

	Three Months Ended September 30,										Nine Months Ended September 30,
	(000's)										(000's)
	Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Health Benefits				Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Health Benefits
	2014			2013			2014		2013		2014			2013			2014			2013
Service cost	$	510		$	559		$	13	$	17	$	1,530		$	1,678		$	40		$	51
Interest cost	939			846			44		43		2,817			2,537			131			130
Expected return on plan assets	(948		)	(827		)	—		—		(2,845		)	(2,482		)				—
Amortization of transition obligation	—			—			—		15					—						44
Net amortization of prior service cost	(2		)	(4		)	—		—		(7		)	(12		)				—
Net amortization of net (gain) loss	190			523			—		—		569			1,568			(1		)	—
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$	689		$	1,097		$	57	$	75	$	2,064		$	3,289		$	170		$	225

Employer Contributions

First Financial Corporation previously disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013 that it expected to contribute $3.2 million and $1.2 million respectively to its Pension Plan and ESOP and $248 thousand to the Post Retirement Health Benefits Plan in 2014. Contributions of $2.5 million have been made to the Pension Plan through the first nine months of 2014. Contributions of $158 thousand have been made through the first nine months of 2014 for the Post Retirement Health Benefits plan. No contributions have been made in 2014 for the ESOP. The Pension plan was frozen for most employees at the end of 2012 and for those employees there will be discretionary contributions to the ESOP plan and a 401K plan in place of the former Pension benefit. In the first nine months of 2014 and 2013 there has been $1.0 million and $1.1 million of expense accrued for potential contributions to these alternative retirement benefit options.