First pensions, now OPEB – New GASB 74 & 75 will transform OPEB reporting

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 draft included similar provisions such as:
    • The unfunded liability will now go on the balance sheet.
    • The liability discount rate will be based on a projection of how long dedicated assets (plus future contributions) will cover current plan members’ future benefit payments.
    • OPEB expense will recognize asset and liability changes over a shorter time period.
    • Goodbye ARC! Funding and accounting are officially separated, so plans and employers should consider developing a new OPEB funding policy.
  • Expanded note disclosures and RSI are required, including sensitivity of results to a +/-1% change in the discount rate and medical trend assumptions.
  • Effective dates:
    • GASB 74 Plan accounting is first effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2016 (e.g., fiscal years beginning July 1, 2016 or January 1, 2017).
    • GASB 75 Employer accounting is first effective for reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2017 (e.g., fiscal years beginning July 1, 2017 or January 1, 2018).

Although the implementation dates are almost 3 years away, employers should take action now to prepare. Some questions to ask include:

  1. How can I develop and implement an OPEB funding policy over the next few years? Prefunding OPEB can help reduce the unfunded balance sheet liability.
  2. What plan benefit adjustments and investment policy changes are available to lower my long-term OPEB liability? Now is the time to review your OPEB management strategies.
  3. What is my strategy to educate stakeholders about OPEB promises and their potential financial impact under the new GASB 74/75 requirements? OPEB is a complex topic that may be unfamiliar to plan members, government decision-makers, and taxpayers.

The new GASB 74/75 statements should help make OPEB promises more understandable and transparent. While there’s still sufficient lead-up time, employers should view this as an opportunity to proactively address an employee benefit which is often unfunded but must be managed prudently.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *