Note 9. Benefit Plans

Pension Plans

Components of Net Periodic Pension Cost:

Net periodic pension cost consisted of the following:


	U.S. Plans						Non-U.S. Plans
	For the Three Months Ended March 31,						For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2015			2014			2015			2014
	(in millions)

Service cost	$	17		$	15		$	50		$	44
Interest cost		17			17			77			97
Expected return on plan assets		(23	)		(20	)		(119	)		(123	)
Amortization:
Net loss from experience differences		12			8			39			27
Settlement losses		3			2			–			5

Net periodic pension cost	$	26		$	22		$	47		$	50

Employer Contributions:

We make contributions to our U.S. and non-U.S. pension plans primarily to the extent that they are tax deductible and do not generate an excise tax liability. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, we contributed $202 million to our U.S. plans and $116 million to our non-U.S. plans. Based on current tax law, we plan to make further contributions of approximately $8 million to our U.S. plans and approximately $203 million to our non-U.S. plans during the remainder of 2015. However, our actual contributions may differ due to many factors, including changes in tax and other benefit laws or significant differences between expected and actual pension asset performance or 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		$	3
Interest cost		6			5
Amortization:
Net loss from experience differences		3			2
Prior service credit		(2	)		(3	)

Net postretirement health care costs	$	11		$	7

Postemployment Benefit Plans

Net postemployment costs consisted of the following:


	For the Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2015		2014
	(in millions)

Service cost	$	2	$	2
Interest cost		1		2

Net postemployment costs	$	3	$	4