Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business	1. Business Tompkins Financial Corporation (“Tompkins” or the “Company”) is headquartered in Ithaca, New York and is registered as a Financial Holding Company with the Federal Reserve Board under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company is a locally oriented, community-based financial services organization that offers a full array of products and services, including commercial and consumer banking, leasing, trust and investment management, financial planning and wealth management, and insurance services. At March 31, 2015, the Company’s subsidiaries included: four wholly-owned banking subsidiaries, Tompkins Trust Company (the “Trust Company”), The Bank of Castile (DBA Tompkins Bank of Castile), Mahopac Bank (formerly known as Mahopac National Bank, DBA Tompkins Mahopac Bank), VIST Bank (DBA Tompkins VIST Bank); and a wholly-owned insurance agency subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (“Tompkins Insurance”). The trust division of the Trust Company provides a full array of investment services, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services. The Company’s principal offices are located at The Commons, Ithaca, New York, 14851, and its telephone number is (888) 503-5753. The Company’s common stock is traded on the NYSE MKT LLC under the Symbol “TMP.” As a registered financial holding company, the Company is regulated under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (“BHC Act”), as amended and is subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by the Federal Reserve Board (“FRB”). The Company is also subject to the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and is subject to disclosure and regulatory requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company is subject to the rules of the NYSE MKT LLC for listed companies. The Company’s banking subsidiaries are subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by various regulatory authorities, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), the New York State Department of Financial Services (“NYSDFS”), and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“PDBS”). Each of these agencies issues regulations and requires the filing of reports describing the activities and financial condition of the entities under its jurisdiction. Likewise, such agencies conduct examinations on a recurring basis to evaluate the safety and soundness of the institutions, and to test compliance with various regulatory requirements, including: consumer protection, privacy, fair lending, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, sales of non-deposit investments, electronic data processing, and trust department activities. The trust division of Tompkins Trust Company is subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by the FDIC and NYSDFS. The Company’s insurance subsidiary is subject to examination and regulation by the NYSDFS and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

Business

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Business

Tompkins Financial Corporation (“Tompkins” or the “Company”) is headquartered in Ithaca, New York and is registered as a Financial Holding Company with the Federal Reserve Board under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company is a locally oriented, community-based financial services organization that offers a full array of products and services, including commercial and consumer banking, leasing, trust and investment management, financial planning and wealth management, and insurance services. At March 31, 2015, the Company’s subsidiaries included: four wholly-owned banking subsidiaries, Tompkins Trust Company (the “Trust Company”), The Bank of Castile (DBA Tompkins Bank of Castile), Mahopac Bank (formerly known as Mahopac National Bank, DBA Tompkins Mahopac Bank), VIST Bank (DBA Tompkins VIST Bank); and a wholly-owned insurance agency subsidiary, Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. (“Tompkins Insurance”). The trust division of the Trust Company provides a full array of investment services, including investment management, trust and estate, financial and tax planning as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance services. The Company’s principal offices are located at The Commons, Ithaca, New York, 14851, and its telephone number is (888) 503-5753. The Company’s common stock is traded on the NYSE MKT LLC under the Symbol “TMP.”

As a registered financial holding company, the Company is regulated under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (“BHC Act”), as amended and is subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by the Federal Reserve Board (“FRB”). The Company is also subject to the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and is subject to disclosure and regulatory requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company is subject to the rules of the NYSE MKT LLC for listed companies.

The Company’s banking subsidiaries are subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by various regulatory authorities, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), the New York State Department of Financial Services (“NYSDFS”), and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“PDBS”). Each of these agencies issues regulations and requires the filing of reports describing the activities and financial condition of the entities under its jurisdiction. Likewise, such agencies conduct examinations on a recurring basis to evaluate the safety and soundness of the institutions, and to test compliance with various regulatory requirements, including: consumer protection, privacy, fair lending, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, sales of non-deposit investments, electronic data processing, and trust department activities.

The trust division of Tompkins Trust Company is subject to examination and comprehensive regulation by the FDIC and NYSDFS.

The Company’s insurance subsidiary is subject to examination and regulation by the NYSDFS and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.