Note H. Pension Plans and Other Retirement Benefits

Presented below is financial information relating to TJX’s funded defined benefit pension plan (qualified pension plan or funded plan) and its unfunded supplemental pension plan (unfunded plan) for the periods shown:


	Funded Plan						Unfunded Plan
	Thirteen Weeks Ended						Thirteen Weeks Ended
	July 30,			August 1,			July 30,		August 1,
In thousands	2016			2015			2016		2015
Service cost	$	11,209		$	13,053		$	542	$	694
Interest cost		14,362			12,949			875		871
Expected return on plan assets		(17,935	)		(19,493	)		—		—
Recognized actuarial losses		7,210			8,547			864		1,379

Total expense	$	14,846		$	15,056		$	2,281	$	2,944


	Funded Plan						Unfunded Plan
	Twenty-Six Weeks Ended						Twenty-Six Weeks Ended
	July 30,			August 1,			July 30,		August 1,
In thousands	2016			2015			2016		2015
Service cost	$	22,418		$	26,108		$	1,083	$	1,387
Interest cost		28,724			25,898			1,750		1,742
Expected return on plan assets		(35,870	)		(38,986	)		—		—
Recognized actuarial losses		14,419			17,094			1,729		2,758

Total expense	$	29,691			30,114		$	4,562		5,887

TJX’s policy with respect to the funded plan is to fund, at a minimum, the amount required to maintain a funded status of 80% of the applicable pension liability (the funding target pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code section 430) or such other amount sufficient to avoid restrictions with respect to the funding of TJX’s nonqualified plans under the Internal Revenue Code. TJX does not anticipate any required funding in fiscal 2017 for the funded plan. TJX anticipates making payments of $3.3 million to provide current benefits coming due under the unfunded plan in fiscal 2017.

The amounts included in recognized actuarial losses in the table above have been reclassified in their entirety from other comprehensive income to the statements of income, net of related tax effects, for the periods presented.

On August 8, 2016 TJX amended its qualified pension plan and began notifying eligible terminated vested participants of an opportunity to receive a lump sum payout of their vested pension benefit. TJX is offering the voluntary lump sum payout option in an effort to reduce its future pension obligations and associated administrative costs. Any payments would be made from pension plan assets but TJX may incur a pre-tax non-cash settlement charge that could be in the range of $35 million to $45 million. The final settlement charge could be higher or lower depending on participation rates and other factors.

TJX also has an unfunded postretirement medical plan which was closed to new benefits in fiscal 2006. The amendment to the plan benefits in fiscal 2006 resulted in a negative plan amendment which was being amortized to income over the estimated average remaining life of the eligible plan participants.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, TJX terminated the unfunded postretirement medical plan and made a discretionary lump sum payment to participants. The settlement of the liability and the recognition of the remaining negative plan amendment resulted in a pre-tax benefit of $5.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Amortization from other comprehensive income to net income was $864,000 for the quarter ended May 2, 2015.