Accounting Mystery Tip

Assume you want to determine Plan Assets. Let us say you have the following: 

• Plan Assets Beginning of Year - Y
• Expected Return on Planned Assets - N
• Actual Return on Planned Assets - Y
• Cash Contributions to the Pension (End of Year) - Y
• Pension Expense -N
• Retiree Benefits or Pension Benefits Paid (End of Year) - Y
• Amortization of Net Loss - N

Therefore, you need to know what goes into the calculation from the above. And what you will get is: 

• Plan Assets Beginning of Year +
• Actual Return on Planned Assets +
• Cash Contributions to the Pension (End of Year) - 
• Retiree Benefits or Pension Benefits Paid (End of Year) =
• Ending Planned Assets