| OPEB Studies |
Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Reports |
Click on the titles below to open the PDF. |
2017 Other Post-Employment Benefits Actuarial Valuation Report [5.3MB]
Historical OPEB reports are on the
Historical OPEB Reports page.
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LEOFF 1 Reports |
2016 LEOFF 1 Medical Benefits Actuarial Valuation Report [9MB] |
Historical LEOFF 1 reports are on the
Historical OPEB Reports page. |
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OPEB Calculation Tool |
NOTE: Please read the Instructions document first. When accessing the tools, please download them to your computer. The version 6.0 tools and instructions are posted below. Recent federal legislation has delayed the implementation of the excise tax from 2018 to 2020. Version 6.0 of the tools does not reflect the effect of this law change. The PEBB GASB 45 Tool is based on the January 1, 2015 OPEB valuation. The LEOFF 1 GASB 45 Tool is based on the June 30, 2013 LEOFF 1 medical valuation. Both reports are located on our
Historical OPEB Reports page. The GASB 45 tools will not be updated to reflect the more recently published post-retirement medical valuation reports. For those employers eligible to use the tools, the State Auditor’s Office has approved the use of Version 6.0 for fiscal year end 2017 financial reporting. In 2018, the GASB 75 Tools will replace the GASB 45 Tools.
OPEB Calculation Tool Instructions NOTE: The Excel tools require version 2010.
LEOFF 1 GASB 45 Tool
PEBB GASB 45 Tool |
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Changes in OPEB Reporting |
Financial reporting requirements in Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 45, entitled "Accounting and Financial Reporting by Employers for Post Employment Benefits Other Than Pensions," cause concern for many public entities. The following Q & A should help the preparers of financial statements for local governments satisfy the requirements as well as address upcoming changes to financial reporting due to GASB Statement 75.. |
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Frequently Asked OPEB Questions |
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Does GASB 45 Apply to My Entity? |
If your entity does both of the following, GASB 45 applies. Does your entity: Report financial statements using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP basis)? Offer Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) subsidies? These could be direct subsidies like paying for health related benefits, insurance, or long-term health care to retirees. Besides these direct payments to members, grouping retirees and active members together for the purpose of determining premiums qualifies as providing an indirect subsidy.
Examples of entities where GASB 45 may apply – those who: |
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How do Entities Determine OPEB Costs? |
It depends on how many members your entity’s OPEB plan contains. If your entity’s OPEB plan has 100 or more members, GASB 45 requires you to have an actuary determine the costs of the plan by performing an actuarial valuation. If your entity’s OPEB plan has fewer than 100 members, GASB 45 provides TWO options for determining the costs of your plan. You can either have: An actuary perform an actuarial valuation of the plan. Do the valuation yourself using simplified assumptions and calculations permitted under GASB's "alternative measurement method."
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Can OSA help with my reporting requirements? |
Yes. The Office of the State Actuary (OSA) developed interactive, online tools for use by local governments in Washington State. We intend for employers who either employ LEOFF 1 members or participate in PEBB to use these tools. If you employ fewer than 100 members the tools will estimate your results using the alternative measurement method. For those employers eligible for the alternative measurement method, the State Auditor’s Office confirmed it is allowable to use Version 6.0 of the tool for fiscal year-end 2017 financial reporting. |
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How Often do OPEB Costs Need to be Determined? |
It depends on how many members your entity’s OPEB plan contains. If your entity’s OPEB plan has
200 or more members, GASB 45 requires you to determine costs at least every two years. If your entity’s OPEB plan has
fewer than 200 members, GASB 45 requires you to determine costs at least every three years. |
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I Represent a Local Government. Can we Use the
2016 Actuarial Valuation of LEOFF 1 Medical Benefits Performed by the Office of the State Actuary (OSA) to Report Our LEOFF 1 OPEB Liability? |
No. The OSA LEOFF 1 study reports the state-wide LEOFF 1 OPEB liability. GASB 45 requires individual entities to report their OPEB liability. To see how your entity can have these costs calculated see the entry, “How do Entities Determine OPEB Costs?” above. |
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GASB 75 is replacing GASB 45. Will there be a GASB 75 tool? |
Yes. GASB 75 is effective for employer fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2017. OSA will publish a GASB 75 compliant tool sometime in 2018. |
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Can I use the results from the GASB 45 tools to satisfy financial reporting under GASB 75? |
No. The financial reporting requirements under GASB 75 are very different from GASB 45. |
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Who Prepared this Information? |
Debra Burleson with the Washington State Auditor’s Office assisted in the preparation of this FAQ. The Office of the State Actuary provided technical assistance. If you have other questions about reporting under GASB please use the email addresses below. Office of the State Actuary at
actuary.state@leg.wa.gov Debra Burleson at
BurlesoD@sao.wa.gov |
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