COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies [Table Text Block]

The following table presents by type First Financial's loan balances and contractual obligations to extend credit:

	December 31, 2022				December 31, 2021
(dollars in thousands)	Unfunded commitment		Loan balance		Unfunded commitment		Loan balance
Commercial & industrial	$	1,833,977	$	3,410,272	$	1,545,995	$	2,720,028
Lease financing	6,842		236,124		18,037		109,624
Construction real estate	689,015		512,050		484,038		455,894
Commercial real estate-investor	107,205		3,094,064		65,660		3,154,755
Commercial real estate-owner	48,208		958,695		29,824		1,071,859
Residential real estate	74,089		1,092,265		50,043		896,069
Home equity	903,459		733,791		822,343		708,399
Installment	16,073		209,895		15,985		119,454
Credit card	225,864		51,815		217,006		52,217
Total	$	3,904,732	$	10,298,971	$	3,248,931	$	9,288,299

Investment Holdings, Schedule of Investments

The following table summarizes First Financial's investments in affordable housing projects and other tax credit investments.

(Dollars in thousands)		December 31, 2022				December 31, 2021
Investment	Accounting Method	Investment		Unfunded commitment		Investment		Unfunded commitment
LIHTC	Proportional amortization	$	126,537	$	70,690	$	108,974	$	57,341
HTC	Equity	17,108		11,955		2,581		56
NMTC	Equity	2,944		0		3,895		0
Renewable energy	Equity	11,851		1,689		18,585		15,114
Total		$	158,440	$	84,334	$	134,035	$	72,511

The following tables summarize First Financial's amortization expense and tax benefit recognized in affordable housing projects and other tax credit investments.

	Twelve months ended
	December 31, 2022				December 31, 2021				December 31, 2020
(Dollars in thousands)	Amortization expense (1)		Tax expense (benefit) recognized (2)		Amortization expense (1)		Tax expense (benefit) recognized (2)		Amortization expense (1)		Tax expense (benefit) recognized (2)
LIHTC	$	11,929	$	(11,088)	$	8,894	$	(8,581)	$	8,076	$	(7,629)
HTC	0		(319)		1,116		(263)		474		(563)
NMTC	415		(210)		210		(210)		175		(175)
Renewable energy	23,411		(25,473)		11,467		(12,216)		4,756		(4,777)
Total	$	35,755	$	(37,090)	$	21,687	$	(21,270)	$	13,481	$	(13,144)
(1) The amortization expense for the LIHTC investments is included in income tax expense. The amortization expense for the HTC, NMTC, and Renewable energy tax credits is included in other noninterest expense.
(2) All of the tax benefits recognized are included in Income tax expense. The tax benefit recognized for the HTC, NMTC, and Renewable energy investments primarily reflects the tax credits generated from the investments and excludes the net tax expense (benefit) and deferred tax liability of the investments’ income (loss).