Generally, accounting principles do not support the concept of income smoothing (the avoidance of year-to-year fluctuations in

Question:

Generally, accounting principles do not support the concept of income smoothing (the avoidance of year-to-year fluctuations in the amount of income). A friend of yours, however, after studying FASB Statement No. 87, claims, “Pension accounting includes income smoothing.”
Required
Describe the methods by which FASB Statement No. 87 avoids year-to-year fluctuations in the amount of pension expense.