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PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits [Text Block]
PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

The net periodic benefit cost/(credit) of defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans includes:
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
Dollars in Millions
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Service cost – benefits earned during the year
$
6

 
$
10

 
$
1

 
$
1

 
$
12

 
$
20

 
$
2

 
$
2

Interest cost on projected benefit obligation
60

 
77

 
3

 
4

 
121

 
155

 
6

 
7

Expected return on plan assets
(103
)
 
(133
)
 
(6
)
 
(7
)
 
(205
)
 
(264
)
 
(13
)
 
(14
)
Amortization of prior service credits
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
(3
)
 
(1
)
Amortization of net actuarial loss
26

 
29

 
1

 
—

 
50

 
56

 
2

 
—

Curtailments and settlements
36

 
45

 
—

 
—

 
63

 
99

 
—

 
(3
)
Special termination benefits
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
13

 
—

 
—

Net periodic cost/(credit)
$
24

 
$
27

 
$
(3
)
 
$
(3
)
 
$
39

 
$
77

 
$
(6
)
 
$
(9
)


Pension settlement charges were recognized after determining that the annual lump sum payments will likely exceed the annual interest and service costs for certain pension plans, including the primary U.S. pension plan. The charges included the acceleration of a portion of unrecognized actuarial losses. The applicable pension benefit obligation and pension plan assets were remeasured during 2015 resulting in a decrease to liabilities and a corresponding decrease in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $292 million. The changes resulted from a higher weighted average discount rate assumed in remeasuring the pension benefit obligations (4.3% at June 30, 2015 and 3.8% at December 31, 2014) partially offset by lower actual return on plan assets than expected. Contributions to the pension plans are expected to approximate $100 million during 2015, of which $62 million occurred in the six months ended June 30, 2015.

The expense attributed to defined contribution plans in the U.S. was $45 million and $46 million for the three months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $89 million and $96 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015, and 2014, respectively.