Retirement Plans
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Retirement Plans [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]
Retirement Plans
We currently have a supplemental retirement plan for certain current and former key employees (SERP), a supplemental retirement plan for officers and certain key employees (Senior SERP), a retirement plan for certain non-employee directors (Directors’ Plan), a Retirement Plan for Rose Hills Trustees, and a Rose Hills Supplemental Retirement Plan (Rose Hills SERP) (collectively, the “Plans”). We also provide a 401(k) employee savings plan. All of our Plans have a measurement date of December 31.
The Plans are frozen; therefore, the participants do not earn incremental benefits from additional years of service, and we do not incur any additional service cost since December 31, 2000.
Retirement benefits under the SERP are based on years of service and average monthly compensation, reduced by benefits under Social Security. The Senior SERP provides retirement benefits based on years of service and position. The Directors’ Plan provides for an annual benefit to directors following retirement, based on a vesting schedule.
The components of the Plans’ net periodic benefit cost for the years ended December 31 were as follows:
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
(In thousands)
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation
$
1,306

 
$
1,498

 
$
1,849

Actual return on plan assets
—

 
—

 
—

Recognized net actuarial (gains) losses
(289
)
 
534

 
2,197

 
$
1,017

 
$
2,032

 
$
4,046


The Plans’ funded status at December 31 was as follows:
 
2011
 
2010
 
(In thousands)
Change in Benefit Obligation:
 

 
 

Benefit obligation at beginning of year
$
31,377

 
$
32,891

Interest cost
1,306

 
1,498

Actuarial loss
49

 
846

Benefits paid
(3,518
)
 
(3,858
)
Benefit obligation at end of year
$
29,214

 
$
31,377

Change in Plan Assets:
 

 
 

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
$
—

 
$
—

Employer contributions
3,518

 
3,858

Benefits paid, including expenses
(3,518
)
 
(3,858
)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
$
—

 
$
—

Funded status of plan
$
(29,214
)
 
$
(31,377
)
Net amount recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
$
(29,214
)
 
$
(31,377
)
Funding Summary:
 

 
 

Projected benefit obligations
$
29,214

 
$
31,377

Accumulated benefit obligation
$
29,214

 
$
31,377

Amounts Recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet:
 

 
 

Accrued benefit liability
$
(29,214
)
 
$
(31,377
)

The retirement benefits under the Plans are unfunded obligations of the Company. We have purchased various life insurance policies on the participants in the Plans with the intent to use the proceeds or any cash value buildup from such policies to assist in meeting, at least to the extent of such assets, the Plan’s funding requirements. The face value of these insurance policies at December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $51.1 million and $51.6 million, respectively, and the cash surrender value was $37.5 million and $37.3 million, respectively. The outstanding loans against the policies are minimal and there are no restrictions in the policies regarding loans.
The Plans’ weighted-average assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation and net benefit cost are as follows: we base our discount rate used to compute future benefit obligations using an analysis of expected future benefit payments. The reasonableness of our discount rate is verified by comparing the rate to the rate earned on high-quality fixed income investments, such as the Moody’s Aa index, plus 50 basis points. The assumed rate of return on plan assets was not applicable as we pay plan benefits as they come due. As all Plans are curtailed, the assumed rate of compensation increase is zero.
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
Weighted average discount rate used to determine obligations
4.05
%
 
4.45
%
 
5.00
%
Weighted average discount rate used to determine net periodic pension cost
4.41
%
 
4.80
%
 
5.97
%

The following benefit payments are expected to be paid in future years related to our Plans:
2012
$
3,646

2013
3,577

2014
3,600

2015
3,011

2016
2,760

Years 2017 through 2021
10,373


We have an employee savings plan that qualifies under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code for the exclusive benefit of our United States employees. Under the plan, participating employees may contribute a portion of their pretax and/or after-tax income in accordance with specified guidelines up to a maximum of 50%.
During 2011, 2010, and 2009 we matched a percentage of the employee contributions through contributions of cash. For these years, our matching contribution was based upon the following:
Years of Vesting Service
 
Percentage of Deferred Compensation
0 — 5 years
 
75% of the first 6% of deferred compensation
6 — 10 years
 
100% of the first 6% of deferred compensation
11 or more years
 
125% of the first 6% of deferred compensation

The amount of our matched contributions in 2011, 2010, and 2009 was $22.3 million, $20.3 million, and $18.1 million, respectively.