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Benefit Plans
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Benefit Plans Benefit Plans:

Components of Net Periodic Benefit (Income) Cost

Net periodic benefit (income) cost consisted of the following: 
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
 
Pension
 
Postretirement
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
 
(in millions)
Service cost
$
17

 
$
21

 
$
4

 
$
4

Interest cost
77

 
68

 
20

 
19

Expected return on plan assets
(145
)
 
(146
)
 
(4
)
 
(5
)
Amortization:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net loss
42

 
57

 
3

 
9

Prior service cost (credit)
1

 
1

 
(7
)
 
(10
)
Curtailment
7

 
—

 
5

 
—

Net periodic benefit (income) cost
$
(1
)
 
$
1

 
$
21

 
$
17



Curtailment costs shown in the table above were related to the cost reduction program discussed in Note 3. Asset Impairment, Exit and Implementation Costs.

Employer Contributions

Altria makes contributions to the pension plans to the extent that the contributions are tax deductible and pays benefits that relate to plans for salaried employees that cannot be funded under Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regulations. Altria made employer contributions of $3 million to its pension plans during the three months ended March 31, 2019. Currently, Altria anticipates making additional employer contributions to its pension plans during the remainder of 2019 of up to approximately $45 million, based on current tax law. Altria did not make any employer contributions to its postretirement plans during the three months ended March 31, 2019. Currently, Altria anticipates making employer contributions to its postretirement plans of up to approximately $60 million in 2019. However, estimates for current-year contributions to Altria’s pension and postretirement plans may be subject to change as a result of changes in tax and other benefit laws, as well as asset performance significantly above or below the assumed long-term rate of return on assets, changes in interest rates or other considerations.