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Discretion in accounting for pensions under IAS 19: using the ‘magic telescope’?

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  • Mark Billings
  • Christopher O’Brien
  • Margaret Woods
  • Dev Vencappa
Abstract
We use a panel data set of UK-listed companies over the period 2005–2009 to analyse the actuarial assumptions used to value pension plan liabilities under IAS 19. The valuation process requires companies to make assumptions about financial and demographic variables, notably discount rate, price inflation, salary inflation and mortality/life expectancy of plan members/beneficiaries. We use regression analysis to analyse the relationships between these key assumptions (except mortality, where disclosures are limited) and company-specific factors such as the pension plan funding position and duration of pension liabilities. We find evidence of selective ‘management’ of the three assumptions investigated, although the nature of this appears to differ from the findings of US authors. We conclude that IAS 19 does not prevent the use of managerial discretion, particularly by companies whose pension plan funding positions are weak, thereby reducing the representational faithfulness of the reported pension figures. We also highlight that the degree of discretion used reflects the extent to which IAS 19 defines how the assumptions are to be determined. We therefore suggest that companies should be encouraged to justify more explicitly their choice of assumptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Billings & Christopher O’Brien & Margaret Woods & Dev Vencappa, 2017. "Discretion in accounting for pensions under IAS 19: using the ‘magic telescope’?," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 123-143, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acctbr:v:47:y:2017:i:2:p:123-143
    DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2016.1205967
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fasshauer, Jan D. & Glaum, Martin & Street, Donna L., 2008. "Adoption of IAS 19R by Europe's premier listed companies: Corridor approach versus full recognition," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 113-122.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Larcher & Francis Breedon, 2020. "Discounting and the market valuation of defined benefit pensions," Working Papers 932, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    2. Kusano, Masaki, 2023. "Does recognition versus disclosure of pension liabilities affect credit ratings? Evidence from Japan," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    3. Anne M. Garvey & Juan Manuel Pérez-Salamero González & Manuel Ventura-Marco & Carlos Vidal-Meliá, 2021. "From “Table 29” to the actuarial balance sheet: is it really that big a leap?," Documentos de Trabajo del ICAE 2021-05, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Instituto Complutense de Análisis Económico.
    4. Fahad, Nafiz & Ma, Nelson & Scott, Tom, 2020. "The consequences of discount rate selection for defined benefit liabilities," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).

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