IASB finalises amendments to IAS 19 regarding plan amendments, curtailments, and settlements
07 Feb 2018
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has published 'Plan Amendment, Curtailment or Settlement (Amendments to IAS 19)' thus finalising one of two issues relating to IAS 19 submitted to the IFRS Interpretations Committee and exposed together in June 2015.
Background
In June 2015, the IASB published ED/2015/5 Remeasurement on a Plan Amendment, Curtailment or Settlement/Availability of a Refund from a Defined Benefit Plan (Proposed amendments to IAS 19 and IFRIC 14) combining two issues submitted separately to the IFRS Interpretations Committee into a single package of narrow-scope amendments to IAS 19 Employee Benefits and IFRIC 14 IAS 19 – The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction.
However, in April 2017 the IASB decided to pursue the amendments to IAS 19 and in September 2017 confirmed it would do so despite putting off the amendments to IFRIC 14. Although exposed together, the IAS 19 amendments are unrelated to the IFRIC 14 amendments.
Changes
The amendments in Plan Amendment, Curtailment or Settlement (Amendments to IAS 19) are:
- If a plan amendment, curtailment or settlement occurs, it is now mandatory that the current service cost and the net interest for the period after the remeasurement are determined using the assumptions used for the remeasurement.
- In addition, amendments have been included to clarify the effect of a plan amendment, curtailment or settlement on the requirements regarding the asset ceiling.
Effective date and transition requirements
An entity applies the amendments to plan amendments, curtailments or settlements occurring on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period that begins on or after 1 January 2019. Early application is permitted but must be disclosed.
Additional information
Please click for:
- IASB press release (link to IASB website)
- IFRS in Focus newsletter explaing the amendments
- Our IAS Plus project page on IAS 19/IFRIC 14 — Remeasurement at a plan amendment, curtailment or settlement / Availability of a refund of a surplus from a defined benefit plan
- Updated EFRAG endorsement status report
