ASC 710-10
Overall
710 Compensation—General
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ASC 710-10 is the catch-all compensation subtopic for arrangements outside pensions/OPEB (715), postemployment benefits (712), and stock compensation (718). Its General Subsections require accrual of a liability for compensated absences when four conditions are met (services already rendered, rights vest or accumulate, payment probable, amount reasonably estimable), prescribe accrual of individual deferred compensation contracts over the service period to the full eligibility date at present value, and limit deferral of union-contract lump-sum payments. The Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts Subsections classify trust-held employer stock as treasury stock and classify the deferred compensation obligation as equity or a liability depending on the plan's settlement and diversification features (Plans A–D).
Key points (7)
- A liability for compensated absences must be accrued if all four conditions in 710-10-25-1 are met: the obligation is attributable to services already rendered, the rights vest or accumulate, payment is probable, and the amount is reasonably estimable; accrual is made in the year earned considering anticipated forfeitures (710-10-25-2).
- Nonvesting rights that expire at year-end are not accrued, but nonvesting rights that accumulate and increase later benefits are accrued if probable and estimable (710-10-25-3); notwithstanding 710-10-25-1, an employer is not required to accrue nonvesting accumulating sick pay benefits (710-10-25-7), though it may (710-10-25-8), and actual practice governs over the form of the policy (710-10-25-6).
- Sabbatical leave is accrued over the requisite service period only if it compensates unrestricted time off for past service; leave granted to perform research or service benefiting the employer is not accrued in advance (710-10-25-4 through 25-5).
- For individual deferred compensation contracts, benefits attributed to a single year are expensed in that year and benefits attributed to a longer period are accrued in a systematic and rational manner over that period, with only the portion applicable to current services accrued (710-10-25-9 through 25-10); the accrued amount at the full eligibility date must equal the then present value of all expected future benefits, based on mortality tables or annuity cost rather than any minimum payable on early death (710-10-30-1 through 30-2).
- Lump-sum payments to union employees in lieu of base wage increases may be deferred and amortized only when it is clear the payment benefits a future period through a lower base wage rate, and amortization may not extend beyond the contract period (710-10-25-13); this guidance applies only to union contracts (710-10-25-14).
- Rabbi trust plans: employer stock held by the trust is classified in equity like treasury stock for Plans A, B, and C, with the obligation classified as equity only for Plan A (fixed shares, no diversification) and as a liability for Plans B and C; for Plan D (diversified) trust assets follow GAAP for the particular asset and the obligation is a liability (710-10-25-16 through 25-18), with the obligation remeasured through compensation cost for Plans B, C, and D (710-10-35-3 through 35-4) but not for Plan A (710-10-35-2).
- The rabbi trust's accounts are consolidated with the employer's (710-10-45-1); trust-held employer shares are treated as treasury stock and excluded from the EPS denominator, with Plan A shares included in basic and diluted EPS and other plans' shares included only in diluted EPS (710-10-45-3 through 45-4); if conditions (a) through (c) of 710-10-25-1 are met but the amount cannot be reasonably estimated, that fact must be disclosed (710-10-50-1).
For students. Exam favorite: the four-part accrual test for vacation pay and the sick-pay exception — nonvesting accumulating sick pay need not be accrued, but vacation that vests or accumulates must be, and the employer's actual practice trumps the written policy. On rabbi trusts, classification hinges on whether settlement is fixed in employer shares (equity, no remeasurement) or can be cash/diversified assets (liability, remeasured through compensation cost).
Machine-generated study aid for ASC 710-10. Check the source paragraphs below.
710-10-00Status
Source downloaded: .Record version a0069a12ffcb. Effective date must be checked in the source.
| Paragraph | Action | Accounting Standards Update | Date |
| 710-10-25-18 | Amended | Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01 | 01/05/2016 |
710-10-05Overview and Background
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- aCompensation—General
- bCompensation—Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits
- cCompensation—Retirement Benefits
- dCompensation—Stock Compensation.
- aGeneral
- bDeferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts.
- aCompensated absences
- bDeferred compensation arrangements
- cLump-sum payments under union contracts.
Compensated Absences
Deferred Compensation Arrangements
Lump-Sum Payments Under Union Contracts
Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts
- aCash, by having the trust sell the employer stock (or the diversified assets) in the open market
- bShares of the employer's stock
- cDiversified assets.
710-10-15Scope and Scope Exceptions
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Overall Guidance
Entities
Transactions
- aCompensation for future absences where employees have rights to receive compensation for future absences (referred to as compensated absences)
- bSabbatical leave or other similar benefit arrangement that is unrestricted (that is, the employee is not required to perform any direct or indirect services for or on behalf of the entity during the absence)
- cLump-sum payments under union contracts (that is, not to individual employment contracts or any other situation involving compensation payments to individual employees).
- aAll forms of postemployment benefits, as defined in Subtopic 712-10, that meet the conditions in paragraph 710-10-25-1
- bSplit-dollar life insurance arrangements if the arrangement is, in substance, an individual deferred compensation contract (see paragraphs .
- cOther deferred compensation contracts accounted for individually.
- aBenefits paid to active employees other than compensated absences
- b
- c
- dSpecial or contractual termination benefits that are not payable from a pension or other postretirement plan are covered by Topic 712
- eStock compensation plans that are addressed by Topic 718
- fOther postemployment benefits (see Topic 712) that do not meet the conditions in paragraph 710-10-25-1 and are accounted for in accordance with Topic 450.
Other Considerations
Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts
Overall Guidance
Transactions
- aIf amounts earned by an employee are invested in the stock of the employer and placed in a rabbi trust
- bWhere the employee elects to diversify the assets held by the rabbi trust into nonemployer securities.
710-10-25Recognition
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Compensated Absences
- aThe employer's obligation relating to employees' rights to receive compensation for future absences is attributable to employees' services already rendered.
- bThe obligation relates to rights that vest or accumulate. Vested rights are those for which the employer has an obligation to make payment even if an employee terminates; thus, they are not contingent on an employee's future service. Accumulate means that earned but unused rights to compensated absences may be carried forward to one or more periods subsequent to that in which they are earned, even though there may be a limit to the amount that can be carried forward.
- cPayment of the compensation is probable.
- dThe amount can be reasonably estimated.
Deferred Compensation Arrangements
Lump-Sum Payments Under Union Contracts
Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts
- aPlan A—The plan does not permit diversification and must be settled by the delivery of a fixed number of shares of employer stock.
- bPlan B—The plan does not permit diversification and may be settled by the delivery of cash or shares of employer stock.
- cPlan C—The plan permits diversification; however, the employee has not diversified (the plan may be settled in cash, shares of employer stock, or diversified assets).
- dPlan D—The plan permits diversification and the employee has diversified (the plan may be settled in cash, shares of employer stock, or diversified assets).
Plan A
Plans B and C
Plan D
710-10-30Initial Measurement
Source downloaded: .Record version 3b3a6d6a8d31. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Deferred Compensation Arrangements
710-10-35Subsequent Measurement
Source downloaded: .Record version 31da07ec49d2. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts
Plan A
Plans B and C
Plan D
710-10-45Other Presentation Matters
Source downloaded: .Record version 2c09009ebdae. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Deferred Compensation—Rabbi Trusts
710-10-50Disclosure
Source downloaded: .Record version 077755d4ec07. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Compensated Absences
710-10-55Implementation Guidance and Illustrations
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Illustrations
- aContract provides only prospective benefits (Case A).
- bContract provides retroactive benefits (Case B).
710-10-60Relationships
Source downloaded: .Record version af23ba25ee44. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Compensation—Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits
Business Combinations and Reorganizations
710-10-S15Scope and Scope ExceptionsSEC
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Lump-Sum Payment Under Union Contracts
710-10-S25RecognitionSEC
Source downloaded: .Record version 4c44481e9034. Effective date must be checked in the source.
Lump-Sum Payment Under Union Contracts
710-10-S99SEC MaterialsSEC
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SEC Staff Guidance
- Deferral of a lump-sum payment under a union contract in accordance with paragraph 710-10-25-13 is appropriate only when there is no evidence whatsoever that the payment might be related to past services.
Related subtopics
- 715-60 Defined Benefit Plans—Other PostretirementCompensation—Retirement Benefits
- 715-70 Defined Contribution PlansCompensation—Retirement Benefits
- 712-10 OverallCompensation—Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits
- 960-20 Accumulated Plan BenefitsPlan Accounting—Defined Benefit Pension Plans
- 715-10 OverallCompensation—Retirement Benefits
- 715-980 Regulated OperationsCompensation—Retirement Benefits