Net periodic benefit cost is recorded in cost of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses, and research, development and related expenses. Components of net periodic benefit cost and other supplemental information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 follow:

		Three months ended September 30,
		Qualified and Non-qualified
		Pension Benefits								Postretirement
		United States				International				Benefits
(Millions)		2014		2013		2014		2013		2014		2013
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)
	Service cost	$	60	$	64	$	36	$	37	$	16	$	20
	Interest cost		169		150		65		61		24		22
	Expected return on plan assets		(261)		(262)		(79)		(75)		(22)		(22)
	Amortization of transition (asset) obligation		―		―		(1)		―		―		―
	Amortization of prior service cost (benefit)		1		1		(4)		(4)		(12)		(16)
	Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss		60		100		31		39		14		24
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)		$	29	$	53	$	48	$	58	$	20	$	28
Settlements, curtailments, special termination benefits and other			―		―		―		―		―		―
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit) after settlements, curtailments,
	special termination benefits and other	$	29	$	53	$	48	$	58	$	20	$	28


		Nine months ended September 30,
		Qualified and Non-qualified
		Pension Benefits								Postretirement
		United States				International				Benefits
(Millions)		2014		2013		2014		2013		2014		2013
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)
	Service cost	$	180	$	192	$	107	$	109	$	49	$	60
	Interest cost		507		449		194		183		72		66
	Expected return on plan assets		(783)		(784)		(238)		(225)		(67)		(67)
	Amortization of transition (asset) obligation		―		―		(1)		(1)		―		―
	Amortization of prior service cost (benefit)		3		3		(12)		(13)		(36)		(49)
	Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss		182		300		93		119		43		72
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit)		$	89	$	160	$	143	$	172	$	61	$	82
Settlements, curtailments, special termination benefits and other			―		―		―		―		―		―
Net periodic benefit cost (benefit) after settlements, curtailments,
	special termination benefits and other	$	89	$	160	$	143	$	172	$	61	$	82

For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, contributions totaling $107 million were made to the Company's U.S. and international pension plans and $5 million to its postretirement plans. For total year 2014, the Company expects to contribute approximately $200 million of cash to its global pension and postretirement plans. The Company does not have a required minimum cash pension contribution obligation for its U.S. plans in 2014. Therefore, the amount of future discretionary pension contributions could vary significantly depending on the U.S. plans' funded status and the anticipated tax deductibility of the contributions. Future contributions will also depend on market conditions, interest rates and other factors. 3M's annual measurement date for pension and postretirement assets and liabilities is December 31 each year, which is also the date used for the related annual measurement assumptions.

In the third quarter of 2014, former U.S. employees who have a pension benefit for which they have not begun receiving payment (term vested) were offered a lump sum payout of their pension benefit. As a result of this action, the projected benefit obligation (PBO) liability is expected to be reduced in the fourth quarter of 2014 by $270 million, with the actual cash payout of approximately the same amount to be paid from the plan's assets in the fourth quarter of 2014. The PBO liability reduction is 34% of the term vested eligible PBO and a 2% reduction in the overall U.S. pension PBO liability based on the December 31, 2013 valuation. There is no pension expense impact as a result of this action on 3M's consolidated statement of income in 2014.

3M was informed during the first quarter of 2009 that the general partners of WG Trading Company, in which 3M's benefit plans hold limited partnership interests, are the subject of a criminal investigation as well as civil proceedings by the SEC and CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission). In March 2011, over the objections of 3M and six other limited partners of WG Trading Company, the district court judge ruled in favor of the court appointed receiver's proposed distribution plan (and in April 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling). The benefit plan trustee holdings of WG Trading Company interests were adjusted to reflect the decreased estimated fair market value, inclusive of estimated insurance proceeds, as of the annual measurement dates. The Company has insurance that it believes, based on what is currently known, will result in the recovery of a portion of the decrease in original asset value. As of the 2013 measurement date these holdings represented less than one percent of 3M's fair value of total plan assets. 3M currently believes that the resolution of these events will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position of the Company.

In addition, the Company also sponsors employee savings plans under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, as discussed in Note 10 in 3M's Form 8-K dated May 15, 2014 (which updated 3M's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K).