9. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Components of the net periodic benefit cost of the Company’s defined benefit pension plan and unfunded excess benefit plan are as follows:

	For The Three Months Ended September 30,						For The Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2013			2012			2013			2012
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Service cost — benefits earned during the period	$	2,708		$	2,561		$	8,124		$	7,683
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,553			2,604			7,659			7,812
Expected return on plan assets	(2,759		)	(2,673		)	(8,277		)	(8,019		)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	(95		)	(95		)	(285		)	(285		)
Amortization of actuarial losses	2,729			2,175			8,187			6,525
Total benefit cost	$	5,136		$	4,572		$	15,408		$	13,716

During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company contributed $2.0 million to its defined benefit pension plan for the 2012 plan year and $4.6 million for the 2013 plan year. During October of 2013, the Company contributed $2.3 million to the defined benefit pension plan for the 2013 plan year. The Company will continue to make contributions in future periods as necessary to at least satisfy minimum funding requirements. The Company may also make additional contributions in future periods to maintain an adjusted funding target attainment percentage (“AFTAP”) of at least 80%.

In July of 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (“MAP-21”), which includes pension funding stabilization provisions, was signed into law. These provisions establish an interest rate corridor which is designed to stabilize the segment rates used to determine funding requirements from the effects of interest rate volatility. The funding stabilization provisions of MAP-21 reduced the Company’s minimum required defined benefit plan contributions for the 2012 and 2013 plan year. Since the funding stabilization provisions of MAP-21 do not apply for Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) reporting purposes, the Company may also make additional contributions in future periods to avoid certain PBGC reporting triggers.

In addition to pension benefits, the Company provides life insurance benefits to eligible retirees and limited healthcare benefits to eligible retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare. For a closed group of retirees over age 65, the Company provides a prescription drug benefit. The cost of these plans for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, was immaterial to the Company’s financial statements.