Tag: balance sheet

IFRS 17—The Time Is Now

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://contingencies.org/ifrs-17-the-time-is-now/

Excerpt:

The more fundamental changes affect the measurement of future services (previously termed as “Reserves”). Many insurance accounting regimes have tried to stabilize their financial statements over the years; therefore, they calculated their reserves based on historic information—locked-in assumptions for insurance parameters as well as historic interest rates. The latter, however, are not in line with the use of market values for the asset side of the balance sheet, which is now perceived as the only fair-value representation for the different stakeholders. Therefore, the measurement of the liabilities in IFRS 17 will always be based on current assumptions.

Due to the compound effect over many projected years, the regular update of assumptions (particularly interest rate or discounting assumptions) can make long-term liabilities much more volatile.

Author(s): Michael Winkler and Sunil Kansal

Publication Date: October 2022

Publication Site: Contingencies

Bermuda: Living life (insurance) in paradise

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.milliman.com/en/insight/bermuda-living-life-insurance-in-paradise/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social-global-company-page&utm_campaign=life

PDF: https://www.milliman.com/-/media/milliman/pdfs/2022-articles/3-28-22-bermuda.ashx

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Description:

We review the history of life insurance in Bermuda, reflect on how we have gotten to where we are today, and look forward to what may be ahead. We present a hypothetical—yet realistic—case study to illustrate some of the factors that can lead to a strategic decision do business Bermuda. From an embedded-value perspective, we highlight potentially considerable benefits from a move from a U.S. statutory basis to a Bermudian economic balance sheet.

Author(s): Tony Dardis, William C. Hines, and Su Meng Lee

Publication Date: 28 March 2022

Publication Site: Milliman

WHY TRUTH IN ACCOUNTING’S RECENT CLAIMS ABOUT PENSIONS ARE INACCURATE

Mary Pat Campbell
Why Truth in Accounting’s Recent Claims About Pensions Are Inaccurate

Excerpt:

As routine as the changing of the seasons, every year, Truth in Accounting (TIA) produces a new report which declares that taxpayers across the country will somehow have to foot a huge tax bill immediately to pay for their state’s unfunded pension liabilities. However, a recent working paper from the Brookings Institution shows this is not a truthful depiction of how public pension funding works. 

TIA often argues that taxpayers are responsible for paying their city and/or state’s unfunded liabilities in a few ways. First, if a pension isn’t at 100% funded status in the course of a given year, they state that the pension is somehow in grave jeopardy and that its unfunded liabilities need to be paid immediately to ensure the pension is “debt-free.” They then calculate a supposed “taxpayer burden,” or an amount each taxpayer will have to pay to meet their state or local pension’s unfunded liabilities. 

These tactics, which are often amplified by news outlets critical of public pensions such as the Center Square, are designed to elicit fear that taxpayers will have to fork over a large bill at some point in the future for their area’s pensions. 

Author(s): Tristan Fitzpatrick

Publication Date: 2 June 2021

Publication Site: National Public Pension Coalition

GASB proposals would stretch meaning of accrual accounting

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/gasb-proposals-would-stretch-meaning-of-accrual-accounting

Excerpt:

Every taxpayer and beneficiary of government services and benefits should care about good government accounting. Accountants and other financial professionals should take special note because GASB is attempting to change one of the basic tenets of accounting. This is a rare opportunity to convince GASB to reverse course and move toward true accrual accounting in budgeted funds statements.

GASB currently has two exposure drafts out for public comment: Project 3-20, “Recognition of Elements of Financial Statements,” and Project 3-25, “Financial Reporting Model Improvements.” Together, these proposals assert a foundation in something called the “short term financial resources measurement focus and accrual basis of accounting.”

The proposals, most importantly, do not relate to government-wide financial statements such as the Statement of Net Position (a balance sheet) and Statement of Activities (an income statement), both of which have significantly firmed up their accrual accounting foundations in the last decade. GASB’s proposals relate instead to governmental funds statements, such as those for general funds, which are widely used for budgeting purposes.

Author(s): Bill Bergman

Publication Date: 11 February 2021

Publication Site: Accounting Today