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ACC706: Accounting Theory & Practice
Semester 2 – 2023
Tutorial 7
1.
Explain the key characteristics of Defined Contribution Plans, where the employer's contribution is
set as a specified amount or percentage of salary, and the employee's final payout depends on
factors such as investment earnings. Describe the accounting issue associated with these plans,
including the employer's commitment and liability. Provide examples to illustrate your explanation.
Characteristics:
retirement savings schemes where the employer's contribution is fixed at a specified
amount or percentage of the employee's salary.
final payout an employee receives upon retirement is not predetermined but depends on
factors such as the earnings generated by the contributions and investments made within
the plan.
the employer does not guarantee a specific retirement benefit to the employee but commits
to contributing a set amount to the plan.
Accounting Issue:
The accounting issue associated with Defined Contribution Plans arises from the employer's
commitment and liability. Here are the key points:
Limited Employer Commitment
: In a Defined Contribution Plan, the employer's commitment
is restricted to the amount of the agreed contributions. For example, if an employer agrees
to contribute 10 percent of an employee's current salary to a retirement fund, the
commitment is limited to this percentage.
Expense Recognition
: The actual contribution made by the employer is recognized as an
expense in the company's financial statements. This expense is typically recorded in the
income statement and reflects the cost of providing retirement benefits to employees.
Liability Limited to Unpaid Amount
: The associated liability on the employer's balance
sheet is limited to the amount of the obligation that is unpaid as of the end of the financial
year. This means that if the employer has not yet made the full 10 percent contribution for
the year, the unpaid portion is recorded as a liability.
Example:
Suppose Company XYZ has an agreement with its employees to contribute 10 percent of their
current annual salary to a Defined Contribution Plan. In a given year, an employee earns a salary of
$50,000, and the company contributes $5,000 (10 percent of the salary) to the retirement fund. At
the end of the year, if the company has only made a contribution of $4,000, the remaining $1,000
would be recognized as a liability on the company's balance sheet until it is paid.
2.
ABC Corporation operates a defined contribution superannuation plan for its employees. In the first
year of the plan's operation, ABC Corporation contributes 8 percent of its employees' annual
salaries to a superannuation fund, which is managed by an external trustee. The salaries and
corresponding contributions for the two employees are as follows: John's annual salary is $90,000,
and Sarah's annual salary is $110,000.
Required:
Provide the necessary accounting entries to recognize ABC Corporation's
superannuation obligation for the year.
3.
Explain the key characteristics and accounting issues associated with Defined Benefit Plans in
superannuation, highlighting the complexities arising from the employer's risk. In contrast, describe
how Defined Benefit Plans differ from Defined Contribution Plans, focusing on the determination of
retirement benefits and the associated financial risks. Provide examples or scenarios to illustrate
these differences.
Defined Benefit Plans are retirement savings schemes where the benefits to be paid to employees
at their normal retirement age are specified or determined, at least in part, by factors such as years
of membership and salary levels.
The accounting issues associated with Defined Benefit Plans are more complex than those
associated with Defined Contribution Plans. Here are the key points:
Complex Accounting
: Defined Benefit Plans require complex accounting due to the
uncertainties and estimation involved. The employer bears the risk of ensuring that the
promised benefits will be met. For example, if an employer commits to providing a pension
of 40 percent of the employee's final salary after they reach the age of 60, there are
several estimations that need to be made.
Estimations
: To determine the amount to contribute to the fund and meet the obligation,
estimations must be made regarding:
Projected final salary of the employee.
Earnings rates of the fund over the years.
Costs associated with managing the fund.
The probability that the employee will stay with the organization until retirement.
Employer Risk:
In Defined Benefit Plans, the employer effectively bears the risk associated
with the earnings of the fund. This is because the employer has committed to paying a set
amount (the defined benefit) to the employee upon retirement, either as a lump sum or as
a pension. If the fund's investments underperform or if the employee lives longer than
expected, it is the employer's responsibility to cover the shortfall
Contrast with Defined Contribution Plans:
Defined Contribution Plans differ significantly from Defined Benefit Plans:
Determination of Retirement Benefits
: In Defined Contribution Plans, the employer
contributes a fixed amount to the employee's retirement account. The final retirement
benefit depends on how much the plan has earned through investments and contributions
over time. There are no predetermined benefits based on salary or years of service.
Risk Allocation
: In Defined Contribution Plans, the employee bears the investment risk. The
retirement benefit depends on the performance of the investments chosen by the
employee and the employer's contributions. If the investments perform well, the employee
may have a larger retirement fund; if not, the fund may be smaller.
Example:
Consider two employees, one in a Defined Benefit Plan and another in a Defined Contribution Plan:
In a Defined Benefit Plan, Employee A is promised a pension of 40 percent of their final
salary. The employer is responsible for ensuring this benefit, even if investment returns are
low.
In a Defined Contribution Plan, Employee B receives a fixed contribution from the
employer, say 10 percent of their salary. The final retirement benefit depends on how well
these contributions have grown through investments.
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4.
Discuss the concept of accrued benefits in employee provisions and the potential risks employees
face when companies encounter financial difficulties. Highlight the limitations of accruals in
ensuring payment to employees.
Accrued Benefits and Employee Claims:
Accrued benefits in the context of employee provisions refer to the obligations a company has to its
employees for services rendered but not yet paid. These obligations are recognized on the
company's financial statements as accruals, even though no cash movement has occurred. The
creation or increase in the size of employee benefit provisions does not involve any actual cash
transactions.
However, it's essential to understand that making an accrual does not guarantee that there will be
sufficient cash reserves available to pay employees their accrued entitlements if the employer
organization becomes insolvent. Companies can have substantial amounts in provisions accounts
on paper, but in reality, they may have no cash reserves. When a firm faces financial difficulties, the
payment for employee services can become doubtful.
Employee Risks during Financial Difficulties:
Employees do have some preferential access to payment when a company encounters financial
difficulties. Still, the existence of secured creditors, those with claims to specific assets due to
contractual arrangements, can affect the available assets for employees. Regardless of their
ranking among claimants, employees will receive payment only to the extent that the organization
has assets available to meet the claims, and assets may not always be available.
5.
To address the risks faced by employees during corporate collapses, there have been calls for the
establishment of central funds or protection schemes. Identify and discuss the various forms of
protection schemes that can safeguard employee entitlements.
Government-Backed Compulsory Insurance: In some countries, the government mandates
that companies purchase insurance to cover employee entitlements. In the event of
insolvency, the insurance fund ensures that employees receive their due payments.
Compulsory Trusts: Employers may be required to contribute to a trust fund, managed
independently, specifically dedicated to safeguarding employee entitlements. These trusts
can act as a safety net in case of financial difficulties.
Government Intervention: Governments can play a crucial role in protecting employee
claims by stepping in during corporate collapses. They may provide financial support or
guarantees to ensure that employees receive their accrued benefits.
THE END
Related Questions
Hi,
Help with attached question, thank you!
arrow_forward
22
What must an employer disclose in a defined contribution plan?
The amount to be paid by the employees
The basis for determining payments to fund
The basis for determining benefits paid out
The amount to be paid out
NEXT >
BOOKMARK
D
arrow_forward
Hello there,
Need help with attached question. Thanks much!
arrow_forward
6., RST Company offers a qualified retirement plan. Each employee contributes 4
percent of his or her pretax income to the plan, and RST matches each employee's
contribution. An employee's benefit at retirement is determined by his or her
account balance at the time of retirement. What type of retirement plan does RST
offer?
a. Defined contribution plan.
b. Defined benefit, flat percentage of annual earnings
c. Defined benefit, unit-credit formula.
d. Defined benefit, flat dollar amount for all employees
arrow_forward
34.
In a defined-contribution plan, a formula is used that
defines the benefits that the employee will receive at the time of retirement.
requires an employer to contribute a certain sum each period based on the formula.
ensures that employers are at risk to make sure funds are available at retirement.
ensures that pension expense and the cash funding amount will be different.
arrow_forward
S1: Under a defined contribution plan, the amount of a participant’s future benefits is determined by the contributions paid by the employer, the participant, or both, and the operating efficiency and investment earnings of the fund.
S2: Under a defined benefit plan, the payment of promised retirement benefits depends on the financial position of the plan and the ability of contributors to make future contributions to the plan as well as the investment performance and operating efficiency of the plan.
Only S1 is true
None is true
Only S2 is true
Both are true
arrow_forward
Helppp
arrow_forward
1. Which of the following statements typifies defined contribution plans?
Investment risk is borne by the corporation sponsoring the plan.
O Retirement benefit is defined by a pension formula
O The plans are more complex than defined benefit plans.
O The employer's obligation is satisfied by making the periodic contribution to the plan.
arrow_forward
Terminology: Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans
Many employers offer retirement plans as an employee benefit. An opportunity to participate in one should be seized, even if at its minimum
participation requirements. In order to know what you're getting yourself into, you need to be familiar with the terms, provisions, and types of plans
you may be offered.
Match the terms relating to the basic terminology and concepts associated with employer-sponsored retirement plans on the left with the descriptions
of the terms on the right. Read all descriptions first then make the best match between each description and term. In the Answer column, select the
letter corresponding to the term's correct description.
These are not necessarily complete definitions, but there is only one possible answer for each term.
Term
Answer
Description
ERISA
A.
A law that establishes parameters for employee eligibility, waiting periods, and vesting in
employer-sponsored plans.
Vested
В.
An employer sponsoring…
arrow_forward
a.
Into which type of account are employer's payroll contributions entered?
i.
Asset
Expense
Revenue
Retained Earnings
ii.
iii.
iv.
b. What type of account is the Employee Advances account?
i.
Asset
ii.
iii.
iv.
c. What is the employer premium amount for Employment Insurance?
i.
3.3 times the employee premium
ii.
iii.
iv.
Liability
Equity
Expense
ii.
iii.
iv.
d. What is the employer contribution amount for Canada Pension Plan (CPP)?
The same as amount as the employee's premium
i.
The same amount as the employee premium
1.4 times the employee premium
None of the above
iii.
iv.
3.3 times the employee's premium
1.2 times the employee's premium
1.6% of the employee's premium
e. The payroll taxes are remitted to the
i.
ii.
Ontario Revenue Agency
Ministry of Finance
Canada Revenue Agency
Receiver General of Canada
arrow_forward
If employee's are paying into a SIMPLE retirement plan, each payperiod how is the SIMPLE plan's contributions entered in a journal entry?
arrow_forward
In a defined contribution plan, a formula is used that:
Ensures that pension expense and the cash funding will be different
Requires an employer to contribute a certain sum each period based on the formula
Defines the benefits that the employee will receive at the time of retirement
Ensures that the employer is at risk to make sure funds are available at retirement
arrow_forward
Indicate by letter whether each of the events listed below increases (I), decreases (D), or has no effect (N) on an employer's periodic pension expense in the year the event occurs.
Events
1. Interest cost. _____
2. Amortization of prior service cost---AOCI. ______
3.Excess of the expected return on plan assets over the actual return _____
4. Expected return on plan assets. _____
5. A plan amendment that increases benefits is made retroactive to prior years. ____
6. Actuary's estimate of the PBO is increased.…
arrow_forward
PLS HELP ASAP
arrow_forward
Answer financial accounting
arrow_forward
Indicate by letter whether each of the events listed below
increases (I), decreases (D), or has no effect (N) on an
employer's projected benefit obligation.
Events
1. Interest cost.
2. Amortization of prior service cost.
3. A decrease in the average life expectancy of employees.
4. An increase in the average life expectancy of employees.
5. A plan amendment that increases benefits is made
retroactive to prior years.
6. An increase in the actuary's assumed discount rate.
7. Cash contributions to the pension fund by the employer.
8. Benefits are paid to retired employees.
9. Service cost.
10. Return on plan assets during the year are lower than
expected.
11. Return on plan assets during the year are higher than
expected.
arrow_forward
Define Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
arrow_forward
Mulitple choice question
When are liabilities recognized for the federal Social Security program?
Select one:
a. When benefits are paid to the recipients
b. When benefits are earned by the recipients
c. When benefits are due and payable at the end of a reporting period
d. When the social security trust fund receives cash from employees and employers
arrow_forward
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