INCOME TAXES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES The amount of the Company’s federal and state income tax expense is influenced by the amount of pre-tax income, the amount of tax-exempt income and the amount of other nondeductible items. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, income tax expense was $887 thousand and $4.1 million, respectively, compared with $2.1 million and $7.5 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The effective income tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was 22.9% and 22.3%, respectively, compared to 27.8% and 30.6%, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The decrease in income tax expense and the effective tax rate year over year was primarily attributable to the excess tax benefit from the exercise of stock options by employees, which was recognized in income tax expense as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09. Additionally, the decrease in income tax expense and the effective tax rate was due to the increase in tax free income from the purchase of additional municipal securities from the prior year. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the impact on the tax rate due to the excess tax benefit on stock options exercised and the increased tax free income from the purchase of municipal securities was 5.3% and 9.0%, respectively. Interest and penalties related to tax positions are recognized in the period in which they begin accruing or when the entity claims the position that does not meet the minimum statutory thresholds. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions and does not have any interest and penalties recorded in the income statement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. The Company is no longer subject to examination by the U.S. Federal Tax Jurisdiction for the years prior to 2013.

INCOME TAXES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

The amount of the Company’s federal and state income tax expense is influenced by the amount of pre-tax income, the amount of tax-exempt income and the amount of other nondeductible items. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, income tax expense was $887 thousand and $4.1 million, respectively, compared with $2.1 million and $7.5 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The effective income tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was 22.9% and 22.3%, respectively, compared to 27.8% and 30.6%, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The decrease in income tax expense and the effective tax rate year over year was primarily attributable to the excess tax benefit from the exercise of stock options by employees, which was recognized in income tax expense as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09. Additionally, the decrease in income tax expense and the effective tax rate was due to the increase in tax free income from the purchase of additional municipal securities from the prior year. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the impact on the tax rate due to the excess tax benefit on stock options exercised and the increased tax free income from the purchase of municipal securities was 5.3% and 9.0%, respectively.

Interest and penalties related to tax positions are recognized in the period in which they begin accruing or when the entity claims the position that does not meet the minimum statutory thresholds. The Company does not have any uncertain tax positions and does not have any interest and penalties recorded in the income statement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. The Company is no longer subject to examination by the U.S. Federal Tax Jurisdiction for the years prior to 2013.