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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.

Short Answer

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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

Hollenbeck Foods Inc. sponsors a postretirement medical and dental benefit plan for its employees. The following balances relate to this plan on January 1, 2017. Plan assets \(200,000 Expected postretirement benefit obligation 820,000 Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation 200,000 No prior service costs or OCI balances exist. As a result of the plan’s operation during 2017, the following additional data are provided by the actuary. Service cost is \)70,000 Discount rate is 10% Contributions to plan are \(65,000 Expected return on plan assets is \)10,000 Actual return on plan assets is \(15,000 Benefi ts paid to employees are \)44,000 Average remaining service to full eligibility: 20 years Instructions (a) Using the preceding data, compute the net periodic postretirement benefit cost for 2017 by preparing a worksheet that shows the journal entry for postretirement expense and the year-end balances in the related postretirement benefit memo accounts. (Assume that contributions and benefits are paid at the end of the year.) (b) Prepare any journal entries related to the postretirement plan for 2017 and indicate the postretirement amounts reported in the financial statements for 2017.

Andrews Company has five employees participating in its defined benefit pension plan. Expected years of future service for these employees at the beginning of 2017 are as follows. Future Employee Years of Service Jim 3 Paul 4 Nancy 5 Dave 6 Kathy 6 On January 1, 2017, the company amended its pension plan, increasing its projected benefit obligation by $72,000. Instructions Compute the amount of prior service cost amortization for the years 2017 through 2022 using the years-of-service method, setting up appropriate schedules.

At January 1, 2017, Hennein Company had plan assets of \(280,000 and a projected benefit obligation of the same amount. During 2017, service cost was \)27,500, the settlement rate was 10%, actual and expected return on plan assets were \(25,000, contributions were \)20,000, and benefits paid were $17,500. Prepare a pension worksheet for Hennein Company for 2017.

Many business organizations have been concerned with providing for the retirement of employees since the late 1800s. Increase in this concern resulted in the establishment of private pension plans in most large companies and in many medium- and small-sized ones. The substantial growth of these plans, both in numbers of employees covered and in amounts of retirement benefits, has increased the significance of pension costs in relation to the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of many companies. In examining the costs of pension plans, a CPA encounters certain terms. The components of pension costs that the terms represent must be dealt with appropriately if generally accepted accounting principles are to be reflected in the financial statements of entities with pension plans.

Instructions

(a) Define a private pension plan. How does a contributory pension plan differ from a noncontributory plan?

(b) Differentiate between “accounting for the employer” and “accounting for the pension fund.”

(c) Explain the terms “funded” and “pension liability” as they relate to: (1) The pension fund. (2) The employer.

(d) (1) Discuss the theoretical justification for accrual recognition of pension costs. (2) Discuss the relative objectivity of the measurement process of accrual versus cash (pay-as-you-go) accounting for annual pension costs.

(e) Distinguish among the following as they relate to pension plans. (1) Service cost. (2) Prior service costs. (3) Vested benefits.

Hobbs Co. has the following defined benefit pension plan balances on January 1, 2017. Projected benefit obligation \(4,600,000 Fair value of plan assets 4,600,000 The interest (settlement) rate applicable to the plan is 10%. On January 1, 2018, the company amends its pension agreement so that prior service costs of \)600,000 are created. Other data related to the pension plan are: 2017 2018 Service cost \(150,000 \)170,000 Prior service cost amortization –0– 90,000 Contributions (funding) to the plan 200,000 184,658 Benefits paid 220,000 280,000 Actual return on plan assets 252,000 350,000 Expected rate of return on assets 6% 8% Instructions (a) Prepare a pension worksheet for the pension plan in 2017. (b) Prepare any journal entries related to the pension plan that would be needed at December 31, 2017. (c) Prepare a pension worksheet for 2018 and any journal entries related to the pension plan as of December 31, 2018. (d) Indicate the pension-related amounts reported in the 2018 financial statements.

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