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Benefit Plans | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Retirement Benefits [Abstract] |
Benefit Plans |
Note 17 | Benefit Plans
Pension and other postretirement plans Defined benefit pension plans cover most full-time employees, certain part-time employees and employee-agents. Benefits under the pension plans are based upon the employee’s length of service, eligible annual compensation and, prior to January 1, 2014, either a cash balance or final average pay formula. A cash balance formula applies to all eligible employees hired after August 1, 2002. Eligible employees hired before August 1, 2002 chose between the cash balance formula and the final average pay formula. In July 2013, the Company amended its primary plans effective January 1, 2014 to introduce a new cash balance formula to replace the previous formulas (including the final average pay formula and the previous cash balance formula) under which eligible employees accrue benefits. The Company also provides a medical coverage subsidy for eligible employees hired before January 1, 2003, including their eligible dependents, when they retire and certain life insurance benefits for eligible retirees (“postretirement benefits”). In July 2013, the Company amended the plan to eliminate the life insurance benefits effective January 1, 2014 for current eligible employees and effective January 1, 2016 for eligible retirees who retired after 1989. In 2017, the Company continues to pay life insurance premiums for certain retiree plaintiffs subject to a court order requiring it to do so until such time as their lawsuit seeking to keep their life insurance benefits intact is resolved. Qualified employees may become eligible for a medical subsidy if they retire in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans and are continuously insured under the Company’s group plans or other approved plans in accordance with the plan’s participation requirements. The Company shares the cost of retiree medical benefits with non Medicare-eligible retirees based on years of service, with the Company’s share being subject to a 5% limit on future annual medical cost inflation after retirement. For Medicare-eligible retirees, the Company provides a fixed Company contribution based on years of service and other factors, which is not subject to adjustments for inflation. The Company has reserved the right to modify or terminate its benefit plans at any time and for any reason. Obligations and funded status The Company calculates benefit obligations based upon generally accepted actuarial methodologies using the projected benefit obligation (“PBO”) for pension plans and the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (“APBO”) for other postretirement plans. The determination of pension costs and other postretirement obligations are determined using a December 31 measurement date. The benefit obligations represent the actuarial present value of all benefits attributed to employee service rendered as of the measurement date. The PBO is measured using the pension benefit formulas and assumptions as to future compensation levels. A plan’s funded status is calculated as the difference between the benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets. The Company’s funding policy for the pension plans is to make contributions at a level in accordance with regulations under the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and generally accepted actuarial principles. The Company’s other postretirement benefit plans are not funded.
Components of the pension and other postretirement plans’ funded status reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
|  | As of December 31,
|  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Fair value of plan assets |  | $ | 6,284 |  |  | $ | 5,650 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Less: Benefit obligation |  | 6,815 |  |  | 6,591 |  |  | 386 |  |  | 373 |
Funded status |  | $ | (531 | ) |  | $ | (941 | ) |  | $ | (386 | ) |  | $ | (373 | )
Items not yet recognized as a component of net periodic cost: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net actuarial loss (gain) |  | $ | 2,224 |  |  | $ | 2,807 |  |  | $ | (218 | ) |  | $ | (251 | )
Prior service credit |  | (254 | ) |  | (310 | ) |  | (37 | ) |  | (62 | )
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit cost, pre-tax |  | 1,970 |  |  | 2,497 |  |  | (255 | ) |  | (313 | )
Deferred income tax (1) |  | (419 | ) |  | (874 | ) |  | 51 |  |  | 109 |
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit cost |  | $ | 1,551 |  |  | $ | 1,623 |  |  | $ | (204 | ) |  | $ | (204 | )
(1) | Components of the pension plan and other postretirement benefits were reduced by deferred income taxes at the newly enacted 21% U.S. corporate tax rate as of December 31, 2017 and 35% as of December 31, 2016.
The $583 million decrease in the pension net actuarial loss during 2017 is primarily related to gains from favorable asset performance, a settlement loss and the amortization of unrecognized pension costs to net periodic pension cost, partially offset by a decrease in the discount rate and lump sum conversion rates. The majority of the $2.22 billion net actuarial pension benefit losses not yet recognized in 2017 reflects decreases in the discount rate. The $33 million decrease in the OPEB net actuarial gain during 2017 primarily related to amortization of net actuarial gains. The primary qualified employee plan represents 73% of the pension benefits’ underfunded status as of December 31, 2017. The change in items not yet recognized as a component of net periodic cost is recorded in unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit cost.
Changes in items not yet recognized as a component of net periodic cost
($ in millions) |  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
Items not yet recognized as a component of net periodic cost – December 31, 2016 |  | $ | 2,497 |  |  | $ | (313 | )
Net actuarial (gain) loss arising during the period |  | (247 | ) |  | 8 |
Net actuarial (loss) gain amortized to net periodic benefit cost |  | (342 | ) |  | 24 |
Prior service credit amortized to net periodic benefit cost |  | 56 |  |  | 25 |
Translation adjustment and other |  | 6 |  |  | 1 |
Items not yet recognized as a component of net periodic cost – December 31, 2017 |  | $ | 1,970 |  |  | $ | (255 | )
The net actuarial loss (gain) and prior service credit is recognized as a component of net periodic cost amortized over the average remaining service period of active employees expected to receive benefits.
Estimates of 2018 net actuarial loss (gain) and prior service credit
($ in millions) |  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
Net actuarial loss (gain) |  | $ | 177 |  |  | $ | (22 | )
Prior service credit |  | (56 | ) |  | (22 | )
The accumulated benefit obligation (“ABO”) for all defined benefit pension plans was $6.74 billion and $6.52 billion as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The ABO is the actuarial present value of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered at the measurement date. However, it differs from the PBO due to the exclusion of an assumption as to future compensation levels. The PBO, ABO and fair value of plan assets for the Company’s pension plans with an ABO in excess of plan assets were $6.42 billion, $6.36 billion and $5.89 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2017 and $6.24 billion, $6.18 billion and $5.30 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2016. Included in the accrued benefit cost of the pension benefits are certain unfunded non-qualified plans with accrued benefit costs of $140 million and $141 million for 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Changes in benefit obligations for all plans
|  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Benefit obligation, beginning of year |  | $ | 6,591 |  |  | $ | 6,130 |  |  | $ | 373 |  |  | $ | 405 |
Service cost |  | 114 |  |  | 113 |  |  | 8 |  |  | 9 |
Interest cost |  | 264 |  |  | 286 |  |  | 15 |  |  | 17 |
Participant contributions |  | — |  |  | 1 |  |  | 12 |  |  | 16 |
Actuarial loss (gain) |  | 395 |  |  | 387 |  |  | 8 |  |  | (14 | )
Benefits paid (1) |  | (553 | ) |  | (301 | ) |  | (35 | ) |  | (41 | )
Plan amendments |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (22 | )
Translation adjustment and other |  | 4 |  |  | (25 | ) |  | 5 |  |  | 3 |
Benefit obligation, end of year |  | $ | 6,815 |  |  | $ | 6,591 |  |  | $ | 386 |  |  | $ | 373 |
(1) | Benefits paid include lump sum distributions, a portion of which triggered settlement accounting treatment.
Components of net periodic cost
|  | For the years ended December 31,
|  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Service cost |  | $ | 114 |  |  | $ | 113 |  |  | $ | 114 |  |  | $ | 8 |  |  | $ | 9 |  |  | $ | 12 |
Interest cost |  | 264 |  |  | 286 |  |  | 258 |  |  | 15 |  |  | 17 |  |  | 23 |
Expected return on plan assets |  | (409 | ) |  | (398 | ) |  | (424 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Amortization of: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Prior service credit |  | (56 | ) |  | (56 | ) |  | (56 | ) |  | (25 | ) |  | (21 | ) |  | (22 | )
Net actuarial loss (gain) |  | 189 |  |  | 174 |  |  | 190 |  |  | (24 | ) |  | (24 | ) |  | (9 | )
Settlement loss |  | 153 |  |  | 27 |  |  | 31 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Net periodic cost (credit) |  | $ | 255 |  |  | $ | 146 |  |  | $ | 113 |  |  | $ | (26 | ) |  | $ | (19 | ) |  | $ | 4 |
The service cost component is the actuarial present value of the benefits attributed by the plans’ benefit formula to services rendered by the employees during the period. Interest cost is the increase in the PBO in the period due to the passage of time at the discount rate. Interest cost fluctuates as the discount rate changes and is also impacted by the related change in the size of the PBO. The decrease or increase in the PBO due to an increase or decrease in the discount rate is deferred and decreases or increases the net actuarial loss. It is recorded in AOCI as unrecognized pension benefit cost and may be amortized. The expected return on plan assets is determined as the product of the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets and the adjusted fair value of plan assets, referred to as the market-related value of plan assets. To determine the market-related value, the fair value of plan assets is adjusted annually so that differences between changes in the fair value of equity securities and the expected long-term rate of return on these securities are recognized into the market-related value of plan assets over a five-year period. We believe this is consistent with the long-term nature of pension obligations. When the actual return on plan assets exceeds the expected return it reduces the net actuarial loss recorded in AOCI; when the expected return exceeds the actual return it increases the net actuarial loss. These amounts are recorded in AOCI as unrecognized pension benefit cost and may be amortized. The market-related value adjustment represents the current difference between actual returns and expected returns on equity securities and hedge fund limited partnerships recognized over a five-year period. The market-related value adjustment is a deferred net gain of $403 million as of December 31, 2017. The expected return on plan assets fluctuates when the market-related value of plan assets changes and when the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets assumption changes. Net actuarial loss fluctuations are due to changes in discount rate, differences between actual return on plan assets and expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, and differences between actual plan experience and other actuarial assumptions when there is an excess sufficient to qualify for amortization. Amortization of net actuarial loss in pension cost is recorded when the net actuarial loss excluding the unamortized market-related value adjustment exceeds 10% of the greater of the PBO or the market-related value of plan assets. The amount of amortization is equal to the excess divided by the average remaining service period for active employees for each plan, which approximates 10 years for Allstate’s largest plan. As a result, the effect of changes in the PBO due to changes in the discount rate and changes in the fair value of plan assets may be experienced in our net periodic pension cost in periods subsequent to those in which the fluctuations actually occur. Settlement losses are non-cash charges that accelerate the recognition of unrecognized pension benefit cost that would have been incurred in subsequent periods, when plan payments, primarily lump sums from qualified pension plans, exceed a threshold of service plus interest cost for the period. The value of lump sums paid in 2017 was higher than in 2016 and exceeded the settlement charge threshold, in the primary employee plan, due to higher-than-expected retirement levels, higher prescribed IRS lump sum interest rates that reduce future benefit lump sum payments and reductions in force. As a result, a pension settlement loss of $122 million, pre-tax, was recorded as part of operating costs and expenses in the Corporate and Other segment.
Weighted average assumptions used to determine net pension cost and net postretirement benefit cost
|  | For the years ended December 31,
|  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Discount rate |  | 4.15 | % |  | 4.83 | % |  | 4.10 | % |  | 3.63 | % |  | 4.59 | % |  | 3.97 | %
Rate of increase in compensation levels |  | 3.20 |  |  | 3.20 |  |  | 3.50 |  |  | n/a |  |  | n/a |  |  | n/a |
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets |  | 7.31 |  |  | 7.30 |  |  | 7.33 |  |  | n/a |  |  | n/a |  |  | n/a |
Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations
|  | For the years ended December 31,
|  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
|  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Discount rate |  | 3.68 | % |  | 4.15 | % |  | 4.06 | % |  | 4.07 | %
Rate of increase in compensation levels |  | 3.20 |  |  | 3.20 |  |  | n/a |  |  | n/a |
The weighted average health care cost trend rate used in measuring the accumulated postretirement benefit cost is 6.1% for 2018, gradually declining to 4.5% in 2038 and remaining at that level thereafter. Assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the postretirement health care plans. A one percentage-point increase in assumed health care cost trend rates would increase the total of the service and interest cost components of net periodic benefit cost of other postretirement benefits and APBO by $2 million and $26 million, respectively. A one percentage-point decrease in assumed health care cost trend rates would decrease the total of the service and interest cost components of net periodic benefit cost of other postretirement benefits and APBO by $2 million and $23 million, respectively. Pension plan assets
Change in pension plan assets
|  | For the years ended December 31,
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year |  | $ | 5,650 |  |  | $ | 5,353 |
Actual return on plan assets |  | 1,051 |  |  | 491 |
Employer contribution |  | 131 |  |  | 131 |
Benefits paid |  | (553 | ) |  | (301 | )
Translation adjustment and other |  | 5 |  |  | (24 | )
Fair value of plan assets, end of year |  | $ | 6,284 |  |  | $ | 5,650 |
In general, the Company’s pension plan assets are managed in accordance with investment policies approved by pension investment committees. The purpose of the policies is to ensure the plans’ long-term ability to meet benefit obligations by prudently investing plan assets and Company contributions, while taking into consideration regulatory and legal requirements and current market conditions. The investment policies are reviewed periodically and specify target plan asset allocation by asset category. In addition, the policies specify various asset allocation and other risk limits. The target asset allocation takes the plans’ funding status into consideration, among other factors, including anticipated demographic changes or liquidity requirements that may affect the funding status such as the potential impact of lump sum settlements as well as existing or expected market conditions. In general, the allocation has a lower overall investment risk when a plan is in a stronger funded status position since there is less economic incentive to take risk to increase the expected returns on the plan assets. As a result, the primary employee plan has a greater allocation to equity securities than the employee-agent plan. The primary qualified employee plan comprises 81% of total plan assets and 86% of equity securities. The pension plans’ asset exposure within each asset category is tracked against widely accepted established benchmarks for each asset class with limits on variation from the benchmark established in the investment policy. Pension plan assets are regularly monitored for compliance with these limits and other risk limits specified in the investment policies.
Weighted average target asset allocation and actual percentage of plan assets by asset category
|  | As of December 31, 2017
|  | Target asset allocation (1) |  | Actual percentage of plan assets
Pension plan’s asset category |  | 2017 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Equity securities (2) |  | 43 - 62% |  | 58 | % |  | 62 | %
Fixed income securities |  | 34 - 44% |  | 34 |  |  | 29 |
Limited partnership interests |  | 0 - 13% |  | 6 |  |  | 7 |
Short-term investments and other |  | — |  | 2 |  |  | 2 |
Total without securities lending (3) |  |  |  | 100 | % |  | 100 | %
(1) | The target asset allocation considers risk based exposure while the actual percentage of plan assets utilizes a financial reporting view excluding exposure provided through derivatives.
(2) | The actual percentage of plan assets for equity securities include private equity investments that are subject to the limited partnership interests target allocation of 2% and 1% in 2017 and 2016, respectively, fixed income mutual funds that are subject to the fixed income securities target allocation of 3% for both 2017 and 2016 as well as 1% of equity exposure created through a derivative which is not included in the actual allocations in 2017.
(3) | Securities lending collateral reinvestment of $202 million and $143 million is excluded from the table above in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
The target asset allocation for an asset category may be achieved either through direct investment holdings, through replication using derivative instruments (e.g., futures or swaps) or net of hedges using derivative instruments to reduce exposure to an asset category. The net notional amount of derivatives used for replication and hedges is limited to 105% or 115% of total plan assets depending on the plan. Market performance of the different asset categories may, from time to time, cause deviation from the target asset allocation. The asset allocation mix is reviewed on a periodic basis and rebalanced to bring the allocation within the target ranges. Outside the target asset allocation, the pension plans participate in a securities lending program to enhance returns. As of December 31, 2017, U.S. government fixed income securities and U.S. equity securities are lent out and cash collateral is invested in short-term investments.
Fair values of pension plan assets as of December 31, 2017
($ in millions) |  | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |  | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |  | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |  | Balance as of December 31, 2017
Equity securities |  | $ | 126 |  |  | $ | 264 |  |  | $ | 29 |  |  | $ | 419 |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government and agencies |  | 174 |  |  | 420 |  |  | — |  |  | 594 |
Corporate |  | — |  |  | 1,543 |  |  | 10 |  |  | 1,553 |
Short-term investments |  | 97 |  |  | 197 |  |  | — |  |  | 294 |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 21 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 21 |
Free-standing derivatives: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets |  | — |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Total plan assets at fair value |  | $ | 418 |  |  | $ | 2,425 |  |  | $ | 39 |  |  | 2,882 |
% of total plan assets at fair value |  | 14.5 | % |  | 84.1 | % |  | 1.4 | % |  | 100.0 | %
Investments measured using the net asset value practical expedient (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,598 |
Securities lending obligation (2) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (216 | )
Other net plan assets (3) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 |
Total reported plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 6,284 |
(1) | In 2017, the Company retrospectively adopted a new accounting standard for pension plans which eliminates the requirement to include investments in the fair value hierarchy for which fair value is measured using net asset value (“NAV”) per share practical expedient. As a result, certain pension plan investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy, including the related rollforward of Level 3 plan assets presented below. These investments comprised of $3.20 billion of equity investments and $402 million of limited partnerships.
(2) | The securities lending obligation represents the plan’s obligation to return securities lending collateral received under a securities lending program. The terms of the program allow both the plan and the counterparty the right and ability to redeem/return the securities loaned on short notice. Due to its relatively short-term nature, the outstanding balance of the obligation approximates fair value.
(3) | Other net plan assets represent interest and dividends receivable and net receivables related to settlements of investment transactions, such as purchases and sales.
Fair values of pension plan assets as of December 31, 2016
($ in millions) |  | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |  | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |  | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |  | Balance as of December 31, 2016
Equity securities |  | $ | 155 |  |  | $ | 147 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 302 |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government and agencies |  | 30 |  |  | 285 |  |  | — |  |  | 315 |
Corporate |  | — |  |  | 1,309 |  |  | 10 |  |  | 1,319 |
Short-term investments |  | 144 |  |  | 121 |  |  | — |  |  | 265 |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 32 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 32 |
Free-standing derivatives: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets |  | (1 | ) |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |
Total plan assets at fair value |  | $ | 360 |  |  | $ | 1,863 |  |  | $ | 10 |  |  | 2,233 |
% of total plan assets at fair value |  | 16.1 | % |  | 83.4 | % |  | 0.5 | % |  | 100.0 | %
Investments measured using the Net Asset Value practical expedient |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,525 |
Securities lending obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (158 | )
Other net plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50 |
Total reported plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 5,650 |
The fair values of pension plan assets are estimated using the same methodologies and inputs as those used to determine the fair values for the respective asset category of the Company. These methodologies and inputs are disclosed in Note 6.
Rollforward of level 3 plan assets during December 31, 2017
|  |  |  | Actual return on plan assets: |  |  |  |  |  |
($ in millions) |  | Balance as of December 31, 2016 |  | Relating to assets sold during the period |  | Relating to assets still held at the reporting date |  | Purchases, sales and settlements, net |  | Net transfers in and/or (out) of Level 3 |  | Balance as of December 31, 2017
Equity securities |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 29 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 29 |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Corporate |  | 10 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 10 |
Total Level 3 plan assets |  | $ | 10 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 29 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 39 |
Rollforward of level 3 plan assets during December 31, 2016
|  |  |  | Actual return on plan assets: |  |  |  |  |  |
($ in millions) |  | Balance as of December 31, 2015 |  | Relating to assets sold during the period |  | Relating to assets still held at the reporting date |  | Purchases, sales and settlements, net |  | Net transfers in and/or (out) of Level 3 |  | Balance as of December 31, 2016
Equity securities |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | (1 | ) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal |  | 7 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (7 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |
Corporate |  | 10 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (5 | ) |  | 5 |  |  | 10 |
Total Level 3 plan assets |  | $ | 18 |  |  | $ | (1 | ) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | (12 | ) |  | $ | 5 |  |  | $ | 10 |
Rollforward of level 3 plan assets during December 31, 2015
|  |  |  | Actual return on plan assets: |  |  |  |  |  |
($ in millions) |  | Balance as of December 31, 2014 |  | Relating to assets sold during the period |  | Relating to assets still held at the reporting date |  | Purchases, sales and settlements, net |  | Net transfers in and/or (out) of Level 3 |  | Balance as of December 31, 2015
Equity securities |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | (1 | ) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1 |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal |  | 14 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (7 | ) |  | — |  |  | 7 |
Corporate |  | 12 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | (2 | ) |  | 10 |
Total Level 3 plan assets |  | $ | 27 |  |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | (1 | ) |  | $ | (7 | ) |  | $ | (2 | ) |  | $ | 18 |
The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets reflects the average rate of earnings expected on plan assets. The Company’s assumption for the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets is reviewed annually giving consideration to appropriate financial data including, but not limited to, the plan asset allocation, forward-looking expected returns for the period over which benefits will be paid, historical returns on plan assets and other relevant market data. Given the long-term forward looking nature of this assumption, the actual returns in any one year do not immediately result in a change. In giving consideration to the targeted plan asset allocation, the Company evaluated returns using the same sources it has used historically which include: historical average asset class returns from an independent nationally recognized vendor of this type of data blended together using the asset allocation policy weights for the Company’s pension plans; asset class return forecasts from a large global independent asset management firm that specializes in providing multi-asset class investment fund products which were blended together using the asset allocation policy weights; and expected portfolio returns from a proprietary simulation methodology of a widely recognized external investment consulting firm that performs asset allocation and actuarial services for corporate pension plan sponsors. This same methodology has been applied on a consistent basis each year. All of these were consistent with the Company’s weighted average long-term rate of return on plan assets assumption of 7.31% used for 2017 and 7.32% that will be used for 2018. The assumption for the primary qualified employee plan is 7.75% and the employee-agent plan is 5.75% for both years. The employee-agent plan assumption is lower than the primary qualified employee plan assumption due to a lower investment allocation to equity securities and a higher allocation to fixed income securities. As of the 2017 measurement date, the arithmetic average of the annual actual return on plan assets for the most recent 10 and 5 years was 6.8% and 9.9%, respectively. Cash flows There was no required cash contribution necessary to satisfy the minimum funding requirement under the Internal Revenue Code for the tax qualified pension plans as of December 31, 2017. The Company currently plans to contribute $133 million to its pension plans in 2018. The Company contributed $23 million and $25 million to the postretirement benefit plans in 2017 and 2016, respectively. Contributions by participants were $12 million and $16 million in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Estimated future benefit payments expected to be paid in the next 10 years
|  | As of December 31, 2017,
($ in millions) |  | Pension benefits |  | Postretirement benefits
2018 |  | $ | 426 |  |  | $ | 22 |
2019 |  | 463 |  |  | 24 |
2020 |  | 485 |  |  | 24 |
2021 |  | 514 |  |  | 25 |
2022 |  | 533 |  |  | 26 |
2023-2027 |  | 2,477 |  |  | 136 |
Total benefit payments |  | $ | 4,898 |  |  | $ | 257 |
Allstate 401(k) Savings Plan Employees of the Company, with the exception of those employed by the Company’s international, SquareTrade, Esurance and Answer Financial subsidiaries, are eligible to become members of the Allstate 401(k) Savings Plan (“Allstate Plan”). The Company’s contributions are based on the Company’s matching obligation. The Company is responsible for funding its anticipated contribution to the Allstate Plan, and may, at the discretion of management, use the ESOP to pre-fund certain portions. In connection with the Allstate Plan, the Company has a note from the ESOP with a principal balance of $2 million as of December 31, 2017. The ESOP note has a fixed interest rate of 7.9% and matures in 2019. The Company records dividends on the ESOP shares in retained income and all the shares held by the ESOP are included in basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. The Company’s contribution to the Allstate Plan was $81 million, $80 million and $79 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. These amounts were reduced by the ESOP benefit.
ESOP benefit
|  | For the years December 31,
($ in millions) |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Interest expense recognized by ESOP |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | 1 |
Less: dividends accrued on ESOP shares |  | (1 | ) |  | (3 | ) |  | (3 | )
Cost of shares allocated |  | 3 |  |  | 7 |  |  | 10 |
Compensation expense |  | 2 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 8 |
Reduction of defined contribution due to ESOP |  | 38 |  |  | 60 |  |  | 73 |
ESOP benefit |  | $ | (36 | ) |  | $ | (55 | ) |  | $ | (65 | )
The Company made $1 million, $2 million and $2 million in contributions to the ESOP in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, total committed to be released, allocated and unallocated ESOP shares were 0.4 million, 38 million and 0.4 million, respectively. Allstate’s Canadian, SquareTrade, Esurance and Answer Financial subsidiaries sponsor defined contribution plans for their eligible employees. Expense for these plans was $12 million, $10 million and $10 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

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- 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 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2235017 + Details
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