Management Incentive Program
The Company maintains incentive compensation plans for senior management and other employees to participate in at varying levels. In addition, the Company may also pay a discretionary bonus to senior management, officers, and/or non-officers of the Company. These programs are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The expense for the incentive plans amounted to $2.4 million, $2.5 million and $4.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Supplemental Retirement Plans
The Company provides supplemental retirement benefits to one senior executive officer and one retired senior executive officer of the Company under the terms of Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Agreement (the “SERPs”). Benefits to be paid under the SERPs are based primarily on the officer’s compensation and estimated mortality. At December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, included in other liabilities and accrued expenses is the Company’s obligation under the SERPs of $10.3 million, $10.8 million and $10.1 million, respectively. The retirement benefits, as defined in the SERPs, are accrued by charges to compensation expense over the required service periods of the officers. Expense related to these benefits was $497,000, $1.0 million and $1.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangement
The Company has an endorsement split-dollar life insurance agreement with a retired executive officer whereby the Company will pay to the retired executives’ estates or beneficiaries a portion of the death benefit that the Company will receive as beneficiary of such policy. At December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, included in other liabilities and accrued expenses is the Company’s obligation under the arrangement of $382,000, $389,000 and $394,000, respectively. There was no expense for this benefit for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Expense associated with this post-retirement benefit for the year ended December 31, 2022 amounted to $42,000. The cash surrender value of the policy is included in bank-owned life insurance on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Deferred Compensation Plans
The Company is the sole owner of an annuity policy pertaining to one of the Company’s executives that is included in retirement plan annuities on the balance sheet. The Company has an agreement with this executive whereby upon retirement the Company will pay to the executive an amount equal to the cash surrender value of the annuity less premiums paid accumulated at an interest rate of 1.5% per year. At December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, included in other liabilities and accrued expenses is the Company’s obligation under the plan of $528,000, $490,000 and $454,000, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the expense amounted to $38,000, $36,000 and $35,000, respectively.
The Company has agreements with one executive officer and one former executive officer whereby the Company will pay the cost of the premium for individual supplemental medical and prescription drug coverage for their lifetime upon retirement at age 65 or later. Spousal coverage is provided each year the executive is eligible for coverage and the spouse is age 65 or over. At December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, included in other liabilities and accrued expenses is the Company’s obligation under the plan of $226,000, $164,000 and $160,000, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 a $64,000 credit, a $59,000 credit and a $9,000 credit to expense, respectively, was recognized, reflecting updated calculation assumptions.
Post-Retirement Life Insurance
Employees who are covered under the Company’s bank-owned life insurance program can elect to participate in the benefits of the program while employed by the Company. The Company granted post-employment coverage to certain executives. This post- retirement benefit is included in other liabilities and accrued expenses at December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 in the amount of $357,000, $321,000 and $295,000, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the expense amounted to $36,000, $26,000 and $34,000, respectively.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
On June 29, 2016, the Company established an ESOP to provide eligible employees the opportunity to own Company stock. The Company added shares to the ESOP as part of the Offering completed August 14, 2019. The plan is a tax-qualified retirement plan