Advanced Financial Accounting Assignment - Accounting by employers for Essay

Advanced Financial Accounting Assignment - Accounting by employers for employees' retirement benefits - Essay Example Actual returns on plan assets are reduced from this pension cost for purpose of its recognition on income statement. SSAP 24 requires that pension cost is the long term funding costs that is evaluated by actuaries and should be spread over the total period in order to smoothen the cost from year to year. Similarly actuary evaluated scheme surpluses are also spread out over the total period and the net charge of each year is expressed as percentage of payroll. On the other hand the approach under FRS 17 emphasis that ‘what is shown as the cost in the profit and loss account is the cost of buying one year’s benefits for the scheme members i.e., the benefit accrued during the current accounting period.’(Standard Life, page 4)1 SSAP 24 requires that a consistent valuation method be used to calculate best estimate of pension cost, and a regular and standard contribution rate is computed to meet the estimated pension costs. Surplus or deficits of pension costs are spread out over remaining working lifetime of current memberships. But SSAP 24 does not specify any amortization method. With the result there were prepayments on balance sheets when the company was in deficit and provisions when the company was in surplus. Accordingly a number of dubious assets and liabilities used to be created on application of this standard rate. Balance sheet was therefore not a fair representation of assets and liabilities under the pension plan. With implementation of FRS 17 ‘this spreading or accrual based approach was abandoned and instead proper recording of balance sheet assets and liabilities has become the focus of revised accounting standard.’(Robert Kirk, page 237)2 Every year the actual returns on plan assets are compared with the expected returns on plan assets. The expected return is generally equal to the fair value of the plan assets at the beginning of the period multiplied by the expected