New Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements 74 and 75 are intended to make accounting for OPEB (Other Postemployment Benefits, usually retiree medical) more transparent by moving the entire unfunded liability to the face of the financial statements. This post discusses some of the OPEB funding policy opportunities that employers should consider as they prepare […]Read More… from OPEB Funding Policy Opportunities
Public sector employers, get ready! The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has officially approved new accounting statements for Other Post-Employment Benefit plans (OPEB; retiree medical). Here’s what the recent GASB announcement confirms: Final provisions will closely mirror GASB 67/68 pension accounting. The official statements won’t be released until late June, but last summer’s OPEB exposure […]Read More… from First pensions, now OPEB – New GASB 74 & 75 will transform OPEB reporting
Last week the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) released its long-awaited exposure draft of proposed Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) accounting changes. Although there may be modifications before the rules are finalized, public employers should be aware of the potential consequences. Here’s our list of the top 5 items from the exposure draft: 1. Most of […]Read More… from Top 5 Take-Aways from the GASB OPEB Accounting Exposure Draft
Under GASB 43 and 45, public sector employers are required to account for retiree medical benefits under special rules for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB). Many have chosen to pre-fund these liabilities in a trust similar to a retirement plan trust. At the recent Minnesota School Board Association convention, Van Iwaarden Associates teamed up with an […]Read More… from OPEB Investments – The Danger of Playing It Safe
Over the past several years, GASB 45 has required public employers to recognize the cost of Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB: e.g., retiree health insurance, life insurance) while employees are accruing the benefits, not after they retire. For many public entities, the true cost of their healthcare promises has been an eye opener. However, public employers […]Read More… from “Measure It Before You Promise It” for GASB 45 OPEB
GASB 45 requires a complete actuarial valuation of public retiree health plans to be completed every 2 to 3 years (depending on number of plan members), and sponsors usually don’t look forward to the administrative hassles of their next study. However, there are several situations where a new valuation could be advantageous and, likely, mandatory. […]Read More… from Top Reasons to Change Your GASB 45 Valuation Schedule
Federal, state and local regulations often include mandated health benefits for officers disabled in the line of duty. These benefits are a way to reward officers for protecting and serving the public at great risk of bodily harm. The value of these benefits must be accounted for under GASB accounting rules, and there are a […]Read More… from Public Safety Benefits Can Significantly Affect OPEB Liabilities
One of the highest impact assumptions in OPEB actuarial valuations is the participation rate. This rate represents the percent of future retirees assumed to participate in the employer’s health plan during retirement. The participation assumption has a direct and leveraged effect on OPEB liabilities. For example, if the assumption is that 60% of employees are assumed to elect coverage […]Read More… from OPEB Participation Rates – “Kind of a Grey Area” Under Healthcare Reform
Although the effect of healthcare reform on retiree health plans is difficult to gauge at this point, there are several provisions that could impact the long-term costs and strategies for employer plans. Let’s start with the so-called “Cadillac Tax” on high-cost insurance plans effective in 2018. What it is: A non-deductible 40% excise tax paid by the […]Read More… from How will the “Cadillac Tax” impact your OPEB plan?
Employers who offer retiree health benefits to their employees have something new to think about: How will proposed Medicare reforms impact my plan and its costs? Although changes to the Medicare system are likely a long way off, Medicare reform is a hot topic lately and changes to the program could have a dramatic effect […]Read More… from Start Thinking About the Impact of Medicare Reform on OPEB Plans
