CAS 415 - Illustrations

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(a) Contractor A has a deferred compensation plan in which all cash awards are increased each year by an interest factor equivalent to the long-term borrowing rate of the contractor prevailing during each such year. The interest factor based on a variable long-term borrowing rate meets the criteria of 9904.415-50(d)(2). Consequently, the cost of deferred compensation for Contractor A shall be measured by the present value of the future benefits and shall be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the contractor initially incurs an obligation to compensate the employee. If the long-term borrowing rate for Contractor A was 9 percent at the close of the period to which the cost of deferred compensation was assignable, then that rate should be used to calculate the future benefit. Any adjustment in the cost of deferred compensation which results from a material change in the 9 percent rate in future applicable periods shall be made in each such future period or periods (see 9904.415-50(d)(2)).


(b) Contractor B made a deferred compensation award of $10,000 to an employee on December 31, 1976, for services performed in 1976 to be paid in equal annual payments of $2,000 starting at December 31, 1981. The terms of the award do not provide for an interest factor to be included in the payment; consequently, according to provisions of 9904.415-50(d)(1), interest may not be included in the computation of the future benefits. The assignable cost for 1976 is computed as follows, assuming that the interest rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury (pursuant to Public Law 92-41), 85 Stat. 97 at the time of the award is 8 percent and the conditions set forth in 9904.415-50(a) are met.

Year Amount of future payment × discount rate 8-percent present value factor=present value
1981 $2,000×0.6805=$1,361
1982 2,000×.6301=1,260
1983 2,000×.5834=1,167
1984 2,000×.5402=1,080
1985 2,000×.5002=1,000
Assignable cost for 1976 Example


(c) Contractor C awarded stock options for 1,000 shares of the contractor to key employees on December 31, 1976, under a deferred compensation plan requiring 2 years of additional service before the awards can be exercised. The facts and circumstances of the awards indicate that the deferred compensation applies only to the periods of future service. The market price of the stock was $26 per share, the option price was $22, and the interest rate established by the Secretary of the Treasury in effect at the time of award was 8 percent.

(1) In accordance with 9904.415-50(e)(2), the cost of the stock options is the amount by which the current value of the stock exceeds the option price multiplied by the number of shares awarded on the measurement date. Thus, the total cost of the stock options is 1,000 shares multiplied by the difference of the option price and the market price ($26-22) or $4,000.

(2) Under provisions of 9904.415-50(e)(3), the cost for stock options is assigned to each future cost accounting period in which employee service is required and is computed as follows: