Benefit Plans

We have various pension and other defined benefit and defined contribution plans, in which substantially all employees may participate. We also have non-qualified supplemental executive and Board retirement plans.

Components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended November 30, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:



	Qualified Pension Benefits						Non-Qualified Pension Benefits				Other Benefits
	2014			2013			2014		2013		2014			2013
Components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended November 30 are as follows:	(Dollars in thousands)
Service cost	$	9,058		$	7,467		$	225	$	179	$	472		$	482
Interest cost	7,014			6,698			352		336		415			519
Expected return on assets	(12,438		)	(12,734		)	—		—		—			—
Prior service cost (credit) amortization	407			399			57		57		(30		)	(30		)
Actuarial (gain) loss amortization	4,901			4,644			261		227		(105		)	—
Transition amount amortization	—			—			—		—		—			124
Net periodic benefit cost	$	8,942		$	6,474		$	895	$	799	$	752		$	1,095

Employer Contributions

Total contributions to be made during fiscal 2015, including the NCRA plan, will depend primarily on market returns on the pension plan assets and minimum funding level requirements. During the three months ended November 30, 2014, CHS and NCRA made no contributions to the pension plans. At this time, we do not anticipate having to make a required contribution for our benefit plans in fiscal 2015, but we may make a voluntary contribution during our fourth quarter.