Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plan

The following table sets forth information regarding our defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plan at and for the periods indicated.

		Pension Benefits							Other Postretirement Benefits
	At or For the Year Ended December 31,							At or For the Year Ended December 31,
(In Thousands)		2015			2014				2015			2014
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year		$	270,272		$	230,361			$	28,545		$	18,766
Service cost		—			—				2,129			1,241
Interest cost		9,929			10,450				1,004			930
Actuarial (gain) loss		(16,739		)	48,633				(6,179		)	8,371
Benefits paid		(11,111		)	(19,172		)		(554		)	(763		)
Benefit obligation at end of year		252,351			270,272				24,945			28,545
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		187,074			189,367				—			—
Actual return on plan assets		3,881			11,264				—			—
Employer contribution		543			5,615				554			763
Benefits paid		(11,111		)	(19,172		)		(554		)	(763		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		180,387			187,074				—			—
Funded status at end of year		$	(71,964	)	$	(83,198	)		$	(24,945	)	$	(28,545	)

Pre-tax components of accumulated other comprehensive loss related to pension plans and other postretirement benefits

The following table sets forth the pre-tax components of accumulated other comprehensive loss related to pension plans and other postretirement benefits at the dates indicated.  We expect that $2.7 million in net actuarial loss and $190,000 in prior service cost will be recognized as components of net periodic cost in 2016.

	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
	At December 31,				At December 31,
(In Thousands)	2015		2014		2015			2014
Net actuarial loss (gain)	$	99,078	$	108,137	$	(5,408	)	$	771
Prior service cost	4,760		4,950		—			—
Total accumulated other comprehensive loss (income)	$	103,838	$	113,087	$	(5,408	)	$	771

Discount rates used to determine the benefit obligations

The following table presents thediscount rates used to determine the benefit obligations at the dates indicated.

	At December 31,
	2015		2014
Pension Benefit Plans:
Astoria Bank Pension Plan	4.09	%	3.77	%
Astoria Excess and Supplemental Benefit Plans	3.86		3.60
Astoria Directors’ Retirement Plan	3.67		3.47
Greater Directors’ Retirement Plan	3.30		3.12
LIB Directors’ Retirement Plan	0.95		0.59
Other Postretirement Benefit Plan:
Astoria Bank Retiree Health Care Plan	4.25		3.89

Components of net periodic (benefit) cost

The following table summarizes thecomponents of net periodic (benefit)cost for the years indicated.

	Pension Benefits									Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Year Ended December 31,									For the Year Ended December 31,
(In Thousands)	2015			2014			2013			2015		2014			2013
Service cost	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	2,129	$	1,241		$	1,578
Interest cost	9,929			10,450			9,549			1,004		930			1,279
Expected return on plan assets	(14,534		)	(14,843		)	(12,754		)	—		—			—
Recognized net actuarial loss (gain)	2,973			1,401			3,138			—		(488		)	472
Amortization of prior service cost	190			190			213			—		—			—
Net periodic (benefit) cost	$	(1,442	)	$	(2,802	)	$	146		$	3,133	$	1,683		$	3,329

Assumptions used to determine the net periodic (benefit) cost

The following table sets forth the assumptions used to determine the net periodic (benefit)cost for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

	Discount Rate				Expected Return on Plan Assets
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Pension Benefit Plans:
Astoria Bank Pension Plan	3.77	%	4.66	%	8.00	%	8.00	%
Astoria Excess and Supplemental Benefit Plans	3.60		4.39		N/A		N/A
Astoria Directors’ Retirement Plan	3.47		4.23		N/A		N/A
Greater Directors’ Retirement Plan	3.12		3.64		N/A		N/A
LIB Directors’ Retirement Plan	0.59		0.50		N/A		N/A
Other Postretirement Benefit Plan:
Astoria Bank Retiree Health Care Plan	3.89		4.80		N/A		N/A

Assumed health care cost trend rates

The following table presents theassumed health care cost trend rates at the dates indicated.

	At December 31,
	2015		2014
Health care cost trend rate assumed for the next year:
Pre-age 65	7.50	%	6.70	%
Post-age 65	8.00	%	9.00	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate trend rate)	4.75	%	5.00	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2026		2021

Effects of a one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates

The following table presents the effects of aone-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates.

(In Thousands)	One Percentage  Point Increase			One Percentage  Point Decrease
Effect on total service and interest cost components		$	736		$	(560	)
Effect on the postretirement benefit obligation		4,518			(3,524		)

Total benefits expected to be paid under our defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plan

The following table summarizes total benefits expected to be paid under our defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plan as of December 31, 2015, which reflect expected future service as appropriate.

Year	Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits
	(In Thousands)
2016	$	15,589		$	883
2017	13,875			932
2018	12,999			976
2019	13,501			1,043
2020	13,162			1,131
2021-2025	69,927			6,625

Astoria Bank | Pension Benefits

Benefit Plans

Carrying values of plan assets measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basis

The following tables set forth the carrying values of the Astoria Bank Pension Plan’s assets measured at estimated fair value on a recurring basisand the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall at the dates indicated.

	Carrying Value at December 31, 2015
(In Thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
PRIAC Pooled Separate Accounts (1)	$	155,215	$	—	$	155,215	$	—
Astoria Financial Corporation common stock	14,880		14,880		—		—
PRIAC Guaranteed Deposit Account	10,288		—		—		10,288
Cash and cash equivalents	4		4		—		—
Total	$	180,387	$	14,884	$	155,215	$	10,288

(1) Consists of 44% large-cap equity securities, 33% debt securities, 11% international equities, 7% small-cap equity securities and 5% mid-cap equity securities.

	Carrying Value at December 31, 2014
(In Thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
PRIAC Pooled Separate Accounts (1)	$	162,808	$	—	$	162,808	$	—
Astoria Financial Corporation common stock	12,404		12,404		—		—
PRIAC Guaranteed Deposit Account	11,858		—		—		11,858
Cash and cash equivalents	4		4		—		—
Total	$	187,074	$	12,408	$	162,808	$	11,858

(1) Consists of 41% large-cap equity securities, 38% debt securities, 9% international equities, 7% small-cap equity securities and 5% mid-cap equity securities.

Changes in the estimated fair value of plan's level 3 assets

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the estimatedfair value of the Astoria Bank Pension Plan’s Level 3 assets for the years indicated.

	For the Year Ended December 31,
(In Thousands)		2015			2014
Fair value at beginning of year		$	11,858		$	6,299
Total net (loss) gain, realized and unrealized, included in change in net assets (1)		(1		)	191
Purchases		9,000			23,925
Sales		(10,569		)	(18,557		)
Fair value at end of year		$	10,288		$	11,858

(1) Includes unrealized gain related to assets held at December 31, 2015 of $210,000 for the year ended December 31, 2015 and unrealized gain related to assets held at December 31, 2014 of $477,000 for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Schedule of significant unobservable inputs with plan's level 3 assets

The following table presents information about significant unobservable inputs related to the Astoria Bank Pension Plan’s investment in Level 3 assets at the dates indicated.

	PRIAC Guaranteed Deposit Account Range at December 31,
	2015				2014
Significant unobservable inputs:
Composite market value factor		0.996	-	1.137		1.018	-	1.081
Gross guaranteed crediting rate (1)		2.85%	-	3.35%		2.50%	-	4.00%

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(1) Gross guaranteed crediting rates must be greater than or equal to contractual minimum crediting rate.