Chapter 17, Problem 17.12BE

To determine

Pension expense: Pension expense is an expense to the employer paid as compensation after the completion of services performed by the employees.

Pension expense includes the following components:

• Service cost
• Interest cost
• Expected return on plan assets
• Amortization of prior service cost
• Amortization of net loss or net gain

Net pension liability: If the balance of projected benefit obligation (PBO) is more than plan assets, the difference is referred to as underfunded status, and reported as net pension liability on the balance sheet.

To explain: The effect of components of pension expense on net pension liability