Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), net of tax

The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, which is included as a component of WM stockholders’ equity, are as follows (in millions, with amounts in parentheses representing decreases to accumulated other comprehensive income):

					Foreign		Post-
			Available-		Currency		Retirement
	Derivative		for-Sale		Translation		Benefit
	Instruments		Securities		Adjustments		Obligations		Total
Balance, December 31, 2016	$	(40)	$	13	$	(47)	$	(6)	$	(80)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $0, $2, $0 and $1, respectively		—		3		76		3		82
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax (expense) benefit of $5, $(1), $0 and $0, respectively		7		(1)		—		—		6
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		7		2		76		3		88
Balance, December 31, 2017	$	(33)	$	15	$	29	$	(3)	$	8
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $0, $2, $0 and $1, respectively		—		5		(105)		2		(98)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax (expense) benefit of $3, $0, $0 and $0, respectively		8		—		—		—		8
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		8		5		(105)		2		(90)
Adoption of new accounting standard (a)		(7)		3		—		(1)		(5)
Balance, December 31, 2018	$	(32)	$	23	$	(76)	$	(2)	$	(87)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax expense (benefit) of $0, $5, $0 and $1, respectively		—		15		55		2		72
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax (expense) benefit of $3, $0, $0 and $0, respectively		8		—		—		(1)		7
Net current period other comprehensive income (loss)		8		15		55		1		79
Balance, December 31, 2019	$	(24)	$	38	$	(21)	$	(1)	$	(8)

(a) As of January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU 2018-02 and reclassified stranded tax effects to retained earnings.