Obtain the annual statements for BCE Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2011, from the company's website or SEDAR (www.sedar.com).
Instructions
Refer to Note 20 of the 2011 financial statements of BCE Inc. and answer the following questions.
(a) Determine what the funded status is of the defined benefit (DB) pension plans and what the dollar amount of the over- or underfunding is at December 31, 2011, and December 31, 2010. Has the status improved or deteriorated since the end of the preceding year? What is the major reason for the change in BCE's funded status? What is the status of the plans in the net deficit position and what is the status of the plans in a net surplus position at December 31, 2011?
(b) What is the amount of the employee benefit asset or obligation reported on BCE's December 31, 2011 consolidated statement of financial position? Provide a reconciliation to the funded status reported in part (a). Comment on this reconciliation.
(c) What was the expected return on the pension plan assets in 2011? What was the actual return on the plan assets for the year?
(d) What was the cost that the company reported for its defined benefit plans? Describe the main components of the cost reported under IFRS. Estimate the amount of expense that would have been reported under the ASPE immediate recognition approach for December 31, 2011. Comment on any differences.
(e) What types of post-retirement plans does the company have? What was the total cost reported for these plans in Note 20 of the financial statements?
(f) What is the total expense for the defined contribution (DC) plans during 2011? During 2010?