10. Pension Plan and Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pension

We provide a non-contributory retirement plan that covers substantially all employees and certain vested employees of our former parent company (the "Pension Plan"). Benefits payable under the Pension Plan are based on employees' years of service and compensation during the final ten years of employment. We also sponsor an unfunded defined benefit postretirement medical plan that covers substantially all employees, as well as our financial advisors, who are independent contractors. The medical plan is contributory with retiree contributions adjusted annually. The medical plan does not provide for post age 65 benefits with the exception of a small group of employees that were grandfathered when such plan was established.

A reconciliation of the funded status of these plans and the assumptions related to the obligations at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 follow:

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Net benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	172,105		184,165		148,412		8,172		8,792		8,145
Service cost		10,084		11,011		9,373		719		788		693
Interest cost		8,395		7,711		7,570		397		361		400
Benefits paid		(8,733)		(19,283)		(5,760)		(527)		(283)		(560)
Actuarial (gain) loss		26,410		(11,499)		24,570		760		(1,807)		(223)
Plan amendments		(176)		—		—		—		—		—
Retiree contributions		—		—		—		381		321		337

Net benefit obligation at end of year	$	208,085		172,105		184,165		9,902		8,172		8,792

The accumulated benefit obligation for the Pension Plan was $171.3 million and $142.2 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

As part of the agreement to sell Legend, the Company retained the liability for pension and other postretirement benefits related to Legend that existed at the closing date of the sale, and these liabilities are included in the tables above.

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	170,430		133,911		103,404		—		—		—
Actual return on plan assets		(6,149)		38,802		21,267		—		—		—
Employer contributions		20,000		17,000		15,000		146		(38)		223
Retiree contributions		—		—		—		381		321		337
Benefits paid		(8,733)		(19,283)		(5,760)		(527)		(283)		(560)

Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	175,548		170,430		133,911		—		—		—


Funded status at end of year	$	(32,537)	$	(1,675)		(50,254)		(9,902)		(8,172)		(8,792)

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands, except percentage data)
Amounts recognized in the statement of financial position:
Current liabilities	$	—		—		—		(279)		(260)		(304)
Noncurrent liabilities		(32,537)		(1,675)		(50,254)		(9,623)		(7,912)		(8,488)

Net amount recognized at end of year	$	(32,537)		(1,675)		(50,254)		(9,902)		(8,172)		(8,792)


Amounts not yet reflected in net periodic benefit cost and included in accumulated other comprehensive income:
Transition obligation	$	(21)		(27)		(32)		—		—		—
Prior service cost		(1,179)		(1,822)		(2,377)		(17)		(72)		(127)
Accumulated gain (loss)		(75,681)		(30,602)		(74,286)		265		1,041		(765)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(76,881)		(32,451)		(76,695)		248		969		(892)
Cumulative employer contributions in excess of net periodic benefit cost		44,344		30,776		26,441		(10,150)		(9,141)		(7,900)

Net amount recognized at end of year	$	(32,537)		(1,675)		(50,254)		(9,902)		(8,172)		(8,792)


Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligation at December 31:
Discount rate		4.13%		4.97%		4.22%		4.07%		4.94%		4.18%
Rate of compensation increase		5.12%		5.12%		3.99%		Not applicable

The discount rate assumption used to determine the pension and other postretirement benefits obligations was based on the Aon Hewitt AA Only Above Median Yield Curve. This discount rate was determined separately for each plan by plotting the expected benefit payments from each plan against a yield curve of high quality, zero coupon bonds and calculating the single rate that would produce the same present value of liabilities as the yield curve.

Our Pension Plan asset allocation at December 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows:

Plan assets by category	Percentage of Plan Assets at December 31, 2014		Percentage of Plan Assets at December 31, 2013
Cash		23%		18%
Equity securities:
Domestic		51%		33%
International		17%		40%
Fixed income securities		1%		1%
Private equity		1%		1%
Gold bullion		7%		7%

Total		100%		100%

The primary investment objective is to maximize growth of the Pension Plan assets to meet the projected obligations to the beneficiaries over a long period of time, and to do so in a manner that is consistent with the Company's earnings strength and risk tolerance. Asset allocation is the most important decision in managing the assets, and it is reviewed regularly. The asset allocation policy considers the Company's financial strength and long-term asset class risk/return expectations since the obligations are long-term in nature. As of December 31, 2014, our Pension Plan assets were invested in our Asset Strategy investment style and are managed by our in-house investment professionals.

Asset Strategy invests in the domestic or foreign market that is believed to offer the greatest probability of return or, alternatively, that provides the highest degree of safety in uncertain times. This style may allocate its assets among stocks, bonds and short-term investments and since the allocation is dynamically managed and able to take advantage of opportunities as they are presented by the market, there is not a predetermined asset allocation. Dependent on the outlook for the U.S. and global economies, our investment managers make top-down allocations among stocks, bonds, cash, precious metals and currency markets around the globe. After determining allocations, we seek the best opportunities within each market. Derivative instruments play an important role in this style's investment process, to manage risk and maximize stability of the assets in the portfolio.

At December 31, 2014, the Pension Plan had a significant weighting of plan assets invested in equity securities, a concentration not typical of a classic pension plan.

Risk management is primarily the responsibility of the investment portfolio manager, who incorporates it with day-to-day research and management. Although investment flexibility is essential to this style's investment process, the Pension Plan does not invest in a number of asset classes that are commonly referred to as alternative investments, namely venture capital, direct real estate properties, timber, or oil, gas or other mineral explorations or development programs or leases. The Pension Plan also has a number of specific guidelines that serve to manage investment risk by placing limits on net securities exposure and concentration of assets within specific companies or industries.

We determine the fair value of our Pension Plan assets using broad levels of inputs as defined by related accounting standards and categorized as Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3, as previously defined in Note 4. The following tables summarize our Pension Plan assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013. There were no transfers between levels for the years ended December 31, 2014 or 2013.

2014	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total

	(in thousands)
Equity securities:
Domestic	$	90,061		—		—		90,061
International		29,351		—		—		29,351
Equity derivatives		—		116		—		116
Fixed income securities:
Mortgage-backed securities		—		14		—		14
Corporate bond		—		—		1,884		1,884
Private equity		—		—		1,518		1,518
Gold bullion		12,209		—		—		12,209

Total investment securities		131,621		130		3,402		135,153
Cash and other								40,395

Total							$	175,548

2013	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total

	(in thousands)
Equity securities:
Domestic	$	54,558		—		—		54,558
International		67,889		—		—		67,889
Equity derivatives		—		471		—		471
Fixed income securities:
Mortgage-backed securities		—		17		—		17
Corporate bond		—		—		1,900		1,900
Private equity		—		—		2,119		2,119
Gold bullion		12,316		—		—		12,316

Total investment securities		134,763		488		4,019		139,270
Cash and other								31,160

Total							$	170,430

The following table summarizes the activity of plan assets categorized as Level 3 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:

	2014		2013
	(in thousands)
Level 3 plan assets at beginning of year	$	4,019		1,772
Purchases, issuances and settlements		—		1,900
Valuation change		(617)		347

Level 3 plan assets at end of year	$	3,402		4,019

The 7.75% expected long-term rate of return on Pension Plan assets reflects management's expectations of long-term average rates of return on funds invested to provide for benefits included in the projected benefit obligations. The expected return is based on the outlook for inflation, fixed income returns and equity returns, while also considering historical returns, asset allocation and investment strategy. The plan expects a relatively high return because of the types of investment the portfolio incorporates, the success the portfolio managers have had with generating returns in excess of passive management in those types of investments, and the past history of returns. The ability to use a high concentration of equities, especially international equities, within the plan's investment policy presents portfolio managers the opportunity to earn higher returns than other investment strategies that are restricted to owning lower returning asset classes.

The components of net periodic pension and other postretirement costs consisted of the following for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012:

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	10,084		11,011		9,373		719		788		693
Interest cost		8,395		7,711		7,570		397		361		400
Expected return on plan assets		(14,016)		(11,185)		(8,799)		—		—		—
Actuarial loss amortization		1,496		4,567		4,563		(17)		—		12
Prior service cost amortization		468		555		555		55		55		55
Transition obligation amortization		5		5		5		—		—		—

Net periodic benefit cost (1)	$	6,432		12,664		13,267		1,154		1,204		1,160

(1)	Net periodic pension benefit and postretirement medical costs related to discontinued operations and included in the table above were $749 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The estimated net loss, prior service cost and transition obligation for the Pension Plan that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2015 are $5.0 million, $459 thousand and $5 thousand, respectively. The estimated prior service cost for the postretirement medical plan that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2015 is $19 thousand.

The weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 are as follows:

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2014		2013		2012		2014		2013		2012
Discount rate		4.97%		4.22%		4.99%		4.94%		4.18%		5.00%
Expected return on plan assets		7.75%		7.75%		7.75%		Not applicable
Rate of compensation increase		5.12%		3.99%		4.04%		Not applicable

We expect the following benefit payments to be paid, which reflect future service as appropriate:

	Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits
	(in thousands)
2015	$	6,813		279
2016		8,743		341
2017		9,929		378
2018		10,066		478
2019		12,161		558
2020 through 2024		74,734		3,839

	$	122,446		5,873

Our policy with respect to funding the Pension Plan is to fund at least the minimum required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and not more than the maximum amount deductible for tax purposes. All contributions made to the Pension Plan for 2014, 2013 and 2012 were voluntary. A contribution of $20 million was made to the Pension Plan in January 2015 and no further contributions are planned for 2015.

All Company contributions to other postretirement medical benefits are voluntary, as the postretirement medical plan is not funded and is not subject to any minimum regulatory funding requirements. The contributions for each year represent claims paid for medical expenses, and we anticipate making the 2015 expected contribution with cash generated from operations. Contributions by participants to the postretirement plan were $381 thousand, $321 thousand and $337 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

For measurement purposes, the initial health care cost trend rate was 8.04% for 2014, 8.52% for 2013 and 9.01% for 2012. The health care cost trend rate reflects anticipated increases in health care costs. The initial assumed growth rate of 8.04% for 2014 is assumed to gradually decline over the next 13 years to a rate of 4.5%. The effect of a 1% annual increase in assumed cost trend rates would increase the December 31, 2014 accumulated postretirement benefit obligation by approximately $1.2 million, and the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost for the year ended December 31, 2014 by approximately $168 thousand. The effect of a 1% annual decrease in assumed cost trend rates would decrease the December 31, 2014 accumulated postretirement benefit obligation by approximately $1.0 million, and the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement benefit cost for the year ended December 31, 2014 by approximately $142 thousand.

We also sponsor the Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as amended and restated (the "SERP"), a non-qualified deferred compensation plan covering eligible employees. The SERP provides certain benefits for Company officers that the Pension Plan is prevented from providing because of compensation and benefit limits in the Internal Revenue Code (the "IRC").

The SERP was adopted to supplement the annual pension paid to certain senior executive officers. Each calendar year, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Compensation Committee") credits participants' SERP accounts with (i) an amount equal to 4% of the executive's base salary, less the amount of the maximum employer matching contribution available under our 401(k) plan, and (ii) a non-formula award, if any, as determined by the Compensation Committee in its discretion. There were no discretionary awards made to participants during 2014, 2013 or 2012. Additionally, each calendar year, participants' accounts are credited (or charged) with an amount equal to the performance of certain hypothetical investment vehicles since the last preceding year. Upon a participant's separation, or at such other time based on a pre-existing election by a participant, benefits accumulated under the SERP are payable in installments or in a lump sum. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the aggregate liability to participants was $3.8 million.

At December 31, 2014, the accrued pension and postretirement liability recorded in the consolidated balance sheet was comprised of accrued pension costs of $32.5 million, a liability for postretirement benefits in the amount of $9.6 million and an accrued liability for SERP benefits of $3.8 million. The current portion of postretirement liability of $0.3 million is included in other current liabilities on the balance sheet. At December 31, 2013, the accrued pension and postretirement liability recorded on the balance sheet was comprised of accrued pension costs of $1.7 million, a liability for postretirement benefits in the amount of $7.9 million and an accrued liability for SERP benefits of $3.7 million. The current portion of postretirement liability of $0.3 million is included in other current liabilities on the balance sheet.