Hi-Flie-Ing Corporation offers a defined benefit pension plan to all its eligible employees. The company uses the December 31 year end and uses IFRS to prepare its financial statements. It has reported a credit balance of $1,380,000 as at December 31, 2018 for its Net Defined Benefit Liability/Asset Account. The plan is underfunded by 20% of its Defined Benefit Obligation. The company also recorded, during 2019, $200,000 as Past Service Costs which were assumed to have accrued on January 1, 2019.

Use this given information plus any additional given information to answer Questions. Treat each question as being independent of the others unless stated otherwise. You are advised not to use any information given in other questions unless stated otherwise.

The company determines its interest expenses and benefits on the balance existing at the beginning of the year. You are told that the company recorded $386,400 as the expected returns on Plan Assets for the year. $546,000 were recorded as current services costs during 2019. What would be the interest expense on the Defined Benefit Obligation for 2019?

a. $497,000.

b. $96,000.

c. $483,000.

d. $200,000.

e.  Cannot be determined with the given information.