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PENSIONS | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract] |
PENSIONS |
22. | PENSIONS
Defined contribution scheme We operate a defined contribution scheme. The pension cost for the period represents contributions payable by us to the scheme. The charge to net income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 was $2.4 million, $1.9 million and $1.7 million, respectively. Defined benefit schemes We have two defined benefit pension plans both of which are closed to new entrants but still cover certain of our employees. Benefits are based on the employee's years of service and compensation. Net periodic pension plan costs are determined using the Projected Unit Credit Cost method. Our plans are funded by us in conformity with the funding requirements of the applicable government regulations. Plan assets consist of both fixed income and equity funds managed by professional fund managers. We use December 31 as a measurement date for our pension plans. The components of net periodic benefit costs are as follows:
(in thousands of $) | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Service cost | 162 |  |  | 250 |  |  | 313 |
Interest cost | 1,740 |  |  | 1,687 |  |  | 1,901 |
Expected return on plan assets | (375) |  |  | (926) |  |  | (843) |
Recognized actuarial loss | 777 |  |  | 1,392 |  |  | 1,182 |
Net periodic benefit cost | 2,304 |  |  | 2,403 |  |  | 2,553 |
The components of net periodic benefit costs are recognized in the income statement within administrative expenses and vessel operating expenses. The estimated net loss for the defined benefit pension plans that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic pension benefit cost during the year ended December 31, 2019 is $0.8 million (2018: $1.4 million). The change in projected benefit obligation and plan assets and reconciliation of funded status as of December 31 are as follows:
(in thousands of $) | 2019 |  | 2018
Reconciliation of benefit obligation: |  |  |
Benefit obligation at January 1 | 46,093 |  |  | 51,171 |
Service cost | 162 |  |  | 250 |
Interest cost | 1,740 |  |  | 1,687 |
Actuarial (gain)/ loss | 4,581 |  |  | (3,265) |
Foreign currency exchange rate changes | 433 |  |  | (599) |
Benefit payments | (3,066) |  |  | (3,151) |
Benefit obligation at December 31 | 49,943 |  |  | 46,093 |
The accumulated benefit obligation at December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $49.2 million and $45.3 million, respectively.
(in thousands of $) | 2019 |  | 2018
Reconciliation of fair value of plan assets: |  |  |
Fair value of plan assets at January 1 | 13,121 |  |  | 13,634 |
Actual return/(loss) on plan assets | 1,216 |  |  | (249) |
Employer contributions | 3,411 |  |  | 3,617 |
Foreign currency exchange rate changes | 541 |  |  | (730) |
Benefit payments | (3,066) |  |  | (3,151) |
Fair value of plan assets at December 31 | 15,223 |  |  | 13,121 |
(in thousands of $) | 2019 |  | 2018
Projected benefit obligation | (49,943) |  |  | (46,093) |
Fair value of plan assets | 15,223 |  |  | 13,121 |
Unfunded status (1) | (34,720) |  |  | (32,972) |
Employer contributions and benefits paid under the pension plans include $3.4 million paid from employer assets for the year ended December 31, 2019 (2018: $3.6 million). (1) Our plan comprises two schemes. The details of these schemes are as follows:
| December 31, 2019 |  |  |  |  |  | December 31, 2018 |  |  |  |
(in thousands of $) | UK Scheme |  | Marine Scheme |  | Total |  | UK Scheme |  | Marine Scheme |  | Total
Projected benefit obligation | (11,479) |  |  | (38,464) |  |  | (49,943) |  |  | (9,818) |  |  | (36,275) |  |  | (46,093) |
Fair value of plan assets | 14,323 |  |  | 900 |  |  | 15,223 |  |  | 12,291 |  |  | 830 |  |  | 13,121 |
Funded (unfunded) status at end of year | 2,844 |  |  | (37,564) |  |  | (34,720) |  |  | 2,473 |  |  | (35,445) |  |  | (32,972) |
The fair value of our plan assets, by category, as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 is as follows:
(in thousands of $) | 2019 |  | 2018
Equity securities | 14,323 |  |  | 12,291 |
Cash | 900 |  |  | 830 |
| 15,223 |  |  | 13,121 |
The amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income, as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, is $12.2 million and $9.2 million, respectively. The actuarial loss recognized in other comprehensive income is net of tax of $0.5 million, $0.4 million, and $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The asset allocation for our Marine scheme at December 31, 2019 and 2018, by asset category are as follows:
Marine scheme |  |  | 2019 (%) |  | 2018 (%)
Cash |  |  | 100 |  |  | 100 |
Total |  |  | 100 |  |  | 100 |
The asset allocation for our UK scheme at December 31, 2019 and 2018, by asset category are as follows:
UK scheme |  |  | 2019 (%) |  | 2018 (%)
Equity |  |  | 100 |  |  | 100 |
Total |  |  | 100 |  |  | 100 |
Our investment strategy is to balance risk and reward through the selection of professional investment managers and investing in pooled funds. We are expected to make the following contributions to the schemes during the year ended December 31, 2020, as follows:
(in thousands of $) | UK scheme |  | Marine scheme
Employer contributions | — |  |  | 2,900 |
We are expected to make the following pension disbursements as follows:
(in thousands of $) | UK scheme |  | Marine scheme
2020 | 410 |  |  |  | 3,000 |
2021 | 570 |  |  |  | 3,000 |
2022 | 360 |  |  |  | 3,000 |
2023 | 370 |  |  |  | 3,000 |
2024 | 410 |  |  |  | 3,000 |
2025 - 2029 | 2,410 |  |  |  | 12,500 |
The weighted average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation for our plans for the years ended December 31 are as follows:
| 2019 |  | 2018
Discount rate | 2.61 | % |  | 3.90 | %
Rate of compensation increase | 2.15 | % |  | 2.20 | %
The weighted average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost for our plans for the years ended December 31 are as follows:
| 2019 |  | 2018
Discount rate | 2.63 | % |  | 3.40 | %
Expected return on plan assets | 2.81 | % |  | 6.75 | %
Rate of compensation increase | 2.20 | % |  | 2.32 | %
The overall expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption used to determine the net periodic benefit cost for our plans for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 is based on the weighted average of various returns on assets using the asset allocation as at the beginning of 2019 and 2018. For equities and other asset classes, we have applied an equity risk premium over ten year governmental bonds.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for pension and other postretirement benefits. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2235017 + Details
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