Cost basis of employer securities or securities of parties related to the employer that are included in plan assets.

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- Definition

Defined benefit plan, portfolio investment time horizon.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Final average pay plan, years.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of years that produce highest average salary under final average pay plan

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Accumulated Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503844

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph e

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The amount of employer securities or securities of parties related to the employer that are included in plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (n)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph n

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The number of employer shares or related party shares included in plan assets.

+ References

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- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

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- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

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- Definition

Percentage of fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of plan assets held.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e2446-114920

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(1)

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph d(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Percentage of employees' gross pay for which the employer contributes a matching contribution to a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Maximum percentage of employee gross pay, by the terms of the plan, that the employer may contribute to a defined contribution plan.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Net of tax amount of the income statement impact of the reclassification adjustment for prior service costs recognized as a component of net period benefit cost.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 158

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 17, 19, 24

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 11

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 106

-Paragraph 52

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph 38

-Subparagraph c(3)

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 158

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph c, d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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Employee Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Employee Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Final average pay plan, years	5 years
Number of years that produce highest average salary under final average pay plan	10 years
Accumulated benefit obligation	$ 10,800,000	$ 9,240,000
Estimated net actuarial loss that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic pension cost	335,000
Merchants Bancshares, Inc. stock shares held by pension plan	7,650
Cost Basis of Merchants Bancshares, Inc. stock shares held by pension plan	64,000
Market Value of Merchants Bancshares, Inc. stock shares held by pension plan	$ 205,000
401K, maximum employee contribution, percentage of compensation	75.00%
401K, employer contribution, approximate percentage match	47.00%	49.00%	49.00%
Equity Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Baseline allocation	60.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Plan Asset Allocations Range Minimum	35.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Plan Asset Allocations Range Maximum	75.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Baseline allocation	40.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Plan Asset Allocations Range Minimum	25.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Target Plan Asset Allocations Range Maximum	60.00%
Minimum [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Portfolio investment time horizon	5 years
Maximum [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Portfolio investment time horizon	15 years