Wiley Interpretation and Application of IFRS Standards

30Accounting and Reporting by Retirement Benefit Plans

1. Introduction
2. Definitions of Terms
3. Scope
4. Defined Contribution Plans
5. Defined Benefit Plans
6. Disclosures
7. US GAAP Comparison

Introduction

IAS 26 sets out the form and content of the general-purpose financial reports of retirement benefit plans. The standard applies to:

• Defined contribution plans where benefits are determined by contributions to the plan together with investment earnings thereon; and
• Defined benefit plans where benefits are determined by a formula based on employees' earnings and/or years of service.

IAS 26 may be compared to IAS 19. The former addresses the financial reporting considerations for the benefit plan itself, as the reporting entity, while the latter deals with employers' accounting for the cost of such benefits as they are earned by the employees. While these standards are thus somewhat related, there will not be any direct interrelationship between amounts reported in benefit plan financial statements and amounts reported under IAS 19 by employers.

Source of IFRS

IAS 26

Definitions of Terms

Actuarial present value of promised retirement benefits. The present value of the expected payments by a retirement benefit plan to existing and past employees, attributable to the service already rendered.

Defined benefit plans. Retirement benefit plans under which amounts to be paid as retirement benefits are determined by reference to a formula usually based on employees' earnings and/or ...