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Restructuring | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract] |
Restructuring | Restructuring In 2017, Aon initiated a global restructuring plan (the “Restructuring Plan”) in connection with the sale of the Divested Business. The Restructuring Plan is intended to streamline operations across the organization and deliver greater efficiency, insight, and connectivity. The Company expects these restructuring activities and related expenses to affect continuing operations through the fourth quarter of 2019, including an estimated 4,800 to 5,400 role eliminations. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Aon expanded the Restructuring Plan, which resulted in additional expected costs of approximately $200 million, consisting of $150 million of cash investment and $50 million of non-cash charges. The Restructuring Plan is expected to result in cumulative costs of approximately $1,225 million through the end of the plan, consisting of approximately $450 million in employee termination costs, $130 million in technology rationalization costs, $65 million in lease consolidation costs, $50 million in non-cash asset impairments, and $530 million in other costs, including certain separation costs associated with the sale of the Divested Business. From the inception of the Restructuring Plan through December 31, 2018, the Company has eliminated 4,366 positions and incurred total expenses of $982 million for restructuring and related separation costs. These charges are included in Compensation and benefits, Information technology, Premises, Depreciation of fixed assets, and Other general expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income. The following table summarizes restructuring and separation costs by type that have been incurred through December 31, 2018 and are estimated to be incurred through the end of the Restructuring Plan (in millions). Estimated costs by type may be revised in future periods as these assumptions are updated:
|  | Year Ended December 31, 2018 |  | Inception to Date |  | Estimated Remaining Costs |  | Estimated Total Cost (1)
Workforce reduction |  | $ | 115 |  |  | $ | 414 |  |  | $ | 36 |  |  | $ | 450 |
Technology rationalization (2) |  | 47 |  |  | 80 |  |  | 50 |  |  | 130 |
Lease consolidation (2) |  | 28 |  |  | 36 |  |  | 29 |  |  | 65 |
Asset impairments |  | 13 |  |  | 39 |  |  | 11 |  |  | 50 |
Other costs associated with restructuring and separation (2) (3) |  | 282 |  |  | 413 |  |  | 117 |  |  | 530 |
Total restructuring and related expenses |  | $ | 485 |  |  | 982 |  |  | $ | 243 |  |  | $ | 1,225 |
(1) | Actual costs, when incurred, may vary due to changes in the assumptions built into the Restructuring Plan. Significant assumptions that may change when plans are finalized and implemented include, but are not limited to, changes in severance calculations, changes in the assumptions underlying sublease loss calculations due to changing market conditions, and changes in the overall analysis that might cause the Company to add or cancel component initiatives.
(2) | Total contract termination costs incurred under the Restructuring Plan associated with Technology rationalizations, Lease consolidations, and Other costs associated with restructuring and separation, respectively, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 were $5 million, $25 million, and $85 million; and since inception of the Restructuring Plan, were $6 million, $33 million, and $88 million, respectively. Total estimated contract termination costs expected to be incurred under the Restructuring Plan associated with Technology rationalizations, Lease consolidations, and Other costs associated with restructuring and separation, respectively, are $15 million, $80 million, and $95 million.
(3) | Other costs associated with the Restructuring Plan include primarily those to separate the Divested Business, as well as moving costs and consulting and legal fees. These costs are generally recognized when incurred.
The changes in the Company’s liabilities for the Restructuring Plan as of December 31, 2018 are as follows (in millions):
|  | Restructuring Plan
Balance at December 31, 2017 |  | $ | 186 |
Expensed |  | 448 |
Cash payments |  | (425 | )
Foreign currency translation and other |  | (8 | )
Balance at December 31, 2018 |  | $ | 201 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for restructuring and related activities. Description of restructuring activities such as exit and disposal activities, include facts and circumstances leading to the plan, the expected plan completion date, the major types of costs associated with the plan activities, total expected costs, the accrual balance at the end of the period, and the periods over which the remaining accrual will be settled. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2175745 + Details
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