Research on present value measurement in retirement benefit accounting based on accounting objectives

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20128
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0107:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Aoyama Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Takai Shun 青山学院大学, 会計プロフェッション研究科, 助教 (30910822)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 退職給付会計 / 現在価値測定 / 割引率 / 利息費用 / 期待収益

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to clarify the significance of the present value valuation of obligations and the associated interest cost recognition in accounting for retirement benefits. This study pointed out that the present value measurement method in the current accounting standards for retirement benefits is heterogeneous in the following three points from the viewpoint of the system of accounting standards. (1) its purpose is unclear, (2) neither the cash flow nor the discount rate reflects risk, and (3) the yield of a high-quality bond is applied instead of a pure risk-free rate. The significance of such a measurement method should be considered in the following paragraphs. The importance of such a measurement method needs to be examined concerning the interest component recognized in subsequent measurement from the perspective of the objective of accounting to provide helpful information for investment decision-making.

Free Research Field

財務会計

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

退職給付会計基準の導入により、財務会計における現在価値と利息に焦点が当てられるようになったと指摘され、他の会計基準にも影響を与えたといわれている。しかし、退職給付会計基準における現在価値測定は、その当否を問われずに与件とされたとの指摘もあり、その測定の意義は必ずしも明らかとはされていない。本研究では、退職給付会計基準の変遷、および、会計基準の体系を整理することで、現行基準の会計処理の特徴を明らかにした。