Page 301 - Group Insurance and Retirement Benefit IC 83 E- Book

employment benefit plans using the rate determined by reference to market yields at the end of
the reporting period on high quality corporate bonds. In case, such subsidiaries, associates,
joint ventures and branches are domiciled in countries where there is no deep market in such
bonds, the market yields (at the end of the reporting period) on government bonds of that
country shall be used. The currency and term of the government bonds or corporate bonds
shall be consistent with the currency and estimated term of the post-employment benefit
obligations.

84 One actuarial assumption that has a material effect is the discount rate. The discount rate reflects the
time value of money but not the actuarial or investment risk. Furthermore, the discount rate does not
reflect the entity-specific credit risk borne by the entity’s creditors, nor does it reflect the risk that
future experience may differ from actuarial assumptions.

85 The discount rate reflects the estimated timing of benefit payments. In practice, an entity often
achieves this by applying a single weighted average discount rate that reflects the estimated timing
and amount of benefit payments and the currency in which the benefits are to be paid.

86 In some cases, there may be no deep market in government bonds with a sufficiently long maturity to
match the estimated maturity of all the benefit payments. In such cases, an entity uses current market
rates of the appropriate term to discount shorter-term payments, and estimates the discount rate for
longer maturities by extrapolating current market rates along the yield curve. The total present value
of a defined benefit obligation is unlikely to be particularly sensitive to the discount rate applied to
the portion of benefits that is payable beyond the final maturity of the available government bonds.

Actuarial assumptions: salaries, benefits and medical costs

87 An entity shall measure its defined benefit obligations on a basis that reflects:

(a) the benefits set out in the terms of the plan (or resulting from any constructive obligation
that goes beyond those terms) at the end of the reporting period;

(b) any estimated future salary increases that affect the benefits payable;

(c) the effect of any limit on the employer’s share of the cost of the future benefits;

(d) contributions from employees or third parties that reduce the ultimate cost to the entity of
those benefits; and

(e) estimated future changes in the level of any state benefits that affect the benefits payable
under a defined benefit plan, if, and only if, either:

(i) those changes were enacted before the end of the reporting period; or

(ii) historical data, or other reliable evidence, indicate that those state benefits will
change in some predictable manner, for example, in line with future changes in
general price levels or general salary levels.

88 Actuarial assumptions reflect future benefit changes that are set out in the formal terms of a plan (or
a constructive obligation that goes beyond those terms) at the end of the reporting period. This is the
case if, for example:

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