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Retirement Benefits (Notes)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
RETIREMENT BENEFITS
RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Defined Benefit Plans - Expense

The pre-tax expense for our defined benefit pension and OPEB plans for the periods ended March 31 was as follows (in millions):
 
First Quarter
 
Pension Benefits
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Plans
 
Non-U.S. Plans
 
Worldwide OPEB
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Service cost
$
128

 
$
147

 
$
118

 
$
135

 
$
12

 
$
15

Interest cost
381

 
454

 
195

 
239

 
48

 
60

Expected return on assets
(673
)
 
(732
)
 
(339
)
 
(375
)
 
—

 
—

Amortization of prior service costs/(credits)
42

 
39

 
10

 
12

 
(35
)
 
(51
)
Net remeasurement (gain)/loss
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

Separation programs/other
—

 
2

 
7

 
7

 
—

 
—

Settlements and curtailments
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

Net periodic benefit cost/(income)
$
(122
)
 
$
(90
)
 
$
(9
)
 
$
18

 
$
25

 
$
24


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Beginning in 2016, we changed the method used to estimate the service and interest costs for pension and OPEB plans that utilize a yield curve approach. We now apply the specific spot rates along the yield curve to the relevant cash flows instead of using a single effective discount rate. Service and interest costs in the first quarter were about $145 million lower with the new method than they would have been under the prior method.

Pension Plan Contributions

During 2016, we expect to contribute about $1.5 billion from Automotive cash and cash equivalents to our worldwide funded pension plans (including discretionary contributions of about $400 million), and to make about $300 million of benefit payments to participants in unfunded plans, for a total of about $1.8 billion. In the first three months of 2016, we contributed about $400 million to our worldwide funded pension plans and made about $100 million of benefit payments to participants in unfunded plans.