Pension, Other Post-employment Benefits and Employee Benefit Plans.

Federal-Mogul, ARI and Viskase each sponsor several defined benefit pension plans (the ''Pension Benefits''). Additionally, Federal-Mogul and Viskase each sponsors health care and life insurance benefits (''Other Post-Employment Benefits'') for certain employees and retirees around the world. ARI also previously sponsored a post-employment medical benefit plan that provided access to healthcare for certain retired employees; this plan was terminated effective December 31, 2013. The Pension Benefits are funded based on the funding requirements of federal and international laws and regulations, as applicable, in advance of benefit payments and the Other Benefits as benefits are provided to participating employees. As prescribed by applicable U.S. GAAP, Federal-Mogul, ARI and Viskase each uses, as applicable, appropriate actuarial methods and assumptions in accounting for its defined benefit pension plans, non-pension post-employment benefits, and disability, early retirement and other post-employment benefits. The measurement date for all defined benefit plans is December 31 of each year.

Components of net periodic benefit cost (credit) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:



	Pension Benefits									Other Post-Employment Benefits
	Year Ended December 31,									Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013			2015			2014			2013
	(in millions)
Service cost	$	19		$	16		$	16		$	—		$	—		$	—
Interest cost	66			76			69			13			15			11
Expected return on plan assets	(71		)	(74		)	(70		)	—			—			—
Amortization of actuarial losses	26			10			27			5			3			6
Amortization of prior service credit	—			—			—			(4		)	(5		)	(9		)
Settlement (gain) loss	—			(2		)	1			—			—			—
Curtailment gain	(2		)	—			—			—			—			(40		)
	$	38		$	26		$	43		$	14		$	13		$	(32	)

Automotive

The following provides disclosures for our Automotive segment's benefit obligations, plan assets, funded status, recognition in the consolidated balance sheets and inputs and valuation assumptions:



	Pension Benefits												Other Post-Employment Benefits
	United States Plans						Non-U.S. Plans						Other Post-Employment Benefits
	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
	(in millions)
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	$	1,291		$	1,184		$	575		$	450		$	368		$	335
Service cost	3			3			16			12			—			—
Interest cost	48			52			10			16			13			15
Employee contributions	—			—			—			—			—			—
Benefits paid	(89		)	(96		)	(24		)	(28		)	(23		)	(26		)
Medicare subsidies received	—			—			—			—			3			1
Plan amendments	—			—			—			—			—			8
Curtailments	—			—			(3		)	(1		)	—			—
Settlements	—			(3		)	—			—			—			—
Actuarial losses (gains) and changes in actuarial assumptions	(32		)	151			(75		)	112			(35		)	36
Net transfers in (out)	—			—			45			73			—			—
Currency translation	—			—			(57		)	(59		)	(3		)	(1		)
Benefit obligation, end of year	1,221			1,291			487			575			323			368

Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	912			909			54			55			—			—
Actual return on plan assets	(27		)	43			2			3			—			—
Employee contributions	—			—			—			—			—			—
Company contributions	74			56			30			30			20			25
Benefits paid	(89		)	(96		)	(24		)	(28		)	(23		)	(26		)
Expenses	—			—			—			—			—			—
Medicare subsidies received	—			—			—			—			3			1
Currency translation	—			—			(5		)	(6		)	—			—
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	870			912			57			54			—			—
Funded status of the plan	$	(351	)	$	(379	)	$	(430	)	$	(521	)	$	(323	)	$	(368	)

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets:
Net liability recognized	$	(351	)	$	(379	)	$	(430	)	$	(521	)	$	(323	)	$	(368	)

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, inclusive of tax impacts:
Net actuarial loss	$	452		$	409		$	72		$	151		$	56		$	95
Prior service cost (credit)	—			—			1			2			(10		)	(14		)
Total	$	452		$	409		$	73		$	153		$	46		$	81

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation as of December 31, 2015 and 2014:



	Pension Benefits								Other Post-Employment Benefits
	United States Plans				Non-U.S. Plans				Other Post-Employment Benefits
	December 31,								December 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Discount rate	4.15	%	3.85	%	2.72	%	1.77	%	4.18	%	3.84	%
Rate of compensation increase	n/a		n/a		3.19	%	3.16	%	n/a		n/a

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost (credit) for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014:



	Pension Benefits								Other Post-Employment Benefits
	United States Plans				Non-U.S. Plans				Other Post-Employment Benefits
	Year Ended December 31,								Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Discount rate	3.85	%	4.55	%	1.77	%	3.49	%	3.84	%	4.45	%
Expected return on plan assets	6.55	%	6.95	%	3.52	%	4.18	%	n/a		n/a
Rate of compensation increase	n/a		n/a		3.16	%	3.13	%	n/a		n/a

Federal-Mogul evaluates its discount rate assumption annually as of December 31 for each of its retirement-related benefit plans based upon the yield of high quality, fixed-income debt instruments, the maturities of which correspond to expected benefit payment dates.

Certain pension plans sponsored by Federal-Mogul invest in a diversified portfolio consisting of an array of asset classes that attempts to maximize returns while minimizing volatility. These asset classes include developed market equities, emerging market equities, private equity, global high quality and high yield fixed income, real estate and absolute return strategies.

Federal-Mogul's expected return on assets is established annually through analysis of anticipated future long-term investment performance for the plan based upon the asset allocation strategy. While the study gives appropriate consideration to recent fund performance and historical returns, the assumption is primarily a long-term prospective rate. The study was performed in December 2015 resulting changes to the expected long-term rate of return on assets. The weighted-average long-term rate of return on assets for the U.S. plans decreased from 6.6% at December 31, 2014 to 5.7% at December 31, 2015. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets used in determining pension expense for non-U.S. plans is determined in a similar manner to the U.S. plans and decreased from 3.5% at December 31, 2014 to 3.2% at December 31, 2015.

The U.S. investment strategy mitigates risk by incorporating diversification across appropriate asset classes to meet the plan's objectives. It is intended to reduce risk, provide long-term financial stability for the plan and maintain funded levels that meet long-term plan obligations while preserving sufficient liquidity for near-term benefit payments. Risk assumed is considered appropriate for the return anticipated and consistent with the total diversification of plan assets.

As of December 31, 2015, Federal-Mogul's plan assets were comprised of 61% equity investments, 23% fixed income investments, and 16% in other investments which include hedge funds. Federal-Mogul's investment strategy, which includes a target asset allocation of 50% equity investments, 25% fixed income investments and 25% in other investment types including hedge funds. Approximately 77% of the U.S. plan assets were invested in actively managed investment funds.

The majority of the assets of the non-U.S. plans are invested through insurance contracts. The insurance contracts guarantee a minimum rate of return. Federal-Mogul has no input into the investment strategy of the assets underlying the contracts, but they are typically heavily invested in active bond markets and are highly regulated by local law. The target asset allocation for the non-U.S. pension plans is 70% insurance contracts, 25% debt investments and 5% equity investments.

Refer to Note 6, “Fair Value Measurements,” for discussion of the fair value of each major category of plan assets, including the inputs and valuation techniques used to develop the fair value measurements of the plans' assets, at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

Information for defined benefit plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:



	Pension Benefits								Other Post-Employment Benefits
	United States Plans				Non-U.S. Plans				Other Post-Employment Benefits
	December 31,								December 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Projected benefit obligation	$	1,221	$	1,291	$	486	$	574	$	323	$	368
Fair value of plan assets	870		912		56		53		—		—

Information for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets:



	Pension Benefits
	United States Plans				Non-U.S. Plans
	December 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Projected benefit obligation	$	1,221	$	1,291	$	482	$	555
Accumulated benefit obligation	1,221		1,291		445		514
Fair value of plan assets	870		912		53		42

The accumulated benefit obligation for all pension plans was approximately $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

U.S. Welfare Benefit Plan

In May 2013, Federal-Mogul ceased operations at one of its U.S. manufacturing locations. The resulting reduction in the average remaining future service period to the full eligibility date of the remaining active plan participants in Federal-Mogul's U.S. Welfare Benefit Plan triggered the recognition of an OPEB curtailment gain of $19 million, which is included as a reduction to selling, general and administrative in the consolidated statements of operations, for the year ended December 31, 2013. Additionally, in the third quarter of 2013, Federal-Mogul completed the sale of its fuel manufacturing facility and research and development center located in the U.S., resulting in the termination of certain employees that participated in Federal-Mogul's U.S. Welfare Benefit Plan. The resulting reduction in the average remaining future service period to the full eligibility date of the remaining active plan participants in Federal-Mogul's U.S. Welfare Benefit Plan triggered the recognition of an additional OPEB curtailment gain of $19 million, which is included in the determination of net loss on disposition of assets within other income, net in the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013. Our Automotive segment recorded aggregate OPEB curtailment gains of $38 million for the year ended December 31, 2013.

The assumed health care and drug cost trend rates used to measure next year's post-employment healthcare benefits are as follows:



	Other Post-Employment Benefits
	2015	2014
Initial health care cost trend rate	6.97%	7.25%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate	5.00%	5.00%
Year ultimate health care cost trend rate reached	2022	2022

The assumed health care cost trend rate has a significant impact on the amounts reported for OPEB plans. The following table illustrates the sensitivity to a change in the assumed health care cost trend rate:



	Total Service and Interest Cost			APBO
	(in millions)
100 basis point (“bp”) increase in health care cost trend rate	$	1		$	28
100 bp decrease in health care cost trend rate	(1		)	(24		)

Estimated amounts to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net period benefit cost for 2016 based on 2015 plan measurements are $15 million, consisting primarily of amortization of net actuarial loss in the U.S. pension plans.

Federal-Mogul's projected benefit payments from the plans are estimated as follows:



	Pension Benefits				Other Post-Employment Benefits
Years	United States Plans		Non-U.S. Plans		Other Post-Employment Benefits
	(in millions)
2016	$	84	$	24	$	24
2017	85		24		24
2018	88		23		24
2019	88		24		24
2020	87		25		24
2021-2025	399		135		110

Federal-Mogul expects to contribute approximately $72 million to its pension plans in fiscal 2016.

Federal-Mogul also maintains certain defined contribution pension plans for eligible employees. Effective January 1, 2013, Federal-Mogul amended its U.S. defined contribution plan to allow for an enhanced company match and company provided age-based contributions for eligible U.S. salaried and non-union hourly employees. The total expenses attributable to Federal-Mogul's defined contribution savings plan were $45 million, $45 million and $42 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Other Benefits

Federal-Mogul accounts for benefits to former or inactive employees paid after employment but before retirement pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 712, Compensation - Nonretirement Post-employment Benefits. The liabilities for such U.S. and European post-employment benefits were $26 million and $25 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Railcar and Food Packaging

ARI is the sponsor of three defined benefit pension plans, two of which cover certain employees at designated repair facilities. All three of ARI's defined benefit pension plans are frozen and no additional benefits are accruing thereunder. Viskase and its subsidiaries have defined contribution and defined benefit plans varying by country and subsidiary. Viskase's operations in the United States, France, Germany and Canada have historically offered defined benefit retirement plans and post-retirement health care and life insurance benefits to their employees. Most of these benefits have been terminated, resulting in reductions in various liabilities.

The following table provides disclosures for ARI's and Viskase's benefit obligations, plan assets, funded status, and recognition in the consolidated balance sheets. As pension costs for ARI and Viskase are not material to our consolidated financial position and results of operations, we do not provide information regarding their inputs and valuation assumptions.



	Pension Benefits
	2015			2014
	(in millions)
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	$	203		$	176
Service cost	1			1
Interest cost	8			8
Benefits paid	(10		)	(10		)
Actuarial gain (loss)	(9		)	29
Curtailment gain	(1		)	—
Currency translation	(1		)	(1		)
Benefit obligation, end of year	191			203
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	144			140
Actual return on plan assets	(3		)	9
Company contributions	2			6
Currency translation	—			(1		)
Benefits paid	(10		)	(10		)
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	133			144
Funded status of the plan	$	(58	)	$	(59	)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets:
Net liability recognized	$	(58	)	$	(59	)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, inclusive of tax impacts:
Net actuarial (loss) gain	$	(58	)	$	(59	)
Total	$	(58	)	$	(59	)