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Davis Corporation is a medium-sized manufacturer of paperboard containers and boxes. The corporation sponsors a noncontributory, defined benefit pension plan that covers its 250 employees. Sid Cole has recently been hired as president of Davis Corporation. While reviewing last year’s financial statements with Carol Dilbeck, controller, Cole expressed confusion about several of the items in the footnote to the financial statements relating to the pension plan. In part, the footnote reads as follows. Note J. The company has a defi nedbenefi t pension plan covering substantially all of its employees. The benefits are based on years of service and the employee’s compensation during the last four years of employment. The company’s funding policy is to contribute annually the maximum amount allowed under the federal tax code. Contributions are intended to provide for benefits expected to be earned in the future as well as those earned to date. The net periodic pension expense on Davis Corporation’s comparative income statement was \(72,000 in 2017 and \)57,680 in 2016. The following are selected figures from the plan’s funded status and amounts recognized in the Davis Corporation’s Statement of Financial Position at December 31, 2017 (\(000 omitted). Actuarial present value of benefi t obligations: Accumulated benefi t obligation (including vested benefits of \)636) \( (870) Projected benefi t obligation \)(1,200) Plan assets at fair value 1,050 Projected benefi t obligation in excess of plan assets $ (150) Given that Davis Corporation’s work force has been stable for the last 6 years, Cole could not understand the increase in the net periodic pension expense. Dilbeck explained that the net periodic pension expense consists of several elements, some of which may increase or decrease the net expense. Instructions (a) The determination of the net periodic pension expense is a function of five elements. List and briefly describe each of the elements. (b) Describe the major difference and the major similarity between the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation. (c) (1) Explain why pension gains and losses are not recognized on the income statement in the period in which they arise. (2) Briefly describe how pension gains and losses are recognized.

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Financial position of an organization can be determined by reviewing thefinancial statements and the company's financial ratios. Every organization should be financially stable to sustain itself in the market.

Step by step solution

01

(a) The determination of the net periodic pension expense

Pension benefits are those benefits an employee in an organization receives in compensation. These benefits are paid until the time of retirement. Following are the components of the pension expense:

(1) Service costs: It measures the present value of the pension benefits earned by an employee.

(2) Interest cost: It is earned on the defined benefit obligation, which represents the liability for the company.

(3) Actual return on plan assets measures the reduced value of the interest implied on the pension expense.

(4) Prior service cost measures the cost incurred beforehand the number of employees' service.

(5) Gains and losses arise due to the variation in the amounts of benefit obligation and the plan assets.

02

(b) Difference between the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation

The accumulated benefit obligation is strictly based on the annual pension expense incurred by an organization for its employees. On the other hand, the defined projected benefit obligation measures the current pension expense.

The similarity between the two concepts

One of the most similar things in the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation is that both methods consider the total number of years of service of an employee.

03

(c) Explanation

1. Pension gains and losses are not recognized under the income statement.

The amount of pension gains and losses are not recognized under the income statement because the value of gain or loss arises due to the change in assets' actual and fair value. These amounts reflect an inability of an organization to provide compensation, the number of years of service, and the retirement age. Therefore, it does not get recognized under the income statement.

2. Recognition PF pension gains and losses

The recognition of pension gains and losses works according to the corridor approach of the IASB. It aims at decreasing the volatility of pension gains and losses.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Identify the five components that comprise pension expense. Briefly explain the nature of each component.

Using the information in E20-19, prepare a worksheet inserting January 1, 2017, balances, and showing December 31, 2017, balances. Prepare the journal entry recording postretirement benefit expense.

Norton Co. had the following amounts related to its pension plan in 2017. Actuarial liability loss for 2017 \(28,000 Unexpected asset gain for 2017 18,000 Accumulated other comprehensive income (G/L) (beginning balance) 7,000 Cr. Determine for 2017 (a) Norton’s other comprehensive income (loss) and (b) comprehensive income. Net income for 2017 is \)26,000; no amortization of gain or loss is necessary in 2017.

The following data relate to the operation of Kramer Co.’s pension plan in 2018. The pension worksheet for 2017 is provided in P20-10. Service cost $59,000 Actual return on plan assets 32,000 Amortization of prior service cost 28,000 Annual contributions 51,000 Benefits paid retirees 27,000 Average service life of all employees 25 years For 2018, Kramer will use the same assumptions as 2017 for the expected rate of returns on plan assets. The settlement rate for 2018 is 10%. Instructions (a) Prepare a pension worksheet for 2018 and accompanying computations and amortization of the loss, if any, in 2018 using the corridor approach. (b) Prepare the journal entries (from the worksheet) to reflect all pension plan transactions and events at December 31. (c) Indicate the pension amounts reported in the financial statements.

The following items appear on Brueggen Company’s financial statements. 1. Under the caption Assets: Pension asset/liability. 2. Under the caption Liabilities: Pension asset/liability. 3. Under the caption Stockholders’ Equity: Prior service cost as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. 4. On the income statement: Pension expense. Instructions Explain the significance of each of the items above on corporate financial statements. (Note: All items set forth above are not necessarily to be found on the statements of a single company.)

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