XML 43 R23.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Retirement Plans | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011
Retirement Plans [Abstract] |
Retirement Plans | 15 RETIREMENT PLANS Postretirement Health Care and Other Benefits: Ambac provides postretirement and postemployment benefits, including health and life benefits covering certain employees who meet certain age and service requirements. Effective August 1, 2005, new employees were not eligible for postretirement benefits. None of the plans are currently funded. Postretirement and postemployment benefits expense was $4,037 and $2,226 in 2011 and 2010, respectively. The unfunded accumulated postretirement benefit obligation was $12,201 as of December 31, 2011. The assumed health care cost trend rates range from 10% in 2011, decreasing ratably to 7% in 2016. Increasing the assumed health care cost trend rate by one percentage point in each future year would increase the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation at December 31, 2011, by $3,298 and the 2011 benefit expense by $405. Decreasing the assumed health care cost trend rate by one percentage point in each future year would decrease the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation at December 31, 2011 by $2,584 and the 2011 benefit expense by $309. The following table sets forth projected benefit payments from Ambac's postretirement plan:
|  | Amount |
2012 |  | $ | 439 |
2013 |  |  | 489 |
2014 |  |  | 495 |
2015 |  |  | 575 |
2016 |  |  | 651 |
All later years |  |  | 3,773 |
|  | $ | 6,422 |
The discount rate used in determining the projected benefit obligations for the postretirement plan is selected by reference to the year-end Moody's corporate AA rate, as well as other high-quality indices with similar duration to that of the benefit plans. The rate used for the projected plan benefit obligations at the measurement date for 2011 and 2010 (December 31) was 4.50% and 5.50%, respectively. Savings Incentive Plan: Substantially all employees of Ambac are covered by a defined contribution plan (the "Savings Incentive Plan"). Prior to January 1, 2010 Ambac made employer matching contributions of 100% of the employee's contributions up to 6% of such participants' base compensation, subject to limits set by the Internal Revenue Code. Ambac had the option to make a Basic Profit Sharing contribution of 3% of base compensation and a Supplemental Profit Sharing contribution of an additional 3% of base compensation to eligible employees. Effective January 1, 2010, matching contributions now equal 100% of the employees' contributions, up to 3% of such participants' base compensation plus 50% of contributions to an additional 2% of base compensation, subject to limits set by the Internal Revenue Code. No Basic Profit-Sharing contributions or Supplemental Profit-Sharing contributions will be made to the Plan. The total cost of the Savings Incentive Plan was $610 and $1,455 in 2011 and 2010, respectively.

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPensionPlansAndDefinedBenefitPostretirementPlansDisclosureAbstract
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 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2235017 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 87 -Paragraph 264 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 158 -Paragraph 7, 21, 22 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number FAS106-2 -Paragraph 20, 21, 22 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Implementation Guide (Q and A) -Number FAS88 -Paragraph 63 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph h -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 30 -Paragraph 26 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph a -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 03-2 -Paragraph 8 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5, 6, 7, 8 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 8 -Subparagraph m -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph q -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 106 -Paragraph 518 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration