FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS CASE
(a) The components of postretirement expense are service cost, interest
(b) The accounting for defined-benefit plans and OPEBs is very similar.
For example, the measures of the obligation are similar and the com–
ponents of expense and their calculation are the same (with similar
smoothing mechanisms employed for both types of plans with respect to
gains and losses.) There are, however, a number of differences between
Postretirement Healthcare Benefits and Pensions:
Additionally, although healthcare benefits are generally covered by
the fiduciary and reporting standards for employee benefit funds under
ERISA, the stringent minimum vesting, participation, and funding
standards that apply to pensions do not apply to healthcare benefits.