Written as a contribution to the Long Finance Meta-Commerce programme, this paper examines the way that discount rates are used for the evaluation and management of pension schemes.The authors describe the role and function of a discount rate, and critique the methods presently in use for...

Accounting for defined benefit pension plans is complex, and given the magnitude of many of these schemes relative to their corporate sponsor, understanding whether pension disclosures are value relevant is key to improving the quality of financial reports. The application of fair value...