SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                _________________
                                    FORM 11-K
                                  ANNUAL REPORT
                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(Mark One):

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. X
                      -

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

                                            OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. ____

For the transition period from _____________to _______________

                                Commission File No. 0-14703

A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of
the issuer named below:
NBT Bancorp Inc. 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan

B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of
its principal executive
office:
NBT Bancorp Inc., 52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York 13815.



                                NBT BANCORP INC.
                            401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK
                                 OWNERSHIP PLAN

                       Financial Statements and Schedules

                           December 31, 2003 and 2002

         (With Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm)



                                NBT BANCORP INC.
                            401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK
                                 OWNERSHIP PLAN

                                      INDEX

                                                                            PAGE

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm                        1

Statements of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits at
     December 31, 2003 and2002                                                 2

Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
     for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002                            3

Notes to Financial Statements                                                  4

SCHEDULES

1     Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets Held at End of Year             9

2     Schedule H, Line 4j - Schedule of Reportable Transactions               10



             REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Plan Administrator
NBT Bancorp Inc. 401(k) and Employee
     Stock Ownership Plan:

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for plan
benefits of NBT Bancorp Inc. 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of
December 31, 2003 and 2002 and the related statements of changes in net assets
available for plan benefits for the years then ended. These financial statements
are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the net assets available for plan benefits of the Plan as
of December 31, 2003 and 2002 and the changes in net assets available for plan
benefits for the years then ended in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
Our  audits  were  performed  for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedules of assets held
at  end  of  year  and  reportable transactions are presented for the purpose of
additional  analysis  and  are  not  a  required  part  of  the  basic financial
statements,  but  are  supplementary  information  required by the Department of
Labor's  Rules  and  Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee
Retirement  Income  Security  Act  of 1974. These supplemental schedules are the
responsibility  of  the  Plan's management. The supplemental schedules have been
subjected  to  the  auditing  procedures  applied  in  the  audits  of the basic
financial  statements  and,  in  our  opinion, are fairly stated in all material
respects  in  relation  to  the  basic  financial  statements  taken as a whole.


                                       /S/ KPMG LLP


June 10, 2004



NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Statements of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits December 31, 2003 and 2002 ASSETS 2003 2002 ----------- ---------- Investments, at fair value: Money market funds $ 3,303,719 3,184,961 Bond mutual funds 1,256,397 1,108,318 Common stock of NBT Bancorp Inc. 28,893,427 22,405,048 Equity mutual funds 12,130,459 9,254,168 Foreign equity mutual funds 1,611,041 1,379,875 Participant loans receivable 625,413 646,333 ----------- ---------- Total investments 47,820,456 37,978,703 ----------- ---------- Employer contribution receivable 597,260 573,708 Participant contribution receivable - 61,918 ----------- ---------- Net assets available for plan benefits $48,417,716 38,614,329 =========== ========== See accompanying notes to financial statements.
2
NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits Years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 2003 2002 ------------ ----------- Additions to net assets attributed to: Contributions: Participants $ 2,394,526 2,399,111 Employer 1,440,513 1,340,724 ------------ ----------- Total contributions 3,835,039 3,739,835 ------------ ----------- Transfer from merged FNB Plans (note 1b) - 1,752,242 Investment income: Net realized and unrealized gain on investments (note 3) 8,646,765 181,634 Interest 43,036 225,829 Dividends 1,086,198 1,035,694 ------------ ----------- Net investment income 9,775,999 1,443,157 ------------ ----------- Total increase 13,611,038 6,935,234 ------------ ----------- Deductions from net assets attributed to: Distributions (3,807,651) (4,048,690) ------------ ----------- Net increase 9,803,387 2,886,544 Net assets available for plan benefits: Beginning of year 38,614,329 35,727,785 ------------ ----------- End of year $48,417,716 38,614,329 ============ =========== See accompanying notes to financial statements.
3 NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2003 and 2002 (1) DESCRIPTION OF PLAN The following description of the NBT Bancorp Inc. 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the Plan) is provided for general information purposes only. Participants should refer to the Plan agreement or summary plan document for more complete information. (a) GENERAL The Plan is a defined contribution plan as defined under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), sponsored by NBT Bancorp Inc. (the Sponsor). The Sponsor is responsible for administration of the Plan. NBT Bank, N.A. (the Trustee), a wholly owned subsidiary of NBT Bancorp Inc., is the trustee of the Plan. The assets of the Plan are held, administered, and managed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Trust Agreement, which is considered to be an integral part of the Plan. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). (b) MERGER On June 1, 2001, the Sponsor completed the acquisition of First National Bancorp, Inc. (FNB). Effective January 1, 2002, FNB's two defined contribution plans, First National Bank of Northern New York Employee Profit Sharing Plan and First National Bank of Northern New York ESOP (collectively referred to herein as the "FNB Plans"), were merged with and into the Plan. All participants in the FNB Plans became participants in the Plan. The net assets of FNB Plans, consisting primarily of cash and NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock, were transferred to the Plan's trust on January 2, 2002 and January 3, 2002. Net assets merged into the Plan from the FNB Plans totaled $1,752,242. (c) ELIGIBILITY All employees over age 21 with at least one year of service and who worked at least 1,000 hours in the first 12 months of employment are eligible to participate in the Plan. (d) CONTRIBUTIONS Participants make pre-tax contributions in whole percentages up to IRS limitations for any Plan year. The Sponsor provides a matching contribution of 100% of each participant's contribution up to 3% of their compensation. In addition, a discretionary amount, determined by the Sponsor's board of directors, may be contributed to the Plan each year. Participants must be actively employed on the last day of the year to share in this contribution, which is allocated to participants based on compensation. During 2003 and 2002, discretionary contributions of $597,260 and $545,213, respectively, were approved by the Sponsor's board of directors. These amounts were paid during 2004 and 2003, respectively. 4 (Continued) NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2003 and 2002 (e) PARTICIPANTS' ACCOUNTS Participants may elect to have their contributions invested among the various funds available to the Plan. All Sponsor contributions to the Plan are invested in the NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock. Each participant's account is credited with the Sponsor's and participant's contributions, plan earnings, and income, expenses, gains, and losses attributable thereto. (f) VESTING Participants' contributions and any investment income thereon are always 100% vested. Participants vest in the employer contributions on a straight line basis of 20% for each full year of service (minimum 1,000 hours) up to 100% vesting. Participants are considered 100% vested upon termination due to death, retirement, or permanent disability. (g) PARTICIPANT'S CLAIMS UPON PLAN TERMINATION Although it has not expressed any intention to do so, the Sponsor has the right to discontinue contributions or terminate the Plan at any time subject to Plan provisions. In the event of termination of the Plan, each participant's account would become fully vested. (h) FORFEITURES Forfeitures are applied to reduce the amount of subsequent employer contributions otherwise required to be paid. In 2003 and 2002, forfeitures from nonvested accounts totaled $31,627 and $45,431, respectively. Forfeiture account balances totaled $64,203 and $32,576 at December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively. (i) PAYMENT OF BENEFITS Upon normal or early retirement, disability, death, or termination of employment, the value of a participant's account is paid in a single lump sum, as specified by the Plan. Early retirement is allowed upon reaching age 55 and completing 5 years of service. (j) PARTICIPANT LOANS Participants may borrow from their account in amounts ranging from $1,000 to the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of the vested 401(k) account balance (excludes Company contributions invested in NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock). Beginning January 1, 1997, participants are not allowed to borrow from employer contributions made subsequent to that date. Loans, other than loans for the purchase of a primary residence, must be repaid over a period no longer than five years. Loans for the purchase of a primary residence must be repaid over a period no longer than 15 years. Interest is charged at the prime rate plus 1% as of the loan origination date. Participant loans are treated as a transfer from the participant directed accounts into the loan fund. Principal and interest payments on the loans are allocated to the loan fund and transferred into the participant directed accounts based on the participants' current investment allocation elections. 5 (Continued) NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2003 and 2002 (k) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES Expenses of operating and administering the Plan are generally borne by the Sponsor. The payment of these expenses is not mandated by the Plan and is done so at the discretion of the Sponsor. (l) VOTING RIGHTS With respect to participant account balances that are invested in shares of the Sponsor's stock, each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to the shares allocated to his or her account and is notified by the Trustee prior to the time that such rights are to be exercised. (m) RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES The Plan invests in various types of investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market, and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the statement of net assets available for benefits. (2) SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (a) BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America on the accrual basis of accounting. Amounts in the prior year's financial statements are reclassified when necessary to conform with the current year's presentation. (b) INVESTMENTS HELD IN TRUST Mutual funds and the common stock of the Sponsor are stated at fair value, based on published market quotations. Money market funds are short-term investments carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Loans to participants are carried at the unpaid principal balance, which approximates fair value. Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. (c) USE OF ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets and changes therein. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 6 (Continued) NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2003 and 2002 (3) INVESTMENTS Investments that represent 5% or more of the net assets available for plan benefits at December 31, 2003 or 2002 are as follows:
2003 2002 ----------- ---------- Money market funds: Federated Capital Preservation Fund $ 3,303,719 - Strong Money Market Fund - 3,184,973 Mutual funds: American Funds Growth Fund of America 3,063,266 - Strong Growth and Income Fund - 2,697,056 Federated Capital Appreciation Fund 2,849,034 - Strong Large Cap Growth fund - 2,540,705 Common stock: NBT Bancorp Inc. 28,893,427 22,405,306
During 2003 and 2002, the Plan's investments appreciated (depreciated) in value (including realized gains and losses on investments bought, sold, and held during the year) as follows:
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 ------------------------ 2003 2002 ----------- ----------- Bond mutual funds $ (10,229) 25,149 Common stock of NBT Bancorp Inc. 5,939,764 3,318,952 Equity mutual funds 2,409,421 (2,673,226) Foreign equity mutual funds 307,809 (489,241) ----------- ----------- $8,646,765 181,634 =========== ===========
7 (Continued) (4) NONPARTICIPANT DIRECTED INVESTMENTS Information about the investments relating to accumulated nonparticipant directed contributions, including the significant components of changes in investments related to nonparticipant directed contributions, is as follows for the years ended December 31:
2003 2002 ------------ ----------- Fair value of NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock at beginning of year $22,405,048 17,380,335 Transfers from other plans - 1,390,463 Contributions and loan repayments 1,632,544 1,289,274 Dividends 923,985 883,996 Net realized and unrealized appreciation 5,939,764 3,318,952 Distributions and new loans issued (2,007,914) (1,857,972) ------------ ----------- Fair value of NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock at end of year $28,893,427 22,405,048 ============ ===========
(5) INCOME TAX STATUS The Internal Revenue Service has determined and informed the Sponsor by a letter dated October 30, 2001, that the Plan and underlying trust, as then designed, were in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and therefore the Plan is exempt from income taxes. Management believes that the Plan is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. (6) PARTY-IN-INTEREST TRANSACTIONS Certain Plan investments are shares of NBT Bancorp Inc., the Plan's Sponsor. Therefore, transactions involving those shares are party-in-interest transactions. Additionally, the trustee of the Plan is NBT Bank, N.A. which is a subsidiary of the Sponsor. 8
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE 1 NBT BANCORP INC. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OWNERSHIP PLAN - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets Held at End of Year - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2003 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT (b) IDENTITY OF ISSUER INCLUDING MATURITY DATE, BORROWER, LESSOR, RATE OF INTEREST, COLLATERAL, (e) CURRENT (a) OR SIMILAR PARTY PAR, OR MATURITY VALUE (d) COST VALUE - --- ----------------------------------- --------------------------------------- --------- ------------ Federated Capital Preservation Fund Money market fund $ ** $ 3,303,719 Dodge & Cox Income Bond mutual fund, 16,928.137 shares ** 218,711 Vanguard Intermediate US Treasury Bond mutual fund, 91,025.058 shares ** 1,037,686 American Funds Growth Fund of America Equity mutual fund, 125,853.14 shares ** 3,063,266 Vanguard Capital Opportunity Equity mutual fund, 5,184.320 shares ** 131,734 Federated Capital Appreciation Fund Equity mutual fund, 119,356.252 shares ** 2,849,034 FPA Capital Equity mutual fund, 10,450.984 shares ** 385,120 T-Rowe Price Mid Cap Growth Equity mutual fund, 12,977.462 shares ** 556,733 Dodge & Cox Stock Fund Equity mutual fund, 7,567.282 shares ** 861,005 Dodge & Cox Balance Fund Equity mutual fund, 29,652.719 shares ** 2,165,836 Vanguard 500 Index Fund Equity mutual fund, 16,001.249 shares ** 1,642,845 Liberty Acorn Equity mutual fund, 22,410.856 shares ** 474,886 American Funds New Perspective Foreign equity mutual fund, 66,216.201 Fund shares ** 1,611,041 NBT Bancorp Inc. Common stock, 1,347,641.198 shares *** 28,893,427 Participant loans receivable Interest rates - 5.25% - 12.14% ** 625,413 ------------ $ 47,820,456 ============ * Party-in-interest. ** Cost omitted for these participant directed investments. ***Represents cost of NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock for which there is no participant direction as well as NBT Bancorp Inc. common stock for which participants have direction.
See accompanying report of independent registered public accounting firm. 9
SCHEDULE 2 NBT BANCORP INC. 401(K) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN Schedule H, Line 4j - Schedule of Reportable Transactions Year ended December 31, 2003 (b) DESCRIPTION OF (h) CURRENT ASSET (INCLUDING (f) EXPENSE VALUE OF INTEREST RATE (c) (d) (e) INCURRED ASSET ON (i) NET (a) IDENTITY OF PARTY AND MATURITY PURCHASE SELLING LEASE WITH (g) COST OF TRANSACTION GAIN INVOLVED IN CASE OF A LOAN) PRICE PRICE RENTAL TRANSACTION ASSET DATE (LOSS) - ------------------------ ------------------- ----------- ---------- ------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- Series of transactions: - ----------------------- NBT Bancorp Inc. (series of 105 transactions) Common stock $ 4,785,584 - - - 4,785,584 4,785,584 - NBT Bancorp Inc. (series of 281 transactions) Common stock - 4,236,969 - - 3,135,519 4,236,969 1,101,450 Reportable transactions, for purposes of this schedule are: (1) A single transaction within the plan year in excess of 5% of the current value of the plan assets at the beginning of the plan year; (2) Any series of transactions with, or in conjunction with, the same person, involving property other than securities, which amount in the aggregate within the plan year (regardless of the category of asset and the gain or loss on any transaction) to more than 5% of the current value of plan assets at the beginning of the Plan year; (3) Any transaction within the plan year involving securities of the same issue if within the plan year any series of transactions with respect to such securities amount in the aggregate to more than 5% of the current value of the plan assets at the beginning of the Plan year; and (4) Any transaction within the plan year with respect to securities with, or in conjunction with, a person if any prior or subsequent single transaction within the plan year with such person, with respect to securities, exceeds 5% of the current value of plan assets at the beginning of the Plan year. See accompanying report of independent registered public accounting firm.
10 Exhibits: 23 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm dated June 25, 2004. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the employee benefit plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. Dated: June 25, 2004 NBT BANCORP INC. 401 (k) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN By: /s/ Thomas R. Delduchetto Thomas R. Delduchetto Executive Vice President and Director of Human Resources and Member of the 401 (k) Plan Administrative Committee of the NBT Bancorp Inc. 401 (k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan 11
EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit Document - ------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm dated June 25, 2004.
12
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   EXHIBIT 23
            CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors
NBT Bancorp Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement  (No.
333-97995)  on  Form  S-8 of NBT Bancorp Inc. of our report dated June 10, 2004,
with  respect to the statements of net assets available for plan benefits of the
NBT  Bancorp  Inc.  401(k)  and Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of December 31,
2003  and  2002,  the  related statements of changes in net assets available for
plan  benefits  for  the  years  then  ended,  the schedule of assets held as of
December 31, 2003 and the schedule of reportable transactions for the year ended
December 31, 2003 which report appears in the December 31, 2003 annual report on
Form  11-K  of  NBT  Bancorp  Inc.



/S/ KPMG LLP
Albany, New York
June 25, 2004