1,932	2,090	2,013
Earnings from corporate owned life insurance, net	(2,196)	(2,106)	(2,064)
Net amortization on securities	10,483	11,623	11,907
Mark-to-market loss on trading securities	0	182	295
Mark-to-market gain loss on liabilities held at fair value	0	(227)	(385)
Deferred income tax expense	14,598	1,859	2,904
Net loss (gain) on sale of securities transactions	407	(926)	(1,108)
Net gain on sale of loans	(50)	(95)	(54)
Proceeds from sale of loans	4,601	4,001	3,282
Loans originated for sale	(4,831)	(3,360)	(3,774)
Gain on pension plan curtailment	0	0	(6,003)
Net (gain) loss on sale of bank premises and equipment	(30)	7	11
Net excess tax benefit from stock based compensation	1,635	1,433	358
Stock-based compensation expense	2,956	2,270	1,903
(Increase) decrease in interest receivable	(2,731)	(957)	85
Increase (decrease) in accrued interest payable	152	(71)	105
Proceeds from maturities, calls and principal paydowns of trading securities	0	5,781	1,315
Proceeds from sales of trading securities	0	1,397	0
Contribution to pension plan	(1,750)	(1,300)	0
Other, net	(1,057)	2,093	9,631
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities	86,065	90,860	82,802
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from maturities, calls and principal paydowns of available-for-sale securities	166,625	244,456	249,800
Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities	64,106	97,296	137,594
Proceeds from maturities, calls and principal paydowns of held-to-maturity securities	8,068	11,776	11,709
Purchases of available-for-sale securities	(208,502)	(404,528)	(391,116)
Purchases of held-to-maturity securities	(5,556)	(8,207)	(69,947)
Net increase in loans and leases	(411,770)	(485,067)	(375,205)
Net increase in Federal Home Loan Bank and Federal Reserve Bank Stock	(7,365)	(13,164)	(8,710)
Proceeds from sale of bank premises and equipment	157	100	87
Purchases of bank premises, equipment and software	(35,290)	(16,274)	(6,343)
Other, net	2,576	119	(789)
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(426,951)	(573,493)	(452,920)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net increase in demand, money market, and savings deposits	335,207	214,178	269,100
Net (decrease) increase in time deposits	(121,459)	16,946	(41,440)
Net increase (decrease) in securities sold under agreements to repurchase and Federal funds purchased	6,115	(67,279)	(9,400)
Increase in other borrowings	750,918	761,001	452,759
Redemption of trust preferred debentures	(21,161)	0	0
Repayment of other borrowings	(563,991)	(412,245)	(272,630)
Net shares issued related to restricted stock awards	(1,294)	(835)	(195)
Cash dividends	(27,627)	(26,603)	(25,411)
Repurchase of common stock	0	(1,166)	(3,505)
Shares issued for dividend reinvestment plan	2,872	3,201	0
Shares issued for employee stock ownership plan	2,296	1,938	1,595
Common stock issued	0	0	50
Net proceeds from exercise of stock options	(641)	(806)	1,382
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	361,235	488,330	372,305
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	20,349	5,697	2,187
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	63,954	58,257	56,070
Total Cash & Cash Equivalents at End of Year	84,303	63,954	58,257
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash paid during the year for - Interest	26,387	23,465	21,768
Cash paid, net of refunds, during the year for - Income taxes	31,011	24,665	22,672
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Transfer of loans to other real estate owned	$ 2,886	$ 1,179	$ 1,276