THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.  NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) Change in Plan Assets
## Table 0 ##
[1]Other postretirement benefits paid represent non-key employee postretirement medical benefits paid from the Company's prefunded trust fund.
The fair value of assets for pension benefits, and hence the funded status, presented in the table above excludes assets of $139 and $144 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, held in rabbi trusts and designated for the non-qualified pension plans.
The assets do not qualify as plan assets; however, the assets are available to pay benefits for certain retired, terminated and active participants.
Such assets are available to the Company’s general creditors in the event of insolvency.
The rabbi trust assets consist of equity and fixed income investments.
To the extent the fair value of these rabbi trusts were included in the table above, pension plan assets would have been $3,483 and $3,736 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and the funded status of pension benefits would have been $(517)and $(640) as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans with an Accumulated Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets
## Table 1 ##
Amounts Recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
## Table 2 ##
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Benefit) and Other Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) As a result of the pension settlement, in 2017, the Company recognized a pre-tax settlement charge of $750 ($488 after tax) and a reduction to stockholders' equity of $144.
In connection with this transaction, the Company made a contribution of $280 in September 2017 to the U. S.  qualified pension plan in order to maintain the plan's pre-transaction funded status.
Beginning with the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted the full yield curve approach in the estimation of the interest cost component of net periodic benefit costs for its qualified and nonqualified pension plans and the postretirement benefit plan.
The full yield curve approach applies the specific spot rates along the yield curve that are used in its determination of the projected benefit obligation at the beginning of the year.
The change has been made to provide a better estimate of the interest cost component of net periodic benefit cost by better aligning projected benefit cash flows with corresponding spot rates on the yield curve rather than using a single weighted average discount rate derived from the yield curve as had been done historically.
This change does not affect the measurement of the Company's total benefit obligations as the change in the interest cost in net income is completely offset in the actuarial (gain) loss reported for the period in other comprehensive income.
The change reduced the before tax interest cost component of net periodic benefit cost by $32 for the year ended December 31, 2017.
The discount rate being used to measure interest cost was 3.58% for the period from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 and 3.37% for the period from July 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 for the qualified pension plan, 3.55% for the non-qualified pension plan, and 3.13% for the postretirement benefit plan.
Under the Company's historical estimation approach, the weighted average discount rate for the interest cost component would have been 4.22% for the period from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 and 3.92% for the period from July 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 for the qualified pension plan, 4.19% for the non-qualified pension plan and 3.97% for the postretirement benefit plan.
The Company accounted for this change as a change in estimate, and accordingly, has recognized the effect prospectively beginning in 2017.
THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.  NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) needs of the Plan, the investment preferences and risk tolerance of the Plan and the desired degree of diversification.
These asset classes include publicly traded equities, bonds and alternative investments and are made up of individual investments in cash and cash equivalents, equity securities, debt securities, assetbacked securities, mortgage loans and hedge funds.
Hedge fund investments represent a diversified portfolio of partnership investments in a variety of strategies.
In addition, the Company uses U. S.  Treasury bond futures contracts and U. S.  Treasury STRIPS in a duration overlay program to adjust the duration of Plan assets to better match the duration of the benefit obligation.
Investment Valuation Pension Plan Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2018
## Table 3 ##
[1]Includes ABS, municipal bonds, and CDOs.
[2]Excludes approximately $1 of investment payables net of investment receivables that are excluded from this disclosure requirement because they are trade receivables in the ordinary course of business where the carrying amount approximates fair value.
[3]Investments that are measured at net asset value per share or an equivalent and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy.
Pension Plan Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2017
## Table 4 ##
[1]Includes ABS, municipal bonds, and CDOs.
[2]Excludes approximately $1 of investment payables net of investment receivables that are excluded from this disclosure requirement because they are trade receivables in the ordinary course of business where the carrying amount approximates fair value.
Also excludes approximately $30 of interest receivable.
[3]Investments that are measured at net asset value per share or an equivalent and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy.
The tables below provide fair value level 3 rollforwards for the Pension Plan Assets for which significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) are used in the fair value measurement on a recurring basis.
The Plan classifies the fair value of financial instruments within Level 3 if there are no observable markets for the instruments or, in the absence of active markets, if one or more of the significant inputs used to determine fair value are based on the Plan’s own assumptions.
Therefore, the gains and losses in the tables below include changes in fair value due to both observable and unobservable factors.
Interest expense, net was $26.4 million, $14.6 million, and $5.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Interest expense includes the amortization of deferred financing costs, bank fees, capital and built-to-suit lease interest and interest expense under the credit and other long term debt facilities.
Amortization of deferred financing costs was $1.2 million, $0.8 million, and $0.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
The Company monitors the financial health and stability of its lenders under the credit and other long term debt facilities, however during any period of significant instability in the credit markets lenders could be negatively impacted in their ability to perform under these facilities.6.
Commitments and Contingencies Obligations Under Operating Leases The Company leases warehouse space, office facilities, space for its brand and factory house stores and certain equipment under non-cancelable operating leases.
The leases expire at various dates through 2033, excluding extensions at the Company’s option, and include provisions for rental adjustments.
The table below includes executed lease agreements for brand and factory house stores that the Company did not yet occupy as of December 31, 2016 and does not include contingent rent the Company may incur at its stores based on future sales above a specified minimum or payments made for maintenance, insurance and real estate taxes.
The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments for non-cancelable real property operating leases as of December 31, 2016 as well as significant operating lease agreements entered into during the period after December 31, 2016 through the date of this report:
## Table 5 ##
Included in selling, general and administrative expense was rent expense of $109.0 million, $83.0 million and $59.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, under non-cancelable operating lease agreements.
Included in these amounts was contingent rent expense of $13.0 million, $11.0 million and $11.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Sports Marketing and Other Commitments Within the normal course of business, the Company enters into contractual commitments in order to promote the Company’s brand and products.
These commitments include sponsorship agreements with teams and athletes on the collegiate and professional levels, official supplier agreements, athletic event sponsorships and other marketing commitments.
The following is a schedule of the Company’s future minimum payments under its sponsorship and other marketing agreements as of December 31,

Tables referenced above, in order (Table 0 first):
<table><tr><td></td><td colspan="2">Pension Benefits</td><td colspan="2">Other Postretirement Benefits</td></tr><tr><td></td><td colspan="4">For the years ended December 31,</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>2018</td><td>2017</td><td>2018</td><td>2017</td></tr><tr><td>Fair value of plan assets — beginning of year</td><td>$3,592</td><td>$4,678</td><td>$114</td><td>$138</td></tr><tr><td>Actual return on plan assets</td><td>- 172</td><td>549</td><td>- 2</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>Employer contributions</td><td>103</td><td>280</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Benefits paid [1]</td><td>- 161</td><td>- 248</td><td>- 27</td><td>- 35</td></tr><tr><td>Expenses paid</td><td>- 17</td><td>- 21</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Settlements</td><td>—</td><td>- 1,647</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Foreign exchange adjustment</td><td>- 1</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Fair value of plan assets — end of year</td><td>$3,344</td><td>$3,592</td><td>$85</td><td>$114</td></tr><tr><td>Funded status — end of year</td><td>$- 656</td><td>$- 784</td><td>$- 135</td><td>$- 142</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td></td><td colspan="2">As of December 31,</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>2018</td><td>2017</td></tr><tr><td>Projected benefit obligation</td><td>$4,000</td><td>$4,376</td></tr><tr><td>Accumulated benefit obligation</td><td>$4,000</td><td>$4,376</td></tr><tr><td>Fair value of plan assets</td><td>$3,344</td><td>$3,592</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td></td><td colspan="2">Pension Benefits</td><td colspan="2">Other Postretirement Benefits</td></tr><tr><td></td><td colspan="4">As of December 31,</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>2018</td><td>2017</td><td>2018</td><td>2017</td></tr><tr><td>Other liabilities</td><td>$656</td><td>$784</td><td>$135</td><td>$142</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td>Asset Category</td><td>Level 1</td><td>Level 2</td><td>Level 3</td><td>Total</td></tr><tr><td>Short-term investments:</td><td>$50</td><td>$60</td><td>$—</td><td>$110</td></tr><tr><td>Fixed Income Securities:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Corporate</td><td>—</td><td>1,663</td><td>14</td><td>1,677</td></tr><tr><td>RMBS</td><td>—</td><td>62</td><td>1</td><td>63</td></tr><tr><td>U.S. Treasuries</td><td>10</td><td>120</td><td>—</td><td>130</td></tr><tr><td>Foreign government</td><td>—</td><td>15</td><td>2</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>CMBS</td><td>—</td><td>22</td><td>—</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>Other fixed income [1]</td><td>—</td><td>52</td><td>1</td><td>53</td></tr><tr><td>Mortgage Loans</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>133</td><td>133</td></tr><tr><td>Equity Securities:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Domestic</td><td>376</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>379</td></tr><tr><td>International</td><td>303</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>303</td></tr><tr><td>Total pension plan assets at fair value, in the fair value hierarchy [2]</td><td>$739</td><td>$1,997</td><td>$151</td><td>$2,887</td></tr><tr><td>Other Investments, at net asset value [3]:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Private Market Alternatives</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>272</td></tr><tr><td>Hedge funds</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>186</td></tr><tr><td>Total pension plan assets at fair value.</td><td>$739</td><td>$1,997</td><td>$151</td><td>$3,345</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td>Asset Category</td><td>Level 1</td><td>Level 2</td><td>Level 3</td><td>Total</td></tr><tr><td>Short-term investments:</td><td>$21</td><td>$168</td><td>$—</td><td>$189</td></tr><tr><td>Fixed Income Securities:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Corporate</td><td>—</td><td>1,549</td><td>14</td><td>1,563</td></tr><tr><td>RMBS</td><td>—</td><td>28</td><td>2</td><td>30</td></tr><tr><td>U.S. Treasuries</td><td>3</td><td>74</td><td>—</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>Foreign government</td><td>—</td><td>16</td><td>1</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>CMBS</td><td>—</td><td>28</td><td>2</td><td>30</td></tr><tr><td>Other fixed income [1]</td><td>—</td><td>97</td><td>2</td><td>99</td></tr><tr><td>Mortgage Loans</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>140</td><td>140</td></tr><tr><td>Equity Securities:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Large-cap domestic</td><td>595</td><td>89</td><td>—</td><td>684</td></tr><tr><td>Mid-cap domestic</td><td>11</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>International</td><td>343</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>343</td></tr><tr><td>Total pension plan assets at fair value, in the fair value hierarchy [2]</td><td>$973</td><td>$2,049</td><td>$161</td><td>$3,183</td></tr><tr><td>Other Investments, at net asset value [3]:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Private Market Alternatives</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>168</td></tr><tr><td>Hedge funds</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>212</td></tr><tr><td>Total pension plan assets at fair value.</td><td>$973</td><td>$2,049</td><td>$161</td><td>$3,563</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td>2017</td><td>$114,857</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>127,504</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>136,040</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>133,092</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>122,753</td></tr><tr><td>2022 and thereafter</td><td>788,180</td></tr><tr><td>Total future minimum lease payments</td><td>$1,422,426</td></tr></table>

Question: In which Level is Total pension plan assets at fair value. the least?
Answer: 3