COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies [Table Text Block]

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

	March 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
(dollars in thousands)	Unfunded commitment		Loan balance		Unfunded commitment		Loan balance
Commercial & industrial	$	1,868,883	$	3,449,289	$	1,833,977	$	3,410,272
Lease financing	6,847		273,898		6,842		236,124
Construction real estate	704,719		525,906		689,015		512,050
Commercial real estate-investor	107,150		3,102,445		107,205		3,094,064
Commercial real estate-owner	35,040		954,182		48,208		958,695
Residential real estate	76,860		1,145,069		74,089		1,092,265
Home equity	929,440		724,672		903,459		733,791
Installment	20,791		204,372		16,073		209,895
Credit card	218,579		53,552		225,864		51,815
Total	$	3,968,309	$	10,433,385	$	3,904,732	$	10,298,971

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)		March 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
Investment	Accounting Method	Investment		Unfunded commitment		Investment		Unfunded commitment
LIHTC	Proportional amortization	$	124,454	$	69,356	$	126,537	$	70,690
HTC	Equity	17,108		11,955		17,108		11,955
NMTC	Equity	2,695		0		2,944		0
Renewable energy	Equity	24,417		13,008		11,851		1,689
Total		$	168,674	$	94,319	$	158,440	$	84,334

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

	Three months ended
	March 31, 2023				March 31, 2022
(Dollars in thousands)	Amortization expense (1)		Tax expense (benefit) recognized (2)		Amortization expense (1)		Tax expense (benefit) recognized (2)
LIHTC	$	3,327	$	(3,540)	$	3,048	$	(2,959)
HTC	0		(80)		0		(80)
NMTC	104		(53)		104		(53)
Renewable energy	0		0		0		0
Total	$	3,431	$	(3,673)	$	3,152	$	(3,092)
(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).