Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits

1. Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits 17

2. I agree to make payments into a fund for future retirement benefits for employee services. I am the employee for whom the pension plan provides benefits. Nature of Pension Plans Sponsor Participant

3. Nature of Pension Plans • For a pension plan to qualify for special tax treatment it must meet the following requirements: • Cover at least 70% of employees. • Cannot discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees. • Must be funded in advance of retirement through a trust. • Benefits must vest after a specified period of service. • Complies with timing and amount of contributions.

4. The right to receive earned pension benefits vest (vested benefits) when it is no longer contingent on continued employment. Nature of Pension Plans

5. Learning Objectives Explain the fundamental differences between a defined contribution pension plan and a defined benefit pension plan. LO1

6. Defined Contribution Plans Contributions are established by formula or contract. Employer deposits an agreed-upon amount into an employee-directed investment fund. Employee bears all risk of pension fund performance.

7. Defined Benefit Pension Plans Employer is committed to specified retirement benefits. Retirement benefits are based on a formula that considers years of service, compensation level, and age. Employer bears all risk of pension fund performance.

8. Pension expense is measured by assigning pension benefits to periods of employee service as defined by the pension benefit formula. Defined Benefit Plan A typical benefit formula might be:1% × Years of Service × Final year’s salary So, for 35 years of service and a final salary of $80,000, the employee would receive:1% × 35 × $80,000 = $28,000 per year

9. Pension Expense – An Overview

10. Learning Objectives Distinguish among the vested benefit obligation, the accumulated benefit obligation, and the projected benefit obligation. LO2

11. Pension Obligation Projected Benefit Obligation Present value of additional benefits related to projected pay increases. Accumulated Benefit Obligation Present value of nonvested benefits at present pay levels. Vested Benefit Obligation Present value of benefits at present pay levels. VBO ABO PBO

12. Learning Objectives Describe the five events that might change the balance of the PBO. LO3

13. Projected Benefit Obligation

14. Pension Obligation Service cost is the increase in the PBO attributable to employee service performed during the period.

15. Pension Obligation Interest cost is the interest on the PBO during the period.

16. Pension Obligation Prior service costeffects result from changes in the pension benefit formula or plan terms.

17. Pension Obligation Loss or gain on PBOresults from required revisions of estimates used to determine PBO.

18. Pension Obligation Retiree benefits paidare the result of paying benefits to retired employees.

19. Learning Objectives Explain how plan assets accumulate to provide retiree benefits and understand the role of the trustee in administering the fund. LO4

20. Pension plan assets (like the PBO) arenotformally recognized on the balance sheet. Atrusteemanages the pension plan assets. Pension Plan Assets

21. OVERFUNDED Market value of plan assets exceeds the actuarial present value of all benefits earned by participants. Pension Plan Assets UNDERFUNDED Market value of plan assets is below the actuarial present value of all benefits earned by participants.

22. Learning Objectives Describe how pension expense is a composite of periodic changes that occur in both the pension obligation and the plan assets. LO5

23. Pension expense is the net cost of: Service cost Interest cost Return on plan assets Amortization of prior service costs Gain or loss recognized. Pension Expense

24. Defined Benefit Plan You go to work for Matrix, Inc. on 1/1/06. You are eligible to participate in the company's defined benefit pension plan. The benefit formula is: Annual salary in year of retirement × Number of years of service × 1.5% Annual retirement benefits You are 25 years old when you start work and may accumulate 40 years of service before retiring at age 65. If your salary is $200,000 during your last year of service, you will receive the following annual benefits: $200,000 × 40 × 1.5% $120,000 You are not required to make any contributions. The plan vests at the rate of 20% per year. The plan actuary estimates that upon reaching age 65, you will receive payments for 15 years. The actuary uses an 8% discount rate in all present value computations.

25. Defined Benefit Plan At December 31, 2006, the end of your first year of service, the actuary must calculate the present value of the pension benefits earned by you during 2005. Remember that you will not receive pension benefits until you are 65 and the actuary estimates payments will be made for 15 years after you retire. After one year of service you will have earned $3,000 in pension benefits: Pension benefits = .015 × 1 yr of service × $200,000 Pension benefits = $3,000 Service cost is the present value of these benefits and is calculated as follows: Service cost = $3,000 × 8.559481× .0497132 Service cost = $1,277 1Present value of an ordinary annuity at 8% for 15 years. 2Present value of $1 at 8% for 39 years.

26. Defined Benefit Plan Based on the given information, the actuary calculates your accumulated benefit obligation (ABO) as follows: Retirement benefits = .015 × 1 yr × $25,000 Retirement benefits = $375 ABO = $375 × 8.55948 × .049713 ABO = $160 Your vested benefit obligation (VBO) is calculated as follows: Vested benefits = .015 × 1 × $25,000 × .2 Vested benefits = $75 VBO = $75 × 8.55948 × .049713 VBO = $32

27. Defined Benefit Plan A reconciliation of the VBO, ABO and PBO would look like this: VBO $ 32 Non-vested benefits 128 ABO $ 160 Adjustment for future salary 478 PBO $ 638 The adjustment for future salary of $478, is determine by the plan actuary. If you are the only employee at Matrix, the computations would be similar for future years. Let’s assume Matrix funds $500 of its pension costs with the plan trustee on December 31, 2006. The journal entry to record the pension costs and funding would be: Pension expense 638 Accrued pension cost 138 Cash 500

28. Defined Benefit Plan Let’s look at an example for Matrix, Inc.

29. Actuaries have determined that Matrix, Inc. has service cost of $150,000 in 2006 and $155,000 in 2007. We can begin the process of determining pension expense for the company. Defined Benefit Plan

30. Service Cost

31. Interest costis the growth in PBO during a reporting period. Interest cost is calculated as: PBOBeg × Discount rate Interest Cost

32. Actuaries determined that Matrix, Inc. had PBO of $500,000 on 1/1/06, and $640,000 on 1/1/07. The actuary uses a discount rate of 10%. Interest Cost

33. Interest Cost 2006: PBO 1/1/06 $500,000 × 10% = $50,000 2007: PBO 1/1/07 $640,000 × 10% = $64,000

34. Actual Return Expected Return The dividends, interest, and capital gains generated by the fund during the period. Trustee’s estimate of long-term rate of return. Return on Plan Assets

35. Return on Plan Assets The plan trustee reports that plan assets were $450,000 on 1/1/06, and $600,000 on 1/1/07. The trustee uses an expected return of 9% and the actual return is 10% in both years.

36. 2007 2006 Return on Plan Assets

37. Return on Plan Assets

38. Prior service cost (PSC)results from plan amendments granting increased pension benefits for service rendered before the amendment. PSC is the present value of the retroactive benefits, and increases PBO. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

39. Benefits attributable to prior service are assumed to benefit future periods by: Improving employee productivity. Improving employee morale. Reducing turnover. Reducing demands for pay raises. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

40. PSC is amortized over the remaining service period of those employees active at the date of the amendment who are expected to receive benefits under the plan. If most of a plan’s participants are inactive, then amortize PSC over the participants’ remaining life expectancy. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

41. Two approaches to amortizing PSC: Straight-line method Amortize PSC over the average remaining service period. Service method Amortize PSC by allocating equal amounts to each employee’s service years remaining. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

42. Effective 1/1/07, Matrix, Inc. amends the retirement plan to provide increased benefits attributable to service performed before 1/1/03, for all active employees. The present value of the increased benefits (PSC) at 1/1/07, is $60,000. The average remaining service life of the active employee group is 12 years. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

43. Amortization of Prior Service Cost Since the amendment was not effective until the beginning of 2007, pension expense for 2006 is not affected. 2007: $60,000 PSC ÷ 12 = $5,000

44. Amortization of Prior Service Cost

45. Gains and Losses

46. Amortization is not required if the net unrecognized gain or loss at the beginning of the period is a minimum amount (corridor amount). Corridor Amount

47. Corridor Amount PBO at the beginning of the period. The corridor amount is 10% of the greater of . . . Or Fair value of plan assets at the beginning of the period.

48. If the beginning net unrecognized gain or loss exceeds the corridor amount, amortization is recognized as . . . Net unrecognized gain or loss at beginning of year Corridor amount — Average remaining service period of active employees expected to receive benefits under the plan Gains and Losses

49. Gains and Losses There was no gain or loss amortized in 2006. Let’s determine the amortization of the net gain in 2007.

50. Gains and Losses $9,000 ÷ 9 years = $1,000 per year.