We provide non-contributory retirement benefits under both funded and unfunded plans to all U.S. employees and to certain non-U.S. employees in Germany. Participation and benefits under the plans are based upon the employees’ date of hire and the covered group in which that employee falls. U.S. benefits are based on either a unit-benefit formula for bargained hourly employees, or a final average pay formula or cash balance formula for salaried employees. Non-U.S. benefits are based, in the case of certain plans, on average salary and years of service and, in the case of other plans, on a fixed amount for each year of service. U.S. plan provisions and funding meet the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. We use a December 31-measurement date for all of our defined benefit plans.

We also provide certain health care benefits to eligible U.S.-based retired employees. Participation in the plan is closed to any salaried employees hired after December 31, 2006. These benefits include a comprehensive medical plan for retirees prior to age 65 and a fixed payment to certain retirees over age 65 to help defray the costs of Medicare. Claims are paid as reported.

In connection with the sale of the Specialty Papers business unit, the buyer assumed $210 million of pension liabilities for all employees active as of October 31, 2018, and we agreed to transfer pension assets of approximately $280 million, subject to final actuarial determination. In addition, the buyers assumed $38 million of retiree healthcare liabilities related to employees active as of the October 31, 2018. We retained the pension retiree healthcare liabilities for all retired and deferred vested Specialty Paper employees.

All information presented in the following tables represents amounts attributable to continuing operations and all prior year data has been restated.

	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
In millions	2018			2017			2018			2017
Change in Benefit Obligation
Balance at beginning of year	$	347.0		$	311.5		$	9.7		$	9.2
Service cost		2.3			2.0			0.1			0.1
Interest cost		13.3			13.7			0.5			0.4
Plan amendments		0.1			4.1			—			—
Participant contributions		—			—			1.2			1.1
Transfers from Discontinued Operations		25.7			27.9			4.3			2.5
Actuarial (gain)/loss		(10.6	)		23.1			(3.1	)		(0.6	)
Benefits paid		(45.1	)		(36.5	)		(3.5	)		(3.0	)
Effect of currency rate changes		(0.5	)		1.2			—			—
Balance at end of year	$	332.2		$	347.0		$	9.2		$	9.7

Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	372.8		$	327.4		$	—		$	—
Actual return on plan assets		(22.4	)		51.9			—			—
Total contributions		2.2			2.1			3.5			3.0
Transfers from Discontinued Operations		25.7			27.9			—			—
Benefits paid		(45.1	)		(36.5	)		(3.5	)		(3.0	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		333.2			372.8			—			—
Funded status at end of year	$	1.0		$	25.8		$	(9.2	)	$	(9.7	)

Amounts presented under the caption “transfers from discontinued operations” represent the impact of employees changing their status from what was originally assumed for purposes of accounting for discontinued operations to the final determination at the time the sale was completed.

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of the following as of December 31:

	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
In millions	2018			2017			2018			2017
Other assets	$	43.3		$	66.4		$	—		$	—
Current liabilities		(2.1	)		(2.2	)		(2.4	)		(3.5	)
Other long-term liabilities		(40.2	)		(38.4	)		(6.8	)		(6.2	)
Net amount recognized	$	1.0		$	25.8		$	(9.2	)	$	(9.7	)

The components of amounts recognized as “Accumulated other comprehensive income” consist of the following on a pre-tax basis:

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $324.0 million and $320.7 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The weighted-average assumptions used in computing the benefit obligations above were as follows:

The discount rates set forth above were estimated based on the modeling of expected cash flows for each of our benefit plans and selecting a portfolio of high-quality debt instruments with maturities matching the respective cash flows of each plan. The resulting discount rates as of December 31, 2018 ranged from 2.05% to 4.54% for pension plans and from 4.11% to 4.22% for other benefit plans.

Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows:

	Year Ended December 31
In millions	2018			2017			2016
Pension Benefits
Service cost	$	2.3		$	2.0		$	1.8
Interest cost		13.3			13.7			14.0
Expected return on plan assets		(21.1	)		(22.2	)		(23.3	)
Amortization of actuarial loss		7.1			7.1			7.6
One-time settlement charge		—			—			7.3
Total net periodic benefit cost	$	1.6		$	0.6		$	7.4

Other Benefits
Service cost	$	0.1		$	0.1		$	0.1
Interest cost		0.5			0.4			0.4
Amortization of actuarial loss		(0.3	)		—			(0.1	)
Total net periodic benefit cost	$	0.3		$	0.5		$	0.4

In 2016, we recorded a pension settlement charge of $7.3 million and settled $24.2 million of benefits in connection with a voluntary program offered to deferred vested terminated participants.

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows:

	Year Ended December 31
In millions	2018			2017
Pension Benefits
Actuarial (gain) loss	$	32.9		$	(6.8	)
Plan amendments		0.1			4.1
Recognized actuarial losses		(7.1	)		(7.1	)
Total recognized in other comprehensive loss		25.9			(9.8	)
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive loss	$	27.5		$	(9.2	)
Other Benefits
Actuarial (gain) loss	$	(3.1	)	$	(0.6	)
Amortization of actuarial losses		0.3			—
Total recognized in other comprehensive (income) loss		(2.8	)		(0.6	)
Total recognized in net periodic benefit cost and other comprehensive (income) loss	$	(2.5	)	$	(0.1	)

The weighted-average assumptions used in computing the net periodic benefit cost information above were as follows:

	Year Ended December 31
	2018			2017			2016
Pension Benefits
Discount rate – benefit expense		3.85	%		4.44	%		4.65	%
Future compensation growth rate		3.00			3.00			3.50
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets		7.25			7.25			7.75

Other Benefits
Discount rate – benefit expense		3.68	%		4.18	%		4.38	%

To develop the expected long-term rate of return assumption, we considered the historical returns and the future expected returns for each asset class, as well as the target asset allocation of the pension portfolio.

Assumed health care cost trend rates used to determine benefit obligations at December 31 were as follows:

Plan Assets All pension plan assets in the U.S. are invested through a single master trust fund. The strategic asset allocation for this trust fund is selected by management, reflecting the results of comprehensive asset and liability modeling. The general principles guiding U.S. pension asset investment policies are those embodied in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). These principles include discharging our investment responsibilities for the exclusive benefit of plan participants and in accordance with the “prudent expert” standard and other ERISA rules and regulations. We establish strategic asset allocation percentage targets and appropriate benchmarks for significant asset classes with the aim of achieving a prudent balance between return and risk.

Investments and decisions will be made solely in the interest of the Plan’s participants and beneficiaries, and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits accrued thereunder. The primary goal of the Plan is to ensure the solvency of the Plan over time and thereby meet its distribution objectives. All investments in the Plan will be made in accordance with ERISA and other applicable statutes.

Diversification of plan assets is achieved by setting targets for duration of fixed income securities, maintaining a certain level of credit quality, and limiting the amount of investment in a single security and in non-investment grade paper. As of December 31, 2018, the targeted range of investment allocations of Plan assets is 80% to 100% fixed income and the balance in cash and cash equivalents.

A formal asset allocation review is done periodically to ensure that the Plan has an appropriate asset allocation based on the Plan’s projected benefit obligations. It is expected that asset class performance will meet or exceed that of the assigned indices and be at least at the median relative to other professionally managed accounts in its peer group. The target return for cash and cash equivalents is a return that at least equals that of the 90-day T-bills.

The Investment Policy statement lists specific categories of securities or activities that are prohibited including options, futures, commodities, hedge funds, limited partnerships, and our stock.

The table below presents the fair values of our benefit plan assets by level within the fair value hierarchy, as described in Note 2:

	December 31, 2018
In millions	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Fixed income	$	330.9	$	41.8	$	289.1	$	—
Cash and equivalents		2.3		—		2.3		—
Total	$	333.2	$	41.8	$	291.4	$	—

	December 31, 2017
In millions	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Domestic Equity
Large cap	$	119.0	$	6.9	$	112.1	$	—
Small and mid cap		25.6		25.6		—		—
International equity		45.1		4.0		41.1		—
REIT		15.3		15.3		—		—
Fixed income		161.1		13.3		147.8		—
Cash and equivalents		6.7		0.1		6.6		—
Total	$	372.8	$	65.2	$	307.6	$	—

Cash Flow We were not required to make contributions to our qualified pension plan in 2018 nor do we expect to make any to this plan in 2019. Benefit payments expected to be made in 2019 under our non-qualified pension plans and other benefit plans are summarized below:

The following benefit payments under all pension and other benefit plans, and giving effect to expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid:

Defined Contribution Plans We maintain 401(k) plans for certain hourly and salaried employees. Employees may contribute up to 50% of their earnings, subject to certain restrictions. Company matches are made in cash. The expense associated with our 401(k) match was $0.4 million, $0.3 million and $0.2 million in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.