The document discusses essential changes in accounting standards for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) under GASB 74 and 75, highlighting the transition from GASB 45. It emphasizes updated reporting requirements, including more frequent actuarial evaluations and new terminologies, which impact local governments' financial disclosures and liability recognition. The author suggests a strategic approach for compliance, including early adoption of the new standards to improve clarity and accuracy in financial reporting.

1. MNCPA Audits of Local Governments Conference
Mark Schulte, FSA, EA, MAAA
October 24, 2017

2. 1 Background
2 What’s changing
 Terminology
 Report frequency
 Report timing
 Discount rate
 Financial disclosures
 Experiences (so far)
3 What to do now
1

3.  Compliance with GASB 45 since at least 2008
 Have a liability “on the books” (Net OPEB Obligation)
 Record annual accounting expense (based on the ARC)
 Biennial or triennial actuarial valuations
 OPEB trusts (if any) were often established in early
years of GASB 45
2

4. Why can’t we just keep using GASB 45?
Net OPEB Obligation hides true cost of OPEB
Cost recognition is too slow (never?)
Too much variation in liability calculation methods
Discount rate determination not appropriate
3

5.  June 2015: GASB 74 and 75 published
 GASB 74
 Plan-perspective accounting (if have an OPEB trust)
 Effective for fiscal years beginning after 6/15/2016
(i.e., FYE 2017)
 GASB 75
 Employer-perspective accounting
 Effective for fiscal years beginning after 6/15/2017
(i.e., FYE 2018)
 Some employers are electing to early-adopt GASB 75 instead of
disclosing both GASB 74 and GASB 45 in their FY2017 financial
statement notes and RSI
4

6.  Lots of new terminology and acronyms!
 More frequent actuarial reporting
 Financial reporting changes
 Unfunded liability goes on face of financial statements
 OPEB accounting “expense” more volatile
 More information to disclose
 Discount rate process standardized
5

7. 6
GASB 45 GASB 74/75
Actuarial Accrued Liability (AAL) Total OPEB Liability (TOL)
Plan assets Fiduciary Net Position (FNP)
Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL) Net OPEB Liability (NOL)
Deferred inflows/outflows of resources
Annual OPEB Cost OPEB expense
Net OPEB Obligation (NOO) Net OPEB Liability
Annual Required Contribution (ARC) Actuarially Determined Contribution
(ADC)

8.  GASB 45
 Usually January 1 Valuation Date (beginning of year)
 Have 12+ months to complete calculations and report
 Get at least two years of accounting in one report
 Example
• January 1, 2016 valuation report
• Provides accounting information for FYE 2016 AND FYE 2017
• Small employers (< 200 participants) had triennial actuarial reports
 Updated reports in the “off-years” were relatively rare
7

9.  GASB 74/75 require full actuarial reports every two
years for all employers
 “Update procedures” to reflect any changes since
the actuarial valuation date [GASB 74 Q&A #4.104]
 In most cases, employers will need an updated
“off-year” report to reflect certain changes
 Movement towards annual valuations because of
OPEB volatility
8

10.  GASB 74/75 report will likely only contain
accounting information for one fiscal year
9
Update Item Considerations
Assets Need to reflect actual year-end assets
Discount rate  Muni bond index rate
 “Crossover” calculation for funded plans
Benefit payments  GASB 74/75 specify actual benefit payments for roll
forwards and other calculations.
 May not be practical for implicit subsidy “payments”
Plan changes What does this encompass? Retiree subsidies only; or
group health plan/premiums in general?

11. 10
Date What it means
Valuation Date  Census and claims data gathered
 Liabilities calculated, but may then be “rolled forward”
to the Measurement Date
Measurement Date When liabilities and assets are “measured”
Reporting Date Fiscal year end
 Valuation Date can be up to 30 months and 1 day earlier than the
Reporting Date (i.e., one valuation as basis for up to 2 fiscal years)
 Measurement Date should be no earlier that the prior fiscal year
end (i.e., prior Reporting Date)

12.  “Synchronized” method
 Measurement Date = Reporting Date
 Used for plans with or without trusts
11
12/31/2017 12/31/2018 12/31/2019
Valuation Date Measurement Date &
Reporting Date
“Roll” liabilities
Measure assets &
Report net amount at FYE
Calculate liabilities

13. Timing considerations: Synchronized method
‣ VD before MD/RD makes report timing easier
‣ Still need to wait until MD/RD for actual benefit
payments, assets, and discount rates
‣ What happens if plan “changes” before MD/RD?
12
12/31/2017 12/31/2018 12/31/2019
Valuation Date Measurement Date &
Reporting Date
“Roll” liabilities
Measure assets &
Report net amount at FYE
Calculate liabilities

14.  “Lookback” method
 Measurement Date up to one year before Reporting Date
 Usually used for plans without trusts
13
Valuation Date &
Measurement Date
Reporting Date
Calculate liabilities &
Measure assets
12/31/2017 12/31/2018 12/31/2019
Net amount
Reported at FYE

15. Timing considerations: Lookback method
 VD/MD before RD makes timing much easier
 Need to wait until RD for “deferred” contributions
 Don’t have to deal with plan changes after MD
14
Valuation Date &
Measurement Date
Reporting Date
Net amount
Reported at FYE
Calculate liabilities &
Measure assets
12/31/2017 12/31/2018 12/31/2019

16.  Employers with irrevocable trusts should comply
with GASB 74 for FYE2017
 Include plan-perspective disclosures in Notes and RSI
(if trust doesn’t issue standalone financials)
 May be simplest to early adopt GASB 75 in FYE2017
 Avoid two sets of numbers in Notes/RSI
 Similar costs for GASB 74/45 vs. GASB 74/75 reporting
15

17.  GASB 45: “long-term investment yield on the
investments that are expected to be used to finance the
payment of benefits”
 GASB 74/75: Single rate that reflects:
 Long-term expected rate of return on OPEB plan investments
(to the extent irrevocable assets are able to pay future benefits)
 Index rate for 20-year, tax-exempt general obligation
municipal bonds with an average rating of AA/Aa or higher
 Funded plans (irrevocable trust) use “crossover” calculation to
determine blended discount rate
16

18. 17

19. 18

20. 19

21. 20

22. 21

23. 22

24. 23

25. 24

26. ‣ GASB 75 early adoption
‣ Timely asset information
‣ Payables/receivables
‣ Actual retiree benefit payments
‣ What’s a “contribution”?
‣ Understanding all of the dates
‣ Volatility
‣ When are updates needed?
25

27.  Funded plans (irrevocable trust)
 Figure out GASB 74 transition strategy – now!
 Early adoption of GASB 75 for FYE2017 may be easiest route
 Funded plans (revocable trust)
 Understand effect of using muni bond index rate vs. expected
investment return for discount rate
 Consider making trust irrevocable (FY2017-18)
26

28.  All plans
 Figure out report timing and implementation options
 Synchronized vs. Lookback: Is it a big deal if liabilities are a year old?
 Better tracking of retiree benefit payments
 Worthwhile/feasible to pre-fund OPEB?
27

29. 28

30. Mark Schulte, FSA, EA, MAAA
Van Iwaarden Associates
612.596.5960
marks@vaniwaarden.com
All information in this presentation is for general informational purposes only and should
not be relied upon without the express written consent of the author.
29