Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost



	Three Months Ended June 30,										Six Months Ended June 30,
	(000's)										(000's)
	Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Health Benefits				Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Health Benefits
	2018			2017			2018		2017		2018			2017			2018		2017
Service cost	$	347		$	358		$	10	$	13	$	694		$	716		$	21	$	26
Interest cost	798			905			33		43		1,597			1,810			65		86
Expected return on plan assets	(991		)	(985		)	—		—		(1,981		)	(1,970		)	—		—
Net amortization of prior service cost	—			—			—		—		—			—			—		—
Net amortization of net (gain) loss	362			301			—		—		723			602			—		—
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$	516		$	579		$	43	$	56	$	1,033		$	1,158		$	86	$	112

Employer Contributions

First Financial Corporation previously disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 that it expected to contribute $2.3 million and $813 thousand respectively to its Pension Plan and ESOP and $264 thousand to the Post Retirement Health Benefits Plan in 2018. Contributions of $792 thousand have been made to the Pension Plan thus far in 2018. Contributions of $122 thousand have been made through the first six months of 2018 for the Post Retirement Health Benefits plan. No contributions have been made in 2018 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 six months of 2018 and 2017 there has been $837 thousand and $867 thousand of expense accrued for potential contributions to these alternative retirement benefit options.