Accounting Analyzation Research Paper

Pension Plan GAASB Changes

GAASB has implemented changes to Pension Plan reporting that go into effect on June 15, 2013 for Statement 67 and June 15, 2014 for Statement 68. This will affect the accounting and financial statement reporting of governmental organizations. Pension expense liability will be reported on the balance sheet to show a clearer picture of the organization's obligations, as well as more disclosure requirements and additional supplementary material.

Under Statement 67 the Net Pension Liability (NPL) is equal to the Total Pension Liability (TPL) minus the Plan Fiduciary Net Position (PFNP). The NPL must be reported on the balance sheet in the government wide financial statements (Kausch, 2012). The TPL is the liability for projected benefits attributable to post service, including automatic COLAs and substantively automatic ad hoc COLAs. It is determined on a historical pattern base, consistency of amounts, and evidence that they might not be paid in the future. TPL is also determined using a traditional entry age, normal cost method, and the single discount rate. The normal cost is expressed as a level percentage of payroll. The single discount rate is based on long-term expected return to the extent of projected plan fiduciary net position is sufficient to pay future benefits. A portion is based on a tax-exempt municipal bond rate, 20-year tax-exempt general obligation municipal bond index rate, to the extent of projected plan fiduciary net position is insufficient.The financial statement disclosures are required to reflect the new measures of pension liability and expense. They must include a pension description, investments, receivables, as well as allocated and deferred retirement option programs. The components are stated as a percentage of TPL, significant assumptions, the date of actuarial valuation, and updates on procedures to roll forward TPL. The supplementary material must include a ten-year schedule of changes in net position liability, components as a percentage of TPL, actuarially determined employer contributions, and a schedule of money-weighted rates of return. The notes to RSI must include significant methods and assumptions.

Under Statement 68, employer pension liability is measured as of a given measurement date. Pension Expense is the employer costs of pension benefits over a given period. Both must be provided in the government wide statements. The pension expense largely represents changes to New Position Liability from the prior year with provisions for deferring certain items. Immediately recognized expense includes service cost, interest on TPL, administration costs, projected investment earnings, annual member contributions, and changes in TPL due to changes in benefits. Cost sharing employers are required to report their proportionate shares of net liability, pension expense, and deferred inflows/outflows.

Georgia State University participates in five pension plans (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, 2011). Most are overfunded with one plan being underfunded by 126.4%. The actuarial….....