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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
Thrift Plans
The NuStar Thrift Plan (the Thrift Plan) is a qualified defined contribution plan that became effective June 26, 2006. Participation in the Thrift Plan is voluntary and open to substantially all our domestic employees upon their dates of hire. Thrift Plan participants can contribute from 1% up to 30% of their total annual compensation to the Thrift Plan in the form of pre-tax and/or after tax employee contributions. We make matching contributions in an amount equal to 100% of each participant’s employee contributions up to a maximum of 6% of the participant’s total annual compensation. The matching contributions to the Thrift Plan for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 totaled $7.8 million, $7.6 million and $7.4 million, respectively.

The NuStar Excess Thrift Plan (the Excess Thrift Plan) is a nonqualified deferred compensation plan that became effective July 1, 2006. The Excess Thrift Plan provides benefits to those employees whose compensation and/or annual contributions under the Thrift Plan are subject to the limitations applicable to qualified retirement plans under the Code.

We also maintain other defined contribution plans for certain international employees located in Canada. We maintained plans for international employees in the Caribbean Netherlands, United Kingdom and Netherlands prior to the St. Eustatius Disposition and the European Disposition on July 29, 2019 and November 30, 2018, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, our costs for these plans totaled $0.5 million, $0.9 million and $2.5 million, respectively.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
The NuStar Pension Plan (the Pension Plan) is a qualified non-contributory defined benefit pension plan that provides eligible U.S. employees with retirement income as calculated under a cash balance formula. Under the cash balance formula, benefits are determined based on age, years of vesting service and interest credits, and employees become fully vested in their benefits upon attaining three years of vesting service. Prior to January 1, 2014, eligible employees were covered under either a cash balance formula or a final average pay formula (FAP). Effective January 1, 2014, the Pension Plan was amended to freeze the FAP benefits as of December 31, 2013, and going forward, all eligible employees are covered under the cash balance formula discussed above.

We also maintain an excess pension plan (the Excess Pension Plan), which is a nonqualified deferred compensation plan that provides benefits to a select group of management or other highly compensated employees. Neither the Excess Thrift Plan nor the Excess Pension Plan is intended to constitute either a qualified plan under the provisions of Section 401 of the Code or a funded plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The Pension Plan and Excess Pension Plan are collectively referred to as the Pension Plans in the tables and discussion below. Our other postretirement benefit plans include a contributory medical benefits plan for U.S. employees who retired prior to April 1, 2014 and, for employees who retire on or after April 1, 2014, a partial reimbursement for eligible third-party health care premiums. We use December 31 as the measurement date for our pension and other postretirement plans.
The changes in the benefit obligation, the changes in fair value of plan assets, the funded status and the amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets for our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement
Benefit Plans
 2020201920202019
(Thousands of Dollars)
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, January 1$167,257 $141,833 $13,196 $10,908 
Service cost9,174 9,549 529 431 
Interest cost4,693 5,480 399 453 
Benefits paid(9,520)(7,109)(281)(217)
Participant contributions— — 44 62 
Actuarial loss15,081 17,504 793 1,559 
Benefit obligation, December 31$186,685 $167,257 $14,680 $13,196 
Change in plan assets:
Plan assets at fair value, January 1$159,036 $126,949 $— $— 
Actual return on plan assets21,758 28,064 — — 
Employer contributions11,453 11,132 237 155 
Benefits paid(9,520)(7,109)(281)(217)
Participant contributions— — 44 62 
Plan assets at fair value, December 31$182,727 $159,036 $— $— 
Reconciliation of funded status:
Fair value of plan assets at December 31$182,727 $159,036 $— $— 
Less: Benefit obligation at December 31186,685 167,257 14,680 13,196 
Funded status at December 31$(3,958)$(8,221)$(14,680)$(13,196)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets (a):
Accrued liabilities$(382)$(303)$(352)$(368)
Other long-term liabilities(3,576)(7,918)(14,328)(12,828)
Net pension liability$(3,958)$(8,221)$(14,680)$(13,196)
Accumulated benefit obligation$181,263 $164,183 $14,680 $13,196 
(a)For the Pension Plan, since assets exceed the present value of expected benefit payments for the next 12 months, all of the liability is noncurrent. For the Excess Pension Plan and the other postretirement benefit plans, since there are no assets, the current liability is the present value of expected benefit payments for the next 12 months; the remainder is noncurrent.

The actuarial loss related to the benefit obligation for our pension plans was primarily attributable to a decrease in the discount rates used to determine the benefit obligation from 3.34% to 2.84% in 2020 and from 4.40% to 3.34% in 2019. The fair value of our plan assets is affected by the return on plan assets resulting primarily from the performance of equity and bond markets during the period.

The Excess Pension Plan has no plan assets and an accumulated benefit obligation of $3.8 million and $3.7 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation is the present value of benefits earned to date, assuming no future salary increases, and for the Excess Pension Plan, approximates the projected benefit obligation.
The components of net periodic benefit cost (income) related to our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement Benefit Plans
Year Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,
 202020192018202020192018
 (Thousands of Dollars)
Service cost$9,174 $9,549 $9,621 $529 $431 $504 
Interest cost4,693 5,480 4,824 399 453 429 
Expected return on plan assets(8,972)(8,015)(7,417)— — — 
Amortization of prior service credit(2,057)(2,057)(2,057)(1,145)(1,145)(1,145)
Amortization of net actuarial loss1,845 846 2,174 137 42 214 
Excess Pension Plan settlement136 — — — — — 
Net periodic benefit cost (income)$4,819 $5,803 $7,145 $(80)$(219)$2 

We amortize prior service costs and credits on a straight-line basis over the average remaining service period of employees expected to receive benefits under our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans (“Amortization of prior service credit” in table above). We amortize the actuarial gains and losses that exceed 10% of the greater of the projected benefit obligation or market-related value of plan assets (smoothed asset value) over the average remaining service period of active employees expected to receive benefits under our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans (“Amortization of net actuarial loss” in table above).

The service cost component of net periodic benefit cost (income) is reported in “General and administrative expenses” and “Operating expenses” on the consolidated statements of (loss) income, and the remaining components of net periodic benefit cost (income) are reported in “Other (expense) income, net.”

Adjustments to other comprehensive (loss) income related to our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement Benefit Plans
Year Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,
 202020192018202020192018
 (Thousands of Dollars)
Net unrecognized (loss) gain arising during the year:
Net actuarial (loss) gain$(2,159)$2,545 $1,049 $(793)$(1,559)$2,267 
Net (gain) loss reclassified into income:
Amortization of prior service credit(2,057)(2,057)(2,057)(1,145)(1,145)(1,145)
Amortization of net actuarial loss1,845 846 2,174 137 42 214 
Net (gain) loss reclassified into income
(212)(1,211)117 (1,008)(1,103)(931)
Reclassification of stranded tax effects— — (74)— — — 
Income tax benefit (expense)28 14 (69)— — (25)
Total changes to other comprehensive (loss) income$(2,343)$1,348 $1,023 $(1,801)$(2,662)$1,311 
The amounts recorded as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on the consolidated balance sheets related to our Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement
Benefit Plans
December 31,December 31,
 2020201920202019
 (Thousands of Dollars)
Unrecognized actuarial loss$(24,878)$(24,564)$(3,846)$(3,190)
Prior service credit10,433 12,490 6,029 7,174 
Deferred tax asset118 90 — — 
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income,
net of tax
$(14,327)$(11,984)$2,183 $3,984 

Investment Policies and Strategies
The investment policies and strategies for the assets of our qualified Pension Plan incorporate a well-diversified approach that is expected to earn long-term returns from capital appreciation and a growing stream of current income. This approach recognizes that assets are exposed to risk, and the market value of the Pension Plan’s assets may fluctuate from year to year. Risk tolerance is determined based on our financial ability to withstand risk within the investment program and the willingness to accept return volatility. In line with the investment return objective and risk parameters, the Pension Plan’s mix of assets includes a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income instruments. The aggregate asset allocation is reviewed on an annual basis. As of December 31, 2020, the target allocations for plan assets were 65% equity securities and 35% fixed income investments, with certain fluctuations permitted.

The overall expected long-term rate of return on plan assets for the Pension Plan is estimated using various models of asset returns. Model assumptions are derived using historical data with the assumption that capital markets are informationally efficient. Three models are used to derive the long-term expected returns for each asset class. Since each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages and differing results, an equal weighted average of the methods’ results is used.

Fair Value of Plan Assets
We disclose the fair value for each major class of plan assets in the Pension Plan in three levels: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists.
The major classes of plan assets measured at fair value for the Pension Plan were as follows:
 December 31, 2020
 Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
 (Thousands of Dollars)
Cash equivalent securities$2,125 $— $— $2,125 
Equity securities:
U.S. large cap equity fund (a)— 104,857 — 104,857 
International stock index fund (b)20,732 — — 20,732 
Fixed income securities:
Bond market index fund (c)55,013 — — 55,013 
Total$77,870 $104,857 $— $182,727 

 December 31, 2019
 Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
(Thousands of Dollars)
Cash equivalent securities$160 $— $— $160 
Equity securities:
U.S. large cap equity fund (a)— 92,737 — 92,737 
International stock index fund (b)17,473 — — 17,473 
Fixed income securities:
Bond market index fund (c)48,666 — — 48,666 
Total$66,299 $92,737 $— $159,036 
(a)This fund is a low-cost equity index fund not actively managed that tracks the S&P 500. Fair values were estimated using pricing models, quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics or discounted cash flows.
(b)This fund tracks the performance of the Total International Composite Index.
(c)This fund tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.

Contributions to the Pension Plans
For the year ended December 31, 2020, we contributed $11.5 million and $0.2 million to the Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans, respectively. During 2021, we expect to contribute approximately $9.4 million and $0.3 million to the Pension Plans and other postretirement benefit plans, respectively, which principally represent contributions either required by regulations or laws, or with respect to unfunded plans, necessary to fund current benefits.

Estimated Future Benefit Payments
The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid for the years ending December 31:
Pension PlansOther Postretirement Benefit Plans
 (Thousands of Dollars)
2021$9,771 $352 
2022$10,030 $397 
2023$10,329 $451 
2024$10,846 $483 
2025$11,558 $529 
2026-2030$61,321 $3,355 
Assumptions
The weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligations were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement Benefit Plans
December 31,December 31,
 2020201920202019
Discount rate2.84 %3.34 %2.83 %3.43 %
Rate of compensation increase3.51 %3.51 %n/an/a
Cash balance interest crediting rate2.00 %2.00 %n/an/a

The weighted-average assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost (income) were as follows:
 Pension PlansOther Postretirement Benefit Plans
Year Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,
 202020192018202020192018
Discount rate3.34 %4.40 %3.72 %3.43 %4.53 %3.82 %
Expected long-term rate of
return on plan assets
6.50 %6.50 %6.50 %n/an/an/a
Rate of compensation increase3.51 %3.51 %3.51 %n/an/an/a
Cash balance interest crediting rate2.00 %2.90 %2.00 %n/an/an/a

The assumed health care cost trend rates were as follows:
 December 31,
 20202019
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year6.84 %6.84 %
Rate to which the cost trend rate was assumed to decrease (the ultimate trend rate)5.00 %5.00 %
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate20282028

We sponsor a contributory postretirement health care plan for employees who retired prior to April 1, 2014. The plan has an annual limitation (a cap) on the increase of the employer’s share of the cost of covered benefits. The cap on the increase in employer’s cost is 2.5% per year.