Retirement-Related Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Retirement-related benefits net periodic (income)/cost in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings

						Yr. to Yr.
(Dollars in millions)						Percent
For the three months ended March 31:		2015		2014		Change
Retirement-related plans – cost
	Defined benefit and contribution pension plans – cost	$	749	$	474		58.0	%
	Nonpension postretirement plans – cost		71		67		6.2
	Total	$	820	$	541		51.6	%

Defined Benefit Pension Plans

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Retirement-related benefits net periodic (income)/cost in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings

Cost/(Income) of Pension Plans
(Dollars in millions)		U.S. Plans				Non-U.S. Plans
For the three months ended March 31:		2015		2014		2015		2014
Service cost		$	—	$	—	$	108	$	116
Interest cost			508		555		271		390
Expected return on plan assets			(989)		(1,024)		(483)		(572)
Amortization of prior service costs/(credits)			2		2		(25)		(29)
Recognized actuarial losses			415		269		401		360
Curtailments and settlements			—		—		4		4
Multi-employer plans/other costs			—		—		248		79
Total net periodic pension (income)/cost of defined
	benefit plans		(64)		(198)		524		348
Cost of defined contribution plans			173		191		115		133
Total defined benefit and contribution plans cost recognized
	in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	109	$	(7)	$	640	$	481

Nonpension Postretirement Plans

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]

Retirement-related benefits net periodic (income)/cost in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings

The following table provides the components of the cost/(income) for the company's nonpension postretirement plans.
Cost of Nonpension Postretirement Plans
(Dollars in millions)		U.S. Plan				Non-U.S. Plans
For the three months ended March 31:		2015		2014		2015		2014
Service cost		$	6	$	7	$	2	$	2
Interest cost			41		45		14		16
Expected return on plan assets			0		0		(2)		(2)
Amortization of prior service costs/(credits)			(2)		(2)		(1)		(1)
Recognized actuarial losses			11		0		3		3
Total nonpension postretirement plan cost recognized in
	Consolidated Statement of Earnings	$	56	$	50	$	15	$	17