XML 45 R11.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.1.9

Benefit Plans | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] |
Benefit Plans | Benefit Plans: Subsidiaries of Altria Group, Inc. sponsor noncontributory defined benefit pension plans covering the majority of all employees of Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. However, employees hired on or after a date specific to their employee group are not eligible to participate in these noncontributory defined benefit pension plans but are instead eligible to participate in a defined contribution plan with enhanced benefits. This transition for new hires occurred from October 1, 2006 to January 1, 2008. In addition, effective January 1, 2010, certain employees of UST’s subsidiaries and Middleton who were participants in noncontributory defined benefit pension plans ceased to earn additional benefit service under those plans and became eligible to participate in a defined contribution plan with enhanced benefits. Altria Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries also provide health care and other benefits to the majority of retired employees. Pension Plans Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Net periodic pension cost consisted of the following:
|  | For the Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2015 |  | 2014
|  | (in millions)
Service cost |  | $ | 21 |  |  | $ | 17 |
Interest cost |  | 84 |  |  | 86 |
Expected return on plan assets |  | (135 | ) |  | (130 | )
Amortization: |  |  |  |
Net loss |  | 59 |  |  | 38 |
Prior service cost |  | 2 |  |  | 3 |
Net periodic pension cost |  | $ | 31 |  |  | $ | 14 |
Employer Contributions Altria Group, Inc. makes contributions to the pension plans to the extent that the contributions are tax deductible and pays benefits that relate to plans for salaried employees that cannot be funded under Internal Revenue Service regulations. Employer contributions of $4 million were made to Altria Group, Inc.’s pension plans during the three months ended March 31, 2015. Currently, Altria Group, Inc. anticipates making additional employer contributions to its pension plans during the remainder of 2015 of approximately $15 million to $45 million, based on current tax law. However, this estimate is subject to change as a result of changes in tax and other benefit laws, as well as asset performance significantly above or below the assumed long-term rate of return on pension assets, or changes in interest rates. Postretirement Benefit Plans Net postretirement health care costs consisted of the following:
|  | For the Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2015 |  | 2014
|  | (in millions)
Service cost |  | $ | 4 |  |  | $ | 4 |
Interest cost |  | 26 |  |  | 27 |
Amortization: |  |  |  |
Net loss |  | 12 |  |  | 7 |
Prior service credit |  | (10 | ) |  | (11 | )
Net postretirement health care costs |  | $ | 32 |  |  | $ | 27 |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CompensationAndRetirementDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for pension and other postretirement benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 70 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e2410-114920 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 80 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35742057&loc=SL14450702-114947 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 60 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414199&loc=d3e39622-114963 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 60 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414203&loc=d3e39675-114964 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration