Retirement and Benefit Plans

Our retirement plans consist of noncontributory defined benefit pension plans, contributory defined contribution savings plans, a deferred compensation plan, and a multiemployer health and welfare plan.

Defined Benefit Plans

Some of our employees are covered by noncontributory defined benefit pension plans. We have one qualified defined benefit pension plan, which includes the merging of a salaried plan and two plans for hourly employees to simplify administration of the plans. The following summarizes recent activity of each individual plan:


•	Benefits for salaried employees were frozen so that no future benefits have accrued since December 31, 2009.

•

From 2011 through 2015, plan amendments affected certain union and non-union hourly employees by closing participation and freezing future benefits. The benefit for hourly employees is generally based on a fixed amount per year of service (years of service determined as of the freeze dates). In connection with these amendments, we recognized $0.2 million of noncash curtailment losses during the year ended December 31, 2013. As a result, only certain hourly employees continue to accrue benefits after the effective dates of these amendments.

•

On March 9, 2015 and May 15, 2015, we made discretionary contributions to our qualified defined benefit pension plan (Pension Plan) of $10.0 million and $40.0 million, respectively. Due to the significant voluntary contributions made (not anticipated in our year end measurement), we elected to remeasure our Pension Plan on May 15, 2015. See "Assumptions" below for the impact on our discount rate and expected return on plan asset assumptions.

We also have nonqualified salaried pension plans, which were frozen so that no future benefits have accrued since December 31, 2009.

Defined Contribution Plans

We sponsor contributory defined contribution savings plans for most of our salaried and hourly employees, and we generally provide company contributions to the savings plans. Since March 1, 2010, we have contributed 4% of each salaried participant's eligible compensation to the plan as a nondiscretionary company contribution. In addition, beginning in 2012, for the years that a performance target is met, we contribute an additional amount of the employee's eligible compensation, depending on company performance and the employee's years of service. During the year ended December 31, 2015, company performance resulted in no additional contributions. During each of the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, company performance resulted in additional contributions in the range of 1% to 2% of eligible compensation. The company contributions for union and nonunion hourly employees vary by location. Company contributions paid, or to be paid, to our defined contribution savings plans for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, were $10.1 million, $13.6 million, and $13.2 million, respectively.

Defined Contributory Trust

We have participated in a multiemployer defined contributory trust plan for certain union hourly employees since 2013. As of December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 approximately 1,431, 1,378 and 647, respectively, of our employees participated in this plan. For certain of these employees, per the terms of the representative collective bargaining agreements, we were required to contribute $0.75, $0.50 and $0.45, respectively, per hour per active employee during 2015, 2014, and 2013. For certain other of these employees, we were required to contribute 4% of the employee's earnings during 2015 and 2014. Company contributions to the multiemployer defined contributory trust plan for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 were $2.8 million, $2.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively. After required contributions, we have no further obligation to the plan. The plan and its assets are managed by a joint board of trustees.

Deferred Compensation Plan

We sponsor a deferred compensation plan. No compensation deferrals were allowed to be made under the plan from 2009 until our conversion from a limited liability company to a corporation in 2013, as deferrals to the plan were prohibited because Boise Cascade, L.L.C., was a disqualified entity under Internal Revenue Code Section 457A. Deferrals, company match, and interest on contributions made to the plan on or before December 31, 2008, were not affected by 457A. In July 2013, the deferred compensation plan was amended to effect certain administrative updates, and employee deferrals to the deferred compensation plan began again on January 1, 2014.

Under the plan, participating employees irrevocably elect each year to defer receipt of a portion of their base salary and incentive compensation. A participant's account is credited with imputed interest at a rate equal to 130% of Moody's Composite Average of Yields on Corporate Bonds. Participants may receive payment of their deferred compensation plan balance in a lump sum or in monthly installments over a specified period of years following the termination of their employment with the company. The deferred compensation plan is unfunded; therefore, benefits are paid from our general assets.

We recognized $0.6 million of interest expense related to the plan for each of the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, we had $11.7 million and $10.7 million, respectively, of liabilities related to the plan, of which $0.5 million and $1.4 million, respectively, were recorded in "Accrued liabilities, Compensation and benefits" and $11.2 million and $9.3 million, respectively, were recorded in "Other, Compensation and benefits" on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Multiemployer Health and Welfare Plan

We participate in a multiemployer health and welfare plan that covers medical, dental, and life insurance benefits for certain active employees as well as benefits for retired employees. As of December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, approximately 651, 652, and 625, respectively, of our employees participated in this plan. Per the terms of the representative collective bargaining agreements, we were required to contribute $5.00 per hour per active employee in 2013 and through May 31, 2014. From June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015, we were required to contribute $5.25 per hour per active employee. Since June 1, 2015, we are required to contribute $5.50 per hour per active employee. Company contributions to the multiemployer health and welfare plan for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, were $7.6 million, $7.3 million, and $6.9 million, respectively. After required contributions, we have no further obligation to the plan. The trustees of the plan determine the allocation of benefits between active and retired employees.

Defined Benefit Obligations and Funded Status

The following table, which includes only company-sponsored defined benefit plans, reconciles the beginning and ending balances of our projected benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets. We recognize the underfunded status of our defined benefit pension plans on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We recognize changes in funded status in the year changes occur through other comprehensive income (loss).



	December 31
	2015			2014
	(thousands)
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	513,798		$	443,313
Service cost	739			1,682
Interest cost	19,067			20,179
Actuarial (gain) loss	(27,817		)	82,090
Benefits paid (a)	(21,708		)	(33,466		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	484,079			513,798

Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	363,959			357,280
Actual return on plan assets	2,954			28,074
Employer contributions	54,257			12,071
Benefits paid (a)	(21,708		)	(33,466		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	399,462			363,959

Underfunded status	$	(84,617	)	$	(149,839	)

Amounts recognized on our Consolidated Balance Sheets
Current liabilities	$	(2,510	)	$	(2,978	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(82,107		)	(146,861		)
Net liability	$	(84,617	)	$	(149,839	)

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss
Net actuarial loss	$	75,801		$	89,592
Prior service cost	—			—
Net loss recognized	$	75,801		$	89,592

______________________________________


(a)	Benefits paid during the year ended December 31, 2014 include approximately $15 million of lump-sum cash payments to certain terminated and vested participants in settlement of pension obligations.

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $484.1 million and $513.8 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. All of our defined benefit pension plans have accumulated benefit obligations that exceed the fair value of plan assets.

Net Periodic Benefit Cost and Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss

The components of net periodic benefit cost and other amounts recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss are as follows:



	Year Ended December 31
	2015			2014			2013
	(thousands)
Service cost	$	739		$	1,682		$	2,686
Interest cost	19,067			20,179			18,626
Expected return on plan assets	(22,366		)	(21,000		)	(19,829		)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss	4,884			(23		)	9,202
Amortization of prior service costs and other	—			—			90
Plan settlement/curtailment expense	501			—			214
Net periodic benefit cost	2,825			838			10,989
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss
Net actuarial (gain) loss	(8,406		)	75,016			(97,171		)
Amortization of actuarial gain (loss)	(4,884		)	23			(9,202		)
Effect of settlements	(501		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service costs and other	—			—			(304		)
Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss	(13,791		)	75,039			(106,677		)
Total recognized in net periodic cost and other comprehensive (income) loss	$	(10,966	)	$	75,877		$	(95,688	)

In 2016, we estimate net periodic pension expense will be approximately $1.8 million, including $1.9 million of net actuarial loss that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Assumptions

The assumptions used in accounting for our plans are estimates of factors that will determine, among other things, the amount and timing of future contributions. The following table presents the assumptions used in the measurement of our benefit obligations:



	December 31
	2015		2014
Weighted average assumptions
Discount rate	4.05	%	3.75	%
Rate of compensation increases (a)	—	%	—	%

The following table presents the assumptions used in the measurement of net periodic benefit cost:



	December 31
	2015					2014		2013
Weighted average assumptions
Discount rate (b)	3.75	%	/	3.90	%	4.65	%	3.75	%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets (b)	6.15	%	/	5.85	%	6.50	%	6.50	%
Rate of compensation increases (a)	—				%	—	%	—	%

_______________________________________


(a)	Pension benefits for all salaried employees are frozen, resulting in an assumption for the rate of compensation increase of zero. In addition to the salaried benefits being frozen, there are currently no scheduled increases in pension benefit rates applicable to past service covering hourly employees who continue to accrue benefits.


(b)	Prior to the remeasurement of our qualified defined benefit pension plan on May 15, 2015, the discount rate and expected rate of return on plan assets were 3.75% and 6.15%. The discount rate and expected rate of return on plan assets after the May 15, 2015 remeasurement were 3.90% and 5.85%, respectively.

Discount Rate Assumption. The discount rate reflects the current rate at which the pension obligations could be settled based on the measurement date of the plans — December 31. In all years presented, the discount rates were determined by matching the expected plan benefit payments against a spot rate yield curve constructed to replicate the yields of Aa-graded corporate bonds.

Asset Return Assumption. We base our expected long-term rate of return on plan assets on a weighted average of our expected returns for the major asset classes (equities, fixed-income securities, a hedge fund, and real estate) in which we invest. The weights we assign each asset class are based on our investment strategy. Expected returns for the asset classes are based on long-term historical returns, inflation expectations, forecasted gross domestic product, earnings growth, and other economic factors. We developed our return assumption based on a review of the fund manager's estimates of future market expectations by broad asset class, actuarial projections, and expected long-term rates of return from external investment managers. The weighted average expected return on plan assets we will use in our calculation of 2016 net periodic benefit cost is 5.10%.

Retirement and Mortality Rates. These rates are developed to reflect actual and projected plan experience. In 2015, we used the RP-2014 mortality tables along with the new two-dimensional mortality improvement scale MP-2015. In 2014, we used the RP-2014 mortality tables along with the two-dimensional mortality improvement scale MP-2014.

Investment Policies and Strategies

At December 31, 2015, 42% of our pension plan assets were invested in equity securities, 45% in fixed-income securities, 7% in a hedge fund, and 6% in real estate. The general investment objective for all of our plan assets is to optimize growth of the pension plan trust assets, while minimizing the risk of significant losses in order to enable the plans to satisfy their benefit payment obligations over time. The objectives take into account the long-term nature of the benefit obligations, the liquidity needs of the plans, and the expected risk/return trade-offs of the asset classes in which the plans may choose to invest. As a result of the improvement in funded status, we have rebalanced our plan assets to decrease our proportion of equity securities and increase our fixed-income securities consistent with a de-risking glide path established by our Retirement Funds Investment Committee. The Retirement Funds Investment Committee is responsible for establishing and overseeing the implementation of our investment policy. Russell Investments (Russell) oversees the active management of our pension investments through its manager of managers program in order to achieve broad diversification in a cost-effective manner. At December 31, 2015, our investment policy governing our relationship with Russell allocated 23% to large-capitalization U.S. equity securities, 4% to small- and mid-capitalization U.S. equity securities, 16% to international equity securities, 45% to fixed-income securities, 6% to a hedge fund, and 6% to real estate. Our arrangement with Russell allows monthly rebalancing to the policy targets noted above.

Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit, and overall market volatility risk, all of which are subject to change. In addition, our overall investment strategy and related allocations between equity and fixed-income securities may change from time to time based on market conditions, external economic factors, and the funded status of our plans. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term, and such changes could materially affect the reported amounts.

Fair Value Measurements of Plan Assets

The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the pension plan assets, by major asset category, at fair value at December 31, 2015 and 2014:



	December 31, 2015
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) (a)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
	(thousands)
Equity securities
Large-cap U.S. equity securities (b)	$	—	$	91,622	$	—	$	91,622
Small- and mid-cap U.S. equity securities (c)	—		16,338		—		16,338
International equity securities (d)	—		61,414		—		61,414
Fixed-income securities (e)	—		178,019		—		178,019
Hedge fund (f)	—		25,566		—		25,566
Real estate (g)	—		—		24,906		24,906
Total investments at fair value	$	—	$	372,959	$	24,906	397,865
Receivables and accrued expenses, net							1,597
Fair value of plan assets							$	399,462



	December 31, 2014
	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) (a)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)		Total
	(thousands)
Equity securities
Large-cap U.S. equity securities (b)	$	—	$	111,599	$	—	$	111,599
Small- and mid-cap U.S. equity securities (c)	—		18,331		—		18,331
International equity securities (d)	—		73,130		—		73,130
Fixed-income securities (e)	—		125,706		—		125,706
Hedge fund (f)	—		16,242		—		16,242
Real estate (g)	—		—		17,802		17,802
Total investments at fair value	$	—	$	345,008	$	17,802	362,810
Receivables and accrued expenses, net							1,149
Fair value of plan assets							$	363,959

_______________________________________

(a)

Equity and fixed-income securities represent common collective trusts managed by Russell Trust Company. The funds are valued at the net asset value (NAV) provided by Russell Trust Company, the administrator of the funds. The NAV is a practical expedient for fair value and is based on the value of the assets owned by the fund, less liabilities at year-end. While the underlying assets are actively traded on an exchange, the funds are not. We have the ability to redeem these equity and fixed-income securities with a one-day notice.

(b)

Invested in the Russell Large Cap U.S. Equity Fund at December 31, 2015 and the Russell Equity I Fund at December 31, 2014. Both funds seek returns that exceed the Russell 1000 Index by investing in large-capitalization stocks of the U.S. stock market. In addition, at December 31, 2015 and 2014, our investments in this category included the Russell 1000 Index Fund, which seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of large- and mid-capitalization stocks of the U.S. stock market.


(c)	Invested in the Russell Equity II Fund. The fund seeks returns that exceed the Russell 2500 Index by investing in the small- and mid-capitalization stocks of the U.S. stock market.

(d)

Invested in the Russell International Fund with Active Currency at December 31, 2015 and 2014, which benchmarks against the Russell Developed ex-U.S. Large Cap Index Net and seeks favorable total returns and additional diversification through investment in non-U.S. equity securities and active currency management. The fund participates primarily in the stock markets of Europe and the Pacific Rim and seeks to opportunistically add value through active investment in foreign currencies. In addition, at December 31, 2015 and 2014, our investments in this category included the Russell Emerging Market Fund, which benchmarks against the Russell Emerging Markets Index and is designed to maintain a broadly diversified exposure to emerging market countries. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, investments in emerging markets represent approximately 16% and 23%, respectively, of our international portfolio.

(e)

Invested in the Russell Multi-Manager Bond Fund at December 31, 2015 and 2014. The fund seeks to outperform the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index over a full market cycle. The fund is designed to provide current income and, as a secondary objective, capital appreciation through a variety of diversified strategies, including sector rotation, modest interest rate timing, security selection, and tactical use of high-yield and emerging market bonds. In addition, at December 31, 2015 and 2014, our investments in this category included the Russell Long Duration Fixed Income Fund, which is designed to provide maximum total return through diversified strategies including sector rotation, modest interest rate timing, security selection, and tactical use of high-yield, emerging market bonds and other non-index securities.

(f)

Invested in the AQR Delta Offshore Fund. The fund seeks to produce high risk-adjusted returns while targeting a low long-term average correlation to traditional markets. The fund invests internationally in a broad range of instruments, including, but not limited to, equities, currencies, convertible securities, futures, forwards, options, swaps, and other derivative products. The fair value of the hedge fund is estimated using the NAV of the investments as a practical expedient for fair value. We have the ability to redeem these investments at NAV within the near term, and they are thus classified within Level 2.

(g)

Invested in the Russell Real Estate Equity Fund. Real estate investments include those in limited partnerships that invest in various domestic commercial and residential real estate projects. The fair values of real estate assets are typically determined by using income and/or cost approaches or a comparable sales approach, taking into consideration discount and capitalization rates, financial conditions, local market conditions, and the status of the capital markets, and they are thus classified within Level 3. Notwithstanding the above, the variety of valuation bases adopted and quality of management data of the underlying assets means that there are inherent difficulties in determining the value of the investments. Amounts realized on the sale of these investments may differ from the calculated values. We have the ability to redeem the real estate investments with a 110-calendar-day written notice prior to a quarterly trade date.

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the fair value of the pension plans' Level 3 assets for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014:



	December 31
	2015		2014
	(thousands)
Balance, beginning of year	$	17,802	$	16,055
Purchases	4,500		—
Unrealized gain	2,604		1,747
Balance, end of year	$	24,906	$	17,802

Cash Flows

As of December 31, 2015, we have contributed a total of four company-owned real property locations to our qualified defined benefit pension plan from our Building Materials Distribution segment. We are leasing back the contributed properties for an initial term of ten years with two five-year extension options and continue to use the properties in our distribution operations. Rent payments are made quarterly and include 2% annual escalation rates. Each lease provides us a right of first refusal on any subsequent sale by the pension plans, as well as repurchase options at the end of the initial term and extension periods. The plans engaged an independent fiduciary who negotiated the lease terms and also manages the properties on behalf of the plans.

We determined that the contribution of the properties does not meet the accounting definition of a plan asset within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification 715, Compensation — Retirement Benefits. Accordingly, the contributed properties are not considered a contribution for accounting purposes and, as a result, are not included in plan assets and have no impact on the net pension liability recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We continue to depreciate the carrying value of the properties in our financial statements, and no gain or loss was recognized at the contribution date for accounting purposes. Lease payments are recorded as pension contributions.

Our practice is to fund the pension plans in amounts sufficient to meet the minimum requirements of U.S. federal laws and regulations. Additional discretionary funding may be provided as deemed appropriate. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, we made cash contributions to our pension plans totaling $54.3 million, $12.1 million, and $10.7 million, respectively. Cash contributions in 2015, 2014, and 2013 include $1.3 million, $1.1 million, and $1.0 million, respectively, of lease payments. The total cash contributions satisfied U.S. Department of Labor minimum pension contribution requirements for 2015. While we have no federally required contributions for 2016, we expect to make cash contributions of approximately $4 million to our pension plans. These contributions reflect benefit payments to plan participants of our nonqualified salaried pension plans and lease payments for properties we have contributed to our qualified defined benefit pension plan.

Qualified pension benefit payments are paid from plan assets, while nonqualified pension benefit payments are paid by the company. The following benefit payments are expected to be paid to plan participants (in thousands):



2016	$	22,796
2017	22,391
2018	23,755
2019	24,879
2020	25,796
Years 2021-2025	138,480