13. RETIREMENT PLANS

The Company has a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan for eligible employees of its GT&T and Viya subsidiaries who meet certain age and employment criteria. The Company also has a noncontributory defined medical, dental, vision, and life benefit plan for eligible employees of its Viya subsidiary who meet certain age and employment criteria. The Company acquired the Viya plans as a result of the July 2016 Viya Acquisition. The Company reviews the funded status of its pension plans and makes contributions based on that analysis. The benefits are based on the participants’ compensation during their employment and the credited service years earned by participants. The Company funds the other postretirement benefit plans as benefits are paid.

The weighted‑average rates assumed in the actuarial calculations for the pension and other postretirement benefit plans are as follows as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:


	2017		2016		2015
Discount Rate – Pension Benefit	4.6	%	4.3	%	5.8	%
Discount Rate – Postretirement Benefit	4.3	%	3.9	%	N/A
Annual salary increase	6.5	%	6.5	%	6.5	%
Expected long-term return on plan assets	6.1	%	6.3	%	6.5	%

The expected long‑term rate of return on plan assets was determined based on several factors including input from pension investment consultants, projected long‑term returns of equity and bond indices, and historical returns over the life of the related obligations of the fund. The Company, in conjunction with its pension investment consultants, reviews its asset allocation periodically and rebalances its investments when appropriate in an effort to earn the expected long‑term returns. The Company will continue to evaluate its long‑term rate of return assumptions at least annually and will adjust them as necessary.

The annual salary increase assumption reflects the Company’s estimated long term average rate of salary increases. The assumption is not applicable to the Viya pension and other postretirement plans as the obligations associated with these plans are not dependent on participant’s salaries.

The discount rate was determined based on a review of market data including yields on high quality corporate bonds with maturities approximating the remaining life of the project benefit obligations.

The other postretirement benefit plans healthcare cost trend assumptions is based on health care trend rates. The 2018 assumed medical health care cost trend rate is 5.3% trending to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2075. The 2018 assumed dental care cost trend rate is 4.0% trending to an ultimate rate of 2.0% in 2031. The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates for each future year on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits and the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit cost is shown below:


	2017						2016
	Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation			Service cost plus interest cost			Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation			Service cost plus interest cost

At trend		5,308			389			5,108			194
At trend + 1%		5,723			429			5,487			214
Dollar Impact		415			40			379			20
Percentage Impact		7.8	%		10.3	%		7.4	%		10.3	%
At trend – 1%		4,944			355			4,775			177
Dollar Impact		(364)			(34)			(333)			(17)
Percentage Impact		(6.9)	%		(8.7)	%		(6.5)	%		(8.8)	%

Changes during the year in the projected benefit obligations and in the fair value of plan assets are as follows for 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):


	2017				2016

	Pension Benefits		Postretirement Benefits		Pension Benefits		Postretirement Benefits
Projected benefit obligations:
Balance at beginning of year:	$	76,119	$	5,108	$	14,400	$	—
Viya Acquisition		—		—		69,178		5,472
Service cost		1,676		183		1,308		97
Interest cost		3,388		206		2,002		97
Curtailment		—		—		128		—
Benefits and settlements paid		(3,942)		(367)		(6,445)		(206)
Actuarial (gain) loss		3,114		177		(4,437)		(325)
Experience loss		—		—		(15)		(27)
Balance at end of year	$	80,355	$	5,307	$	76,119	$	5,108
Plan net assets:
Balance at beginning of year:	$	75,331	$	—	$	11,946	$	—
Viya Acquisition		—		—		45,116		—
Actual return on plan assets		8,789		—		1,717		—
Company contributions		842		367		22,963		206
Benefits and settlements paid		(4,070)		(367)		(6,411)		(206)
Balance at end of year	$	80,892	$	—	$	75,331	$	—
Under funded status of plan	$	537	$	(5,307)	$	(788)	$	(5,108)

The Company reports an asset or liability on its balance equal to the funded status of its pension and other postretirement benefit plans. Plans in an overfunded status are aggregated and recorded as a net benefit asset in other assets. Plans in an underfunded status are aggregated and recorded as a net benefit liability in other liabilities. The funded status of the Company’s pension and other retirement benefit plans is below (in thousands):


	2017						2016

	GT&T Pension Benefit		Viya Pension Benefit		Postretirement Benefits		GT&T Pension Benefit		Viya Pension Benefit		Postretirement Benefits

Projected benefit obligation	$	13,205	$	67,150	$	5,307	$	12,549	$	63,571	$	5,108
Plan Net Assets		10,307		70,585		—		8,655		66,676		—
Over/ (Under) funded status of plan	$	(2,898)	$	3,435	$	(5,307)	$	(3,894)	$	3,105	$	(5,108)

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company held $0 and $5.1 million, respectively, of restricted cash related to other postretirement benefit plans.

The Company’s investment policy for its pension assets is to have a reasonably balanced investment approach, with a long‑term bias toward debt investments. The Company’s strategy allocates plan assets among equity, debt and other assets to achieve long‑term returns without significant risk to principal. The GT&T pension fund has limitations from investing in the equity, debt or other securities of the employer, its subsidiaries or associates of the employer or any company of which the employer is a subsidiary or an associate. Furthermore, the GT&T plan must invest between 70% - 80% of its total plan assets within Guyana.

The fair values for the pension plan’s net assets, by asset category, at December 31, 2017 are as follows (in thousands):


Asset Category	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash, cash equivalents, money markets and other	$	6,363	$	6,363	$	—	$	—
Common stock		28,467		25,312		3,155		—
Mutual funds - equities		9,248		9,248		—		—
Exchange traded funds - equities		904		904		—		—
Fixed income securities		35,414		—		35,414		—
Annuities		496		—		—		496
Total	$	80,892	$	41,827	$	38,569	$	496

The fair values for the pension plan’s net assets, by asset category, at December 31, 2016 are as follows (in thousands):


Asset Category	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Cash, cash equivalents, money markets and other	$	32,976	$	32,976	$	—	$	—
Common stock		22,560		21,344		1,216		—
Mutual funds - equities		7,141		6,180		961		—
Exchange traded funds - equities		1,553		1,553		—		—
Fixed income securities		10,598		—		10,598		—
Annuities		503		—		—		503
Total	$	75,331	$	62,053	$	12,775	$	503

The plan’s weighted‑average asset allocations at December 31, 2017 and 2016, by asset category are as follows:


	2017		2016
Cash, cash equivalents, money markets and other	8	%	44	%
Common stock	35		30
Mutual funds - equities	11		9
Exchange traded funds - equities	1		2
Fixed income securities	44		14
Annuities	1		1
Total	100	%	100	%

Amounts recognized on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets consist of (in thousands):


	As of December 31,
	2017				2016
	Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits		Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits

Accrued and current liabilities	$	—	$	392	$	—	$	381
Other Liabilities		2,898		4,915		3,894		4,727
Other Assets		3,435		—		3,105		—
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax		2,953		174		1,418		352

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of (in thousands):


	As of December 31,
	2017				2016
	Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits		Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits

Net actuarial gain / (loss)	$	1,408	$	174	$	(386)	$	352
Accumulated other comprehensive income / ( loss), pre-tax		1,408		174		(386)		352
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax		2,953		174		1,418		352

Components of the plan’s net periodic pension cost are as follows for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 (in thousands):


	2017				2016				2015
	Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits		Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits		Pension benefits		Postretirement benefits

Service cost	$	1,676	$	183	$	1,308	$	97	$	652	$	—
Interest cost		3,388		206		2,002		97		766		—
Expected return on plan assets		(4,470)		—		(2,024)		—		(813)		—
Amortization of unrecognized net actuarial loss		716		—		1,271		—		245		—
Curtailment		—		—		128		—		—		—
Net periodic pension cost	$	1,310	$	389	$	2,685	$	194	$	850	$	—

For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company expects to contribute approximately $1.5 million to its pension plans.

The following estimated benefits, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid over the next ten years as indicated below (in thousands):


	Pension		Postretirement
Fiscal Year	Benefits		Benefits
2018	$	4,088	$	399
2019		4,772		362
2020		4,190		327
2021		4,380		297
2022		4,915		322
2023 - 2027		22,938		1,807
	$	45,283	$	3,514