Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

v3.22.0.1
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
We sponsor various retirement and pension plans, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans which cover our employees worldwide.
U.S. Pension Benefits
In the U.S. we maintain the following single-employer defined benefit pension plans: the UPS Retirement Plan, the UPS Pension Plan, the UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan and the UPS Excess Coordinating Benefit Plan, a non-qualified plan.
The UPS Retirement Plan is noncontributory and includes substantially all eligible employees of participating domestic subsidiaries hired prior to July 1, 2016 who are not members of a collective bargaining unit, as well as certain employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on average compensation earned by employees prior to retirement. Benefits payable under this plan are subject to maximum compensation limits and the annual benefit limits for a tax-qualified defined benefit plan as prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
The UPS Pension Plan is noncontributory and includes certain eligible employees of participating domestic subsidiaries and members of collective bargaining units that elect to participate in the plan. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on service credits earned by employees prior to retirement.
The UPS/IBT Full-Time Employee Pension Plan is noncontributory and includes employees that were previously members of the Central States Pension Fund ("CSPF"), a multiemployer pension plan, in addition to other eligible employees who are covered under certain collective bargaining agreements. This plan generally provides for retirement benefits based on service credits earned by employees prior to retirement.
The UPS Excess Coordinating Benefit Plan is a non-qualified plan that provides benefits to certain participants in the UPS Retirement Plan, hired prior to July 1, 2016, for amounts that exceed the benefit limits described above.
The UPS Retirement Plan and the UPS Excess Coordinating Benefit Plan will cease accruals of additional benefits for future service and compensation for non-union participants effective January 1, 2023.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, certain former U.S. employees were offered the option to receive a one-time payment of their vested pension benefit. Approximately 18,800 former employees accepted this option, accelerating $820 million in benefit payments during 2019 while reducing the number of participants who are due future payments from U.S. pension plans. As the cost of these settlements did not exceed the plans' service cost and interest cost for the year, the impact of the settlement was not recognized in earnings.
On April 30, 2021, we completed the divestiture of UPS Freight as discussed in note 4. The divestiture triggered an interim remeasurement of certain UPS-sponsored pension and postretirement medical benefit plans under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715- Compensation- Retirement Benefits (“ASC 715”). Accordingly, we remeasured the plan assets and benefit obligations of the UPS Pension Plan, UPS Retirement Plan and UPS Retired Employee Health Care Plan as of April 30, 2021.
The interim remeasurement resulted in an actuarial gain of $2.1 billion. The actuarial gain reflects a $3.7 billion benefit from a 49 basis point increase in the discount rate compared to December 31, 2020 and a $0.1 billion benefit related to workforce reductions associated with the divestiture, offset by a $1.7 billion loss resulting from actual returns being approximately 430 basis points below expected returns. The $2.1 billion actuarial gain was recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") within the equity section of the consolidated balance sheet. A pre-tax actuarial gain of $69 million ($52 million after tax) was immediately recognized for a prior service credit related to the divested group in the statement of consolidated income for the second quarter. We also amended certain benefit terms within these plans as of April 30, 2021. The amendment to the UPS Pension Plan resulted in the immediate recognition of a $66 million ($50 million after tax) loss in the statement of consolidated income for the second quarter.
The impacts of the plan remeasurements and plan amendments are included within Other expenses in the statements of consolidated income as components of the divestiture of UPS Freight.
International Pension Benefits
We also sponsor various defined benefit plans covering certain of our international employees. The majority of our international obligations are for defined benefit plans in Canada and the United Kingdom. In addition, many of our international employees are covered by government-sponsored retirement and pension plans. We are not directly responsible for providing benefits to participants of government-sponsored plans.
U.S. Postretirement Medical Benefits
We also sponsor postretirement medical plans in the U.S. that provide healthcare benefits to our non-union retirees, as well as select union retirees who meet certain eligibility requirements and who are not otherwise covered by multiemployer plans. Generally, this includes employees with at least 10 years of service who have reached age 55 and employees who are eligible for postretirement medical benefits from a Company-sponsored plan pursuant to collective bargaining agreements. We have the right to modify or terminate certain of these plans. These benefits have been provided to certain retirees on a noncontributory basis; however, in many cases, retirees are required to contribute all or a portion of the total cost of the coverage.
Defined Contribution Plans
We sponsor a defined contribution plan for employees not covered under collective bargaining agreements, and several smaller defined contribution plans for certain employees covered under collective bargaining agreements. We match, in shares of UPS common stock or cash, a portion of the participating employees’ contributions. Matching contributions charged to expense were $153, $139 and $130 million for 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
In addition to current benefits under the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan, non-union employees hired after July 1, 2016, receive a retirement contribution. UPS contributes 3% to 8% of eligible pay to the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan based on years of vesting service and business unit. Contributions under this plan are subject to maximum compensation and contribution limits for a tax-qualified defined contribution plan as prescribed by the IRS. The UPS Restoration Savings Plan is a non-qualified plan that provides benefits to certain participants in the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan for amounts that exceed the benefit limits described above. Contributions charged to expense were $107, $84 and $67 million for 2021, 2020 and 2019 respectively.
On June 23, 2017, the Company amended the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan so that non-union employees who currently participate in the UPS Retirement Plan will, in addition to current benefits under the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan, earn a retirement contribution beginning January 1, 2023. UPS will contribute 5% to 8% of eligible compensation to the UPS 401(k) Savings Plan based on years of vesting service. The amendment also provides for transition contributions for certain participants. There was no impact to the statements of consolidated income for 2021, 2020 and 2019 as a result of this change.
Contributions are also made to defined contribution money purchase plans under certain collective bargaining agreements. Amounts charged to expense were $112, $107 and $97 million for 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Information about net periodic benefit cost for the company-sponsored pension and postretirement defined benefit plans is as follows (in millions):
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2019 2021 2020 2019 2021 2020 2019
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost $ 1,897  $ 1,853  $ 1,439  $ 28  $ 29  $ 23  $ 76  $ 67  $ 57 
Interest cost 1,948  1,977  2,067  81  91  108  38  40  47 
Expected return on plan assets (3,327) (3,549) (3,130) (5) (8) (8) (68) (86) (76)
Amortization of prior service cost 139  218  218  7  7  7  2  2  2 
Actuarial (gain) loss (3,284) 6,211  2,296  24  246  37  (12) 27  54 
Net periodic benefit cost $ (2,627) $ 6,710  $ 2,890  $ 135  $ 365  $ 167  $ 36  $ 50  $ 84 
Actuarial Assumptions
The table below provides the weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the net periodic benefit cost:
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2019 2021 2020 2019 2021 2020 2019
Service cost discount rate 2.90  % 3.60  % 4.50  % 2.88  % 3.59  % 4.51  % 2.38  % 3.01  % 3.58  %
Interest cost discount rate 2.90  % 3.60  % 4.50  % 2.88  % 3.59  % 4.51  % 2.22  % 2.67  % 3.25  %
Rate of compensation increase 4.50  % 4.22  % 4.25  % N/A N/A N/A 2.93  % 3.00  % 3.24  %
Expected return on plan assets 6.50  % 7.77  % 7.75  % 3.65  % 7.20  % 7.20  % 3.68  % 5.55  % 5.69  %
Cash balance interest credit rate 2.50  % 2.50  % 2.98  % N/A N/A N/A 2.74  % 2.59  % 3.17  %
The table below provides the weighted-average actuarial assumptions used to determine the benefit obligations of our plans:
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Discount rate 3.13  % 2.90  % 3.28  % 2.88  % 2.33  % 1.94  %
Rate of compensation increase 4.29  % 4.21  % N/A N/A 3.17  % 2.93  %
Cash balance interest credit rate 2.50  % 2.50  % N/A N/A 2.94  % 2.74  %
A discount rate is used to determine the present value of our future benefit obligations. To determine the discount rate for our U.S. pension and postretirement benefit plans, we use a bond matching approach to select specific bonds that would satisfy our projected benefit payments. We believe the bond matching approach reflects the process we would employ to settle our pension and postretirement benefit obligations. For our international plans, the discount rate is determined by matching the expected cash flows of the plan, where available, or of a sample plan of similar duration, to a yield curve based on long-term, high quality fixed income debt instruments available as of the measurement date. These assumptions are updated each measurement date, which is typically annually.
As of December 31, 2021, the impact of each basis point change in the discount rate on the projected benefit obligation of our pension and postretirement medical benefit plans is as follows (in millions):
  Increase (Decrease) in the Projected Benefit Obligation
  Pension Benefits Postretirement Medical Benefits
One basis point increase in discount rate $ (100) $ (2)
One basis point decrease in discount rate $ 106  $ 3 
The Society of Actuaries ("SOA") published mortality tables and improvement scales are used in developing the best estimate of mortality for our U.S. plans. In October 2021, the SOA published an updated improvement scale which slightly increased expected mortality improvements from previously published improvement scales. Based on our perspective of future longevity, we updated the mortality assumptions to incorporate the improvement scale for purposes of measuring pension and other postretirement benefit obligations.
Assumptions for the expected return on plan assets are used to determine a component of net periodic benefit cost for the year. The assumption for our U.S. plans is developed using a long-term projection of returns for each asset class. Our asset allocation targets are reviewed and, if necessary, updated taking into consideration plan changes, funded status and actual performance. The expected return for each asset class is a function of passive, long-term capital market assumptions and excess returns generated from active management. The capital market assumptions used are provided by independent investment advisors, while excess return assumptions are supported by historical performance, fund mandates and investment expectations.
For plans outside the U.S., consideration is given to local market expectations of long-term returns. Strategic asset allocations are determined by plan, based on the nature of liabilities and considering the demographic composition of the plan participants.
Actuarial Assumptions - Central States Pension Fund
UPS was a contributing employer to the CSPF until 2007 at which time UPS withdrew from the CSPF and paid a $6.1 billion withdrawal liability to satisfy our allocable share of unfunded vested benefits. Under a collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (“IBT”), UPS agreed to provide coordinating benefits in the UPS/IBT Full Time Employee Pension Plan (“UPS/IBT Plan”) for UPS participants whose last employer was UPS and who had not retired as of January 1, 2008 (“the UPS Transfer Group”) in the event that benefits are lawfully reduced by the CSPF in the future consistent with the terms of our withdrawal agreement with the CSPF.
Under this withdrawal agreement, benefits to the UPS Transfer Group cannot be reduced without our consent and can only be reduced in accordance with applicable law. The financial crisis of 2008 created extensive asset losses at the CSPF, contributing to the plan’s projected insolvency, at which time benefits would be reduced to the legally permitted Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC") limits, triggering the coordination of benefits provision in the collective bargaining agreement.
In 2014, Congress passed the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act (“MPRA”). This change in law for the first time permitted multiemployer pension plans to reduce benefit payments to retirees, subject to specific guidelines in the statute and government approval. In 2015, the CSPF submitted a proposed pension benefit reduction plan to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”). In 2016, Treasury rejected the proposed plan submitted by the CSPF.
In light of its financial difficulties, the CSPF stated that it believed a legislative solution to its funded status would be necessary or that it would become insolvent in 2025, at which time benefits would be reduced to the applicable PBGC benefit levels.
We account for the potential obligation to pay coordinating benefits to the UPS Transfer Group under ASC 715, which requires us to provide a best estimate of various actuarial assumptions, including the eventual outcome of this matter, in measuring our pension benefit obligation at the December 31st measurement date and at interim periods when a significant event occurs. ASC 715 does not permit anticipation of changes in law when developing a best estimate.
At the December 31, 2020 measurement date, we developed our best estimate for the potential obligation to pay coordinating benefits to the UPS Transfer Group using a deterministic cash flow projection that reflected estimated CSPF cash flows and investment earnings, the lack of legislative action having been taken, the expectation of payment of guaranteed benefits by the PBGC and the lack of a benefit reduction plan under MPRA having been filed by the CSPF. As a result, our best estimate at that time of the obligation for coordinating benefits that may have been required to be directly provided by the UPS/IBT Plan to the UPS Transfer Group was $5.5 billion.
In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) was enacted into law. The ARPA contains provisions that allow for qualifying financially distressed multiemployer pension plans to apply for special financial assistance ("SFA") from the PBGC, which will be funded by Treasury. Following approval of an application, a qualifying multiemployer pension plan will receive a lump sum payment to enable it to continue paying unreduced benefits through 2051. The multiemployer plan is not obligated to repay the SFA. The ARPA is intended to prevent both the PBGC and certain financially distressed multiemployer pension plans, including the CSPF, from becoming insolvent through 2051. On July 9, 2021, the PBGC issued interim final regulations implementing the SFA program established under the ARPA. We believe the CSPF will meet the eligibility requirements and will be allowed to apply for SFA beginning April 1, 2022. We expect that the CSPF will apply for SFA during 2022 in order to continue payment of unreduced benefits through 2051.
The passage of the ARPA and the expected receipt of SFA by the CSPF currently eliminates our obligation to provide additional coordinating benefits to the UPS Transfer Group through 2051. These matters also triggered a remeasurement under ASC 715. Accordingly, we remeasured the plan assets and pension benefit obligation of the UPS/IBT Plan as of March 31, 2021.
The March 31, 2021 interim remeasurement resulted in an actuarial gain of $6.4 billion, reflecting reduction of the liability for coordinating benefits of $5.1 billion and a gain from other updated actuarial assumptions of $1.3 billion. The assumption gain reflects a $1.6 billion benefit from a 72 basis point increase in the discount rate compared to December 31, 2020, offset by $0.3 billion asset loss resulting from actual asset returns approximately 220 basis points below our expected return. As a result, $3.1 billion of the actuarial gain was recorded in AOCI within the equity section of the consolidated balance sheet. The remaining pre-tax actuarial gain of $3.3 billion ($2.5 billion after tax) that exceeded the corridor (defined as 10% of the greater of the fair value of plan assets and the plan's projected benefit obligation) was recognized as a mark-to-market gain in the statement of consolidated income.
The future value of this estimate will continue to be influenced by a number of factors, including interpretations of the ARPA, future legislative actions, actuarial assumptions and the ability of the PBGC to sustain its commitments. Actual events may result in a change in our best estimate of the projected benefit obligation. We will continue to assess the impact of these uncertainties in accordance with ASC 715.
Other Actuarial Assumptions
Healthcare cost trends are used to project future postretirement medical benefits payable from our plans. For purposes of measuring our U.S. plan obligations as of December 31, 2021, a 6.25% annual rate of increase in the postretirement medical benefit costs was assumed; the rate was assumed to decrease gradually to 4.5% by the year 2029 and to remain at that level thereafter.
Funded Status
The following table discloses the funded status of our plans and the amounts recognized in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31 (in millions):
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Funded Status:
Fair value of plan assets $ 55,954  $ 52,997  $ 115  $ 49  $ 2,106  $ 1,835 
Benefit obligation (61,378) (65,922) (2,592) (2,759) (2,106) (2,177)
Funded status $ (5,424) $ (12,925) $ (2,477) $ (2,710) $ —  $ (342)
Funded Status Recognized in our Balance Sheet:
Other non-current assets $ —  $ —  $ —  $ —  $ 295  $ 51 
Other current liabilities (24) (22) (118) (184) (7) (5)
Pension and postretirement benefit obligations (5,400) (12,903) (2,359) (2,526) (288) (388)
Net liability $ (5,424) $ (12,925) $ (2,477) $ (2,710) $ —  $ (342)
Amounts Recognized in AOCI:
Unrecognized net prior service cost $ (682) $ (753) $ (3) $ (9) $ (9) $ (11)
Unrecognized net actuarial gain (loss) (1,949) (6,592) (232) (276) 107  (151)
Gross unrecognized cost (2,631) (7,345) (235) (285) 98  (162)
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) 642  1,770  55  69  (27) 38 
Net unrecognized cost $ (1,989) $ (5,575) $ (180) $ (216) $ 71  $ (124)
The accumulated benefit obligation for our pension plans as of the measurement dates in 2021 and 2020 was $62.7 and $66.9 billion, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation for our postretirement medical benefit plans as of the measurement dates in 2021 and 2020 was $2.6 and $2.8 billion, respectively.
Benefit payments under the pension plans include $29 and $26 million paid from employer assets in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Benefit payments (net of participant contributions) under the postretirement medical benefit plans include $63 and $77 million paid from employer assets in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Such benefit payments from employer assets are also categorized as employer contributions.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the projected benefit obligation, the accumulated benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets for pension plans with benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were as follows (in millions):
  Projected Benefit Obligation
Exceeds the Fair Value of Plan Assets		 Accumulated Benefit Obligation
Exceeds the Fair Value of Plan Assets
2021 2020 2021 2020
U.S. Pension Benefits:
Projected benefit obligation $ 61,378  $ 65,922  $ 61,378  $ 65,922 
Accumulated benefit obligation 60,769  64,937  60,769  64,937 
Fair value of plan assets 55,954  52,997  55,954  52,997 
International Pension Benefits:
Projected benefit obligation $ 798  $ 845  $ 408  $ 845 
Accumulated benefit obligation 696  728  357  728 
Fair value of plan assets 503  452  132  452 
The accumulated postretirement benefit obligation presented in the funded status table exceeds plan assets for all U.S. postretirement medical benefit plans.
Benefit Obligations and Fair Value of Plan Assets
The following tables provide a reconciliation of the changes in the plans’ benefit obligations and fair value of plan assets as of the respective measurement dates in each year (in millions):
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Benefit Obligations:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year $ 65,922  $ 54,039  $ 2,759  $ 2,616  $ 2,177  $ 1,906 
Service cost 1,897  1,853  28  29  76  67 
Interest cost 1,948  1,977  81  91  38  40 
Gross benefits paid (1,906) (1,846) (278) (274) (46) (38)
Plan participants’ contributions —  —  35  32  3  3 
Plan amendments 66  171  —  —  —  1 
Actuarial (gain)/loss (6,390) 9,728  (26) 265  (111) 123 
Foreign currency exchange rate changes —  —  —  —  (32) 80 
Curtailments and settlements (159) —  (7) —  (3) (6)
Other —  —  —  —  4  1 
Projected benefit obligation at end of year $ 61,378  $ 65,922  $ 2,592  $ 2,759  $ 2,106  $ 2,177 
  U.S. Pension Benefits U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International
Pension Benefits
  2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Fair Value of Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year $ 52,997  $ 46,172  $ 49  $ 37  $ 1,835  $ 1,558 
Actual return on plan assets 4,706  5,878  (8) (9) 230  184 
Employer contributions 157  2,793  317  263  102  69 
Plan participants’ contributions —  —  35  32  3  3 
Gross benefits paid (1,906) (1,846) (278) (274) (46) (38)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes —  —  —  —  (15) 62 
Curtailments and settlements —  —  —  —  (3) (3)
Other —  —  —  —  —  — 
Fair value of plan assets at end of year $ 55,954  $ 52,997  $ 115  $ 49  $ 2,106  $ 1,835 
2021 - $6.5 billion pre-tax actuarial gain related to benefit obligation:
•Discount Rates ($2.4 billion pre-tax gain): The weighted-average discount rate for our pension and postretirement medical plans increased from 2.87% as of December 31, 2020 to 3.11% as of December 31, 2021, primarily due to an increase in U.S. treasury yields, slightly offset by a decrease in credit spreads on AA-rated corporate bonds.
•Coordinating benefits attributable to the Central States Pension Fund ($5.1 billion pre-tax gain): This represents the reduction in our best estimate of additional potential coordinating benefits that may be required to be paid related to the CSPF before taking into account the impact of the change in discount rates.
•Demographic and Assumption Changes ($973 million pre-tax loss): This represents the difference between actual and estimated participant data and demographic factors, including items such as healthcare cost trends, compensation changes, rates of termination, retirement, mortality and other changes.
2020 - $10.1 billion pre-tax actuarial loss related to benefit obligation:
•Discount Rates ($7.3 billion pre-tax loss): The weighted-average discount rate for our pension and postretirement medical plans decreased from 3.55% as of December 31, 2019 to 2.87% as of December 31, 2020, primarily due to a decline in U.S. treasury yields that was slightly offset by an increase in credit spreads on AA-rated corporate bonds.
•Coordinating benefits attributable to the Central States Pension Fund ($2.3 billion pre-tax loss): This represents our current best estimate of additional potential coordinating benefits that may be required to be paid related to the Central States Pension Fund before taking into account the impact of the change in discount rates.
•Demographic and Assumption Changes ($513 million pre-tax loss): This represents the difference between actual and estimated participant data and demographic factors, including items such as healthcare cost trends, compensation changes, rates of termination, retirement, mortality and other changes.
Pension and Postretirement Plan Assets
Pension assets are invested in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as investment guidelines established by plan trustees. The strategic asset mixes are specifically tailored for each plan given distinct factors, including liability and liquidity needs. Equities, alternative investments, and other higher yielding assets are utilized to generate returns and promote growth. Derivatives, repurchase/reverse repurchase agreements and fixed income securities are utilized as tools for duration management, mitigating interest rate risk, and minimizing funded status volatility.
The primary long-term investment objectives for pension assets are to provide for a reasonable amount of long-term growth of capital to meet future obligations while minimizing risk exposures and reducing funded status volatility. To meet these objectives, investment managers are engaged to actively manage assets within the guidelines and strategies set forth by the Investment Committee. Active managers are monitored regularly and their performance is compared to applicable benchmarks. As a result of our long-term U.S. investment objectives for pension assets, the weighted-average long-term expected rate of return on assets decreased from 7.77% during 2020 to 6.50% in 2021.
Fair Value Measurements
Plan assets valued utilizing Level 1 inputs include equity investments, corporate debt instruments and U.S. government securities. Fair values were determined by closing prices for those securities traded on national stock exchanges, while securities traded in the over-the-counter market and listed securities for which no sale was reported on the valuation date are valued at the mean between the last reported bid and ask prices.
Level 2 assets include fixed income securities that are valued based on yields currently available on comparable securities of other issues with similar credit ratings; mortgage-backed securities that are valued based on cash flow and yield models using acceptable modeling and pricing conventions; and certain investments that are pooled with other investments in a commingled fund. We value our investments in commingled funds by taking the percentage ownership of the underlying assets, each of which has a readily determinable fair value.
Fair value estimates for certain investments are based on unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by observable market data and are thus classified as Level 3.
Investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value, and which provide a net asset value ("NAV") or its equivalent developed consistent with FASB measurement principles, are valued using NAV as a practical expedient. These investments are not classified in Levels 1, 2, or 3 of the fair value hierarchy but instead included within the subtotals by asset category. Such investments include hedge funds, risk parity funds, real estate investments, private debt and private equity funds. Investments in hedge funds and risk parity funds are valued using the reported NAV as of December 31st. Real estate investments, private debt and private equity funds are valued at NAV per the most recent partnership audited financial reports, and adjusted, as appropriate, for investment activity between the date of the financial reports and December 31st. Due to the inherent limitations in obtaining a readily determinable fair value measurement for alternative investments, the fair values reported may differ from the values that would have been used had readily available market information for the alternative investments existed. These investments are described further below:
•Hedge Funds: Plan assets are invested in hedge funds that pursue multiple strategies to diversify risk and reduce volatility. Most of these hedge funds allow redemptions either quarterly or semi-annually after a two to three month notice period, while others allow for redemption after only a brief notification period with no restriction on redemption frequency. No unfunded commitments existed with respect to hedge funds as of December 31, 2021.
•Risk Parity Funds: Plan assets are invested in risk parity strategies in order to provide diversification and balance risk/return objectives. These strategies reflect a multi-asset class balanced risk approach generally consisting of equity, interest rates, credit and commodities. These funds allow for monthly redemptions with only a brief notification period. No unfunded commitments existed with respect to risk parity funds as of December 31, 2021.
•Real Estate, Private Debt and Private Equity Funds: Plan assets are invested in limited partnership interests in various private equity, private debt and real estate funds. Limited provision exists for the redemption of these interests by the limited partners that invest in these funds until the end of the term of the partnerships, typically ranging between 10 and 15 years from the date of inception. An active secondary market exists for similar partnership interests, although no particular value (discount or premium) can be guaranteed. As of December 31, 2021, unfunded commitments to such limited partnerships totaling approximately $3.0 billion are expected to be contributed over the remaining investment period, typically ranging between three and six years.
The fair values of U.S. and international pension and postretirement benefit plan assets by asset category as of December 31, 2021 are presented below (in millions), as well as the percentage that each category comprises of our total plan assets and the respective target allocations:
Total
Assets(1)
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Percentage of
Plan Assets 		Target
Allocation
Asset Category (U.S. Plans):
Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,671  $ 2,564  $ 107  $ —  4.8  %
1-7
Equity Securities:
U.S. Large Cap 12,840  8,948  3,892  — 
U.S. Small Cap 484  484  —  — 
Emerging Markets 2,077  1,483  594  — 
Global Equity 3,054  2,901  153  — 
International Equity 4,199  1,972  2,227  — 
Total Equity Securities 22,654  15,788  6,866  —  40.4 
20-45
Fixed Income Securities:
U.S. Government Securities(2)
12,083  25,358  (13,275) — 
Corporate Bonds 6,156  —  6,142  14 
Global Bonds 23  —  23  — 
Municipal Bonds 19  —  19  — 
Total Fixed Income Securities 18,281  25,358  (7,091) 14  32.6 
30-70
Other Investments:
Hedge Funds 4,121  —  2,303  —  7.3 
5-10
Private Equity 4,822  —  —  —  8.6 
1-10
Private Debt 763  —  —  —  1.4 
1-10
Real Estate 2,285  313  106  —  4.1 
1-10
Structured Products(3)
177  —  177  —  0.3 
1-5
Risk Parity Funds 295  —  —  —  0.5 
1-10
Total U.S. Plan Assets $ 56,069  $ 44,023  $ 2,468  $ 14  100.0  %
Asset Category (International Plans):
Cash and cash equivalents $ 184  $ 135  $ 49  $ —  8.7  %
1-10
Equity Securities:
Local Markets Equity 193  —  193  — 
U.S. Equity 53  53  —  — 
Emerging Markets 35  35  —  — 
International / Global Equity 513  195  318  — 
Total Equity Securities 794  283  511  —  37.7 
20-50
Fixed Income Securities:
Local Government Bonds 61  —  61  — 
Corporate Bonds 438  21  417  — 
Global Bonds 136  134  2  — 
Total Fixed Income Securities 635  155  480  —  30.2 
30-50
Other Investments:
Real Estate 172  —  90  24  8.2 
5-10
Other 321  —  247  50  15.2 
1-20
Total International Plan Assets $ 2,106  $ 573  $ 1,377  $ 74  100.0  %
Total Plan Assets $ 58,175  $ 44,596  $ 3,845  $ 88 
(1) Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy but are included in the category totals.
(2) Level 2 U.S. Government Securities includes repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements.
(3) Represents mortgage and asset-backed securities.
The fair values of U.S. and international pension and postretirement benefit plan assets by asset category as of December 31, 2020 are presented below (in millions), as well as the percentage that each category comprises of our total plan assets and the respective target allocations:
Total
Assets(1)
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Percentage of
Plan Assets 		Target
Allocation
Asset Category (U.S. Plans):
Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,593  $ 1,510  $ 83  $ —  3.0  %
1-5
Equity Securities:
U.S. Large Cap 8,294  4,272  4,022  — 
U.S. Small Cap 370  370  —  — 
Emerging Markets 2,106  1,503  603  — 
Global Equity 3,940  3,624  316  — 
International Equity 4,335  2,043  2,292  — 
Total Equity Securities 19,045  11,812  7,233  —  35.9 
25-55
Fixed Income Securities:
U.S. Government Securities 16,145  14,646  1,499  — 
Corporate Bonds 6,146  —  6,143  3 
Global Bonds 42  —  42  — 
Municipal Bonds 27  —  27  — 
Total Fixed Income Securities 22,360  14,646  7,711  3  42.2 
35-55
Other Investments:
Hedge Funds 3,518  —  1,652  —  6.6 
5-15
Private Equity 3,424  —  —  —  6.5 
1-10
Private Debt 695  —  —  —  1.3 
1-10
Real Estate 1,986  244  82  —  3.7 
1-10
Structured Products(2)
161  —  161  —  0.3 
1-5
Risk Parity Funds 264  —  —  —  0.5 
1-10
Total U.S. Plan Assets $ 53,046  $ 28,212  $ 16,922  $ 3  100.0  %
Asset Category (International Plans):
Cash and cash equivalents $ 84  $ 45  $ 39  $ —  4.6  %
1-10
Equity Securities:
Local Markets Equity 214  —  214  — 
U.S. Equity 59  —  59  — 
Emerging Markets 55  41  14  — 
International / Global Equity 534  210  324  — 
Total Equity Securities 862  251  611  —  47.0 
25-55
Fixed Income Securities:
Local Government Bonds 102  —  102  — 
Corporate Bonds 215  22  193  — 
Global Bonds 125  125  —  — 
Total Fixed Income Securities 442  147  295  —  24.1 
20-40
Other Investments:
Real Estate 154  —  80  21  8.3 
5-10
Other 293  —  236  41  16.0 
1-20
Total International Plan Assets 1,835  $ 443  $ 1,261  $ 62  100.0  %
Total Plan Assets $ 54,881  $ 28,655  $ 18,183  $ 65 
(1) Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy but are included in the category totals.
(2) Represents mortgage and asset-backed securities.
The following table presents the changes in the Level 3 instruments measured on a recurring basis for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (in millions):
Corporate Bonds Other Total
Balance on January 1, 2020 $ —  $ 12  $ 12 
Actual Return on Assets:
Assets Held at End of Year —  3  3 
Assets Sold During the Year (5) —  (5)
Purchases 10  51  61 
Sales (2) (4) (6)
Transfers Into (Out of) Level 3 —  —  — 
Balance on December 31, 2020 $ 3  $ 62  $ 65 
Actual Return on Assets:
Assets Held at End of Year —  5  5 
Assets Sold During the Year (16) —  (16)
Purchases 33  10  43 
Sales (6) (3) (9)
Transfers Into (Out of) Level 3 —  —  — 
Balance on December 31, 2021 $ 14  $ 74  $ 88 
There were no shares of UPS class A or B common stock directly held in plan assets as of December 31, 2021 or December 31, 2020.
Expected Cash Flows
Information about expected cash flows for the pension and postretirement medical benefit plans is as follows (in millions):
U.S.
Pension Benefits		 U.S. Postretirement
Medical Benefits		 International  Pension Benefits
Expected Employer Contributions:
2022 to plan trusts $ 1,887  $ 177  $ 96 
2022 to plan participants 25  49  7 
Expected Benefit Payments:
2022 $ 1,927  $ 229  $ 44 
2023 2,054  219  49 
2024 2,188  208  55 
2025 2,323  199  61 
2026 2,458  189  68 
2027 - 2031 14,160  813  425 
    
Our current funding policy guideline for U.S. plans is to contribute amounts annually that are at least equal to the amounts required by applicable laws and regulations. International plans will be funded in accordance with local regulations. Additional discretionary contributions may be made when deemed appropriate to meet the long-term obligations of the plans. Expected benefit payments for pensions will be primarily paid from plan trusts. Expected benefit payments for postretirement medical benefits will be paid from plan trusts and corporate assets.