Defined Benefit Plan - Interest Cost on Projected Benefit Obligation
Recording the interest cost component — the increase in the PBO due to the passage of time as the obligation moves one period closer to payment, classified as non-operating expense per ASU 2017-07.
| Account Name | Type | Debit ($) | Credit ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension Expense - Interest Cost (Non-Operating) | Expense (+) | 42,500,000.00 | - |
| Projected Benefit Obligation - Interest Accrual | Liability (+) | - | 42,500,000.00 |
💡 Accountant's Note
Interest cost = Beginning PBO × Discount Rate. For a $850M beginning PBO at 5.0%: $42.5M. Interest cost reflects the unwinding of the discount — the obligation is closer to payment, so its PV increases even with no new benefits earned. Some companies use the spot rate methodology (applying different rates to each year's projected cash flows rather than a single blended rate) — this generally produces lower interest cost in a steeply upward-sloping yield curve and must be consistently applied once elected. Interest cost is classified below operating income per ASU 2017-07.
Practitioner & Systems Framework
💻 ERP Architecture
Interest cost uses the same discount rate applied to measure the beginning-of-year PBO. Spot rate election must be documented at plan inception and applied consistently — companies cannot switch back to the single weighted-average rate. The spot rate methodology requires cash flow projections from the actuary by year, multiplied by a separate spot rate for each payment year derived from the high-quality corporate bond yield curve.
⚠️ Audit Flags
The discount rate is the most sensitive pension assumption — a 25bp change moves the PBO by 3–5%. Auditors evaluate whether the rate is based on high-quality corporate bonds (AA-rated), whether the maturity matches plan duration, and whether the methodology is consistent with prior years. The spot rate methodology requires auditors to test the underlying yield curve data and cash flow projections.
📄 Required Documentation
Actuarial valuation confirming beginning PBO and discount rate, spot rate election documentation if applicable, yield curve data source (Citigroup, Bloomberg AA Corporate), duration analysis confirming rate appropriateness, year-over-year rate comparison with rationale for changes.
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