BENEFIT PLANS

The following table summarizes key information related to the Company’s pension plans and retirement agreements (in thousands):



	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017			Year Ended December 31, 2016
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of period	$	28,624		$	25,935
Service cost	751			995
Interest cost	921			1,155
Actuarial loss	—			1,031
Benefits paid	(426		)	(492		)
Projected benefit obligation, end of period	$	29,870		$	28,624
Change in Plan Assets
Plan assets at fair value, beginning of period	$	—		$	—
Company contributions	426			492
Benefits paid	(426		)	(492		)
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	$	—		$	—
Unfunded Status of the Plan	$	(29,870	)	$	(28,624	)



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2017		September 30, 2016		September 30, 2017		September 30, 2016
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Service cost	$	250	$	249	$	751	746
Interest cost	307		289		$	921	$	866
Net loss	73		53		218		160
Net periodic pension cost	$	630	$	591	$	1,890	$	1,772

The long-term portion of the pension liability as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was $29.6 million and $28.3 million, respectively, and is included in Other Non-Current Liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.