Employee Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

Employee Benefit Plans

The Company sponsors defined benefit pension plans principally for salaried, management personnel. For employees hired prior to 2003, the plans provide eligible employees with retirement benefits based predominantly on years of service and compensation rates near retirement. For employees hired between 2003 and 2019, benefits are determined based on a cash balance formula, which provides benefits by utilizing interest and pay credits based upon age, service and compensation. Beginning in 2020, the CSX Pension Plan was closed to new participants.

In addition to these plans, the Company sponsors a post-retirement medical plan and a life insurance plan that provide certain benefits to full-time, salaried, management employees hired prior to 2003 upon their retirement if certain eligibility requirements are met. Changes to the post-retirement medical and life insurance plans were communicated to participants in October 2018. Beginning in 2019, both the life insurance benefit for eligible active employees and health savings account contributions made by the Company to eligible retirees younger than 65 were eliminated. Beginning in 2020, the employer-funded health reimbursement arrangements for eligible retirees 65 years or older were eliminated. As a result of these plan amendments, the Company recognized a decrease of $102 million in the post-retirement benefit liability and a corresponding gain in other comprehensive income in 2018. These changes did not result in a curtailment loss as there was no material impact to service costs for active plan participants.

The Company engages independent actuaries to compute the amounts of liabilities and expenses relating to these plans subject to the assumptions that the Company determines are appropriate based on historical trends, current market rates and future projections. These amounts are reviewed by management. In order to perform this valuation, the actuaries are provided with the details of the population covered at the beginning of the year, summarized in the table below, and projects that population forward to the end of the year.

	Summary of Participants as of
	January 1, 2020
	Pension Plans	Post-retirement Medical Plan
Active Employees	3,373	779
Retirees and Beneficiaries	11,841	2,282
Other(a)	3,854	—
Total	19,068	3,061

(a) For pension plans, the other category consists mostly of terminated but vested former employees. 

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

The benefit obligation for these plans represents the liability of the Company for current and retired employees and is affected primarily by the following:

•service cost (benefits attributed to employee service during the period);

•interest cost (interest on the liability due to the passage of time);

•actuarial gains/losses (experience during the year different from that assumed and changes in plan assumptions); and

•benefits paid to participants.

Cash Flows

    Plan assets are amounts that have been segregated and restricted to provide qualified pension plan benefits and include amounts contributed by the Company and amounts earned from invested contributions, net of benefits paid. Qualified pension plan obligations are funded in accordance with regulatory requirements and with an objective of meeting or exceeding minimum funding requirements necessary to avoid restrictions on flexibility of plan operation and benefit payments. The Company funds the cost of the post-retirement medical and life insurance benefits as well as nonqualified pension benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis. No qualified pension plan contributions were made during 2020, 2019 and 2018. No contributions to the Company's qualified pension plans are expected in 2021.

    Future expected benefit payments are as follows:

	Expected Cash Flows
(Dollars in Millions)	Pension Benefits		Post-retirement Benefits
2021	$	196	$	17
2022	188		10
2023	187		9
2024	186		8
2025	185		8
2026-2030	898		28
Total	$	1,840	$	80

Plan Assets

    During 2020, the Company migrated to an outsourced investment management strategy to manage the pension plan assets. The CSX Investment Committee (the “Investment Committee”), whose members are selected by the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for setting policy and oversight of investment management. The Investment Committee and investment manager utilize an investment asset allocation strategy that is monitored on an ongoing basis and updated periodically in consideration of plan or employee changes, or changing market conditions. Periodic studies provide an extensive modeling of asset investment return in conjunction with projected plan liabilities and seek to evaluate how to maximize return within the constraints of acceptable risk. 

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

The current asset allocation targets 60% growth-oriented investments and 40% immunizing investments. The growth-oriented portfolio consists of return-seeking investments that are diversified across geography, market capitalization, and asset class. The immunizing portfolio is comprised of a customized mix of fixed income and cash investments designed to reduce liability risk. Allocations are evaluated for levels within 5% of targeted allocations and are adjusted quarterly as necessary. 

    The distribution of pension plan assets as of the measurement date is shown in the table below, and these assets are reported net of pension liabilities on the balance sheet.

	December 2020				December 2019
			Percent of				Percent of
(Dollars in Millions)	Amount		Total Assets		Amount		Total Assets
Growth-Oriented	$	1,816	61	%	$	2,027	72	%
Equity	1,324		44		1,772		63
Fixed Income	271		9		229		8
Cash and Cash Equivalents	221		8		26		1
Immunizing	1,184		39		798		28
Fixed Income	1,018		34		595		21
Cash and Cash Equivalents	166		5		203		7
Total	$	3,000	100	%	$	2,825	100	%

Under the supervision of the Investment Committee, the investment manager selects investments or fund managers in accordance with standards of prudence applicable to asset diversification and investment suitability. The Company also selects fund managers with differing investment styles and benchmarks their investment returns against appropriate indices. Fund investment performance is continuously monitored. Acceptable performance is determined in the context of the long-term return objectives of the fund and appropriate asset class benchmarks.

Within the Company's equity funds, domestic stock is diversified among large and small capitalization stocks. International stock is diversified in a similar manner as well as in developed versus emerging markets stocks. Guidelines established with individual managers limit investment by industry sectors, individual stock issuer concentration and the use of derivatives and CSX securities.

Fixed income securities guidelines established with individual managers specify the types of allowable investments, such as government, corporate and asset-backed bonds, target certain allocation ranges for domestic and foreign investments and limit the use of certain derivatives. Additionally, guidelines stipulate minimum credit quality constraints and any prohibited securities. For detailed information regarding the fair value of pension assets, see Note 13, Fair Value Measurements.

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

Benefit Obligation, Plan Assets and Funded Status

Changes in benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets for the 2020 and 2019 calendar plan years are as follows:

	Pension Benefits				Post-retirement Benefits
	Plan Year		Plan Year		Plan Year		Plan Year
(Dollars in Millions)	2020		2019		2020		2019
Actuarial Present Value of Benefit Obligation
Accumulated Benefit Obligation	$	3,134	$	2,963	N/A		N/A
Projected Benefit Obligation	3,257		3,122		$	96	$	117
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Projected Benefit Obligation at Beginning of Plan Year	$	3,122	$	2,758	$	117	$	118
Service Cost (a)	46		34		1		1
Interest Cost	82		103		5		2
Plan Participants' Contributions	—		—		6		7
Actuarial Loss (Gain)	197		418		(11)		22
Benefits Paid	(190)		(191)		(22)		(33)
Benefit Obligation at End of Plan Year	$	3,257	$	3,122	$	96	$	117
Change in Plan Assets:
Fair Value of Plan Assets at Beginning of Plan Year	$	2,825	$	2,431	$	—	$	—
Actual Return on Plan Assets	345		568		—		—
Non-qualified Employer Contributions	20		17		16		26
Plan Participants' Contributions	—		—		6		7
Benefits Paid	(190)		(191)		(22)		(33)
Fair Value of Plan Assets at End of Plan Year	3,000		2,825		—		—
Funded Status at End of Plan Year	$	(257)	$	(297)	$	(96)	$	(117)

(a)Service cost for each 2020 and 2019 includes capitalized service costs of $3 million.

The $197 million net actuarial loss for pension benefits in 2020 was driven by a 70 bps decrease in the weighted average discount rate, partially offset by changes to assumptions based on census data. The $11 million net actuarial gain for post-retirement benefits in 2020 was driven by favorable participant experience and changes to assumptions based on census data. In 2019, the $418 million net actuarial loss for pension benefits and the $22 million net actuarial loss for post-retirement benefits were driven by a 111 bps decrease in the weighted average discount rate.

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

For qualified plan funding purposes, assets and discounted liabilities are measured in accordance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"), as well as other related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. Under these funding provisions and the alternative measurements available thereunder, the Company estimates its unfunded obligation for qualified plans on an annual basis.

In accordance with Compensation-Retirement Benefits Topic in the ASC, an employer must recognize the funded status of a pension or other post-retirement benefit plan by recording a liability (underfunded plan) or asset (overfunded plan) for the difference between the projected benefit obligation (or the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligation for a post-retirement benefit plan) and the fair value of plan assets at the plan measurement date. Amounts related to pension and post-retirement benefits recorded in other long-term assets, labor and fringe benefits payable and other long-term liabilities on the balance sheet are as follows:

	Pension Benefits				Post-retirement Benefits
	December		December		December		December
(Dollars in Millions)	2020		2019		2020		2019
Amounts Recorded in Consolidated
Balance Sheets:
Long-term Assets (a)	$	29	$	25	$	—	$	—
Current Liabilities	(16)		(17)		(17)		(20)
Long-term Liabilities	(270)		(305)		(79)		(97)
Net Amount Recognized in
Consolidated Balance Sheets	$	(257)	$	(297)	$	(96)	$	(117)

(a)Long-term assets as of December 2020 and 2019 relate to qualified pension plans where assets exceed projected benefit obligations.

    The funded status, or amount by which the benefit obligation exceeds the fair value of plan assets, represents a liability. At December 2020, the status of CSX plans with a net liability only is disclosed below. The total fair value of all plan assets as of December 2020 was $3.0 billion, which includes the qualified pension plans with net assets.

	Aggregate
(Dollars in Millions)	Fair Value		Aggregate
Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets	of Plan Assets		Benefit Obligation
Projected Benefit Obligation	$	2,884	$	(3,170)
Accumulated Benefit Obligation	2,884		(264)

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

Net Benefit Expense

Only the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs is included in labor and fringe expense on the consolidated income statement. All other components of net periodic benefit cost are included in other income - net. The following table describes the components of expense/(income) related to net benefit expense recorded on the income statement.

	Pension Benefits Fiscal Years						Post-retirement Benefits Fiscal Years
(Dollars in Millions)	2020		2019		2018		2020		2019		2018
Service Cost Included in Labor and Fringe	$	43	$	31	$	32	$	1	$	1	$	2
Interest Cost	82		103		92		5		2		7
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(176)		(171)		(176)		—		—		—
Amortization of Net Loss	54		30		41		1		—		—
Amortization of Prior Service Cost	—		—		—		(7)		(7)		(2)
Total (Income)/ Expense Included in Other Income - Net	(40)		(38)		(43)		(1)		(5)		5
Net Periodic Benefit Cost/(Credit)	$	3	$	(7)	$	(11)	$	—	$	(4)	$	7
Settlement Gain	(1)		—		(1)		—		—		—
Total Periodic Benefit Cost/(Credit)	$	2	$	(7)	$	(12)	$	—	$	(4)	$	7

Pension and Other Post-retirement Benefits Adjustments

The following table shows the pre-tax change in other comprehensive loss (income) attributable to certain components of net benefit expense and the change in benefit obligation for CSX for pension and other post-employment benefits.

(Dollars in Millions)	Pension Benefits				Post-retirement Benefits
Components of Other Comprehensive	December		December		December		December
Loss (Income)	2020		2019		2020		2019
Recognized in the Balance Sheet
Losses (Gains)	$	28	$	21	$	(11)	$	22
Expense (Income) Recognized in the Income Statement
Amortization of Net Losses	$	54	$	30	$	1	$	—
Settlement Gain	(1)		—		—		—
Amortization of Prior Service Costs	—		—		(7)		(7)

As of December 2020, the balances to be amortized related to the Company's pension obligations is a pre-tax loss of $854 million and related to post-retirement obligations is a pre-tax gain of $78 million. These amounts are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, a component of shareholders’ equity.

NOTE 9.  Employee Benefit Plans, continued

Assumptions

The expected long-term average rate of return on plan assets reflects the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested, or to be invested, to provide for benefits included in the projected benefit obligation. In estimating that rate, the Company gives appropriate consideration to the returns being earned by the plan assets in the funds and the rates of return expected to be available for reinvestment as well as the current and projected asset mix of the funds. Management, with the assistance of the outsourced investment manager, balances market expectations obtained from various investment managers with both market and actual plan historical returns to develop a reasonable estimate of the expected long-term rate of return on assets. This assumption is reviewed annually and adjusted as deemed appropriate. 

The Company measures the service cost and interest cost components of the net pension and post-retirement benefits expense by using individual spot rates matched with separate cash flows for each future year. The weighted averages of assumptions used by the Company to value its pension and post-retirement obligations were as follows:

	Pension Benefits				Post-retirement Benefits
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Expected Long-term Return on Plan Assets:
Benefit Cost for Current Plan Year	6.75	%	6.75	%	N/A		N/A
Benefit Cost for Subsequent Plan Year	6.75	%	6.75	%	N/A		N/A
Discount Rates:
Benefit Cost for Plan Year
Service Cost for Plan Year	3.32	%	4.40	%	2.93	%	4.14	%
Interest Cost for Plan Year	2.69	%	3.87	%	2.43	%	3.51	%
Benefit Obligation at End of Plan Year	2.43	%	3.13	%	2.07	%	2.87	%
Salary Scale Inflation	4.60	%	4.60	%	N/A		N/A
Cash Balance Plan Interest Credit Rate	3.75	%	3.75	%	N/A		N/A

Other Plans

Under collective bargaining agreements, the Company participates in a multi-employer benefit plan, which provides certain post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits to eligible contract employees. Premiums under this plan are expensed as incurred and amounted to $20 million, $26 million and $30 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

The Company maintains savings plans for virtually all full-time salaried employees and certain employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. Expense associated with these plans was $39 million, $41 million and $41 million for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and is included in labor and fringe expense on the consolidated income statement.