Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Certain subsidiaries of MetLife, Inc. sponsor and/or administer various U.S. qualified and nonqualified defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement employee benefit plans covering employees and sales representatives who meet specified eligibility requirements. These subsidiaries also provide certain postemployment benefits and certain postretirement medical and life insurance benefits for U.S. retired employees.

The components of net periodic benefit costs were as follows:



	Three Months Ended June 30,
	2017						2016
	Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits			Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits
	(In millions)
Service costs	$	61		$	2		$	73		$	2
Interest costs	109			20			109			21
Curtailment costs (1)	—			—			—			(3		)
Expected return on plan assets	(130		)	(18		)	(127		)	(19		)
Amortization of net actuarial (gains) losses	48			—			50			2
Amortization of prior service costs (credit)	(1		)	(6		)	—			(1		)
Net periodic benefit costs (credit)	$	87		$	(2	)	$	105		$	2

	Six Months Ended June 30,
	2017						2016
	Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits			Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits
	(In millions)
Service costs	$	122		$	3		$	145		$	4
Interest costs	217			39			220			42
Curtailment costs (1)	—			—			—			27
Expected return on plan assets	(262		)	(36		)	(254		)	(37		)
Amortization of net actuarial (gains) losses	97			—			99			4
Amortization of prior service costs (credit)	(1		)	(11		)	—			(4		)
Net periodic benefit costs (credit)	$	173		$	(5	)	$	210		$	36

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(1)	During the three months and six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company recognized curtailment charges on certain postretirement benefit plans in connection with the sale to MassMutual. See Note 3 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 2016 Annual Report.