OREANDA-NEWS. February 16, 2015. Most public pension systems are reporting materially higher asset values under the new GASB standards, reflecting immediate recognition of several years of strong market gains not yet fully incorporated under the asset smoothing practices allowed by previous GASB standards, according to a Fitch Ratings report.

'In an accident of timing, the transition to GASB 67 is taking place at a very favorable moment in the economic cycle for reporting asset valuations. In most cases, the market value of assets reported by systems under GASB 67 is much higher than the smoothed asset value reported previously,' said Douglas Offerman, senior director in Fitch's states group.

The higher ratios of assets to liabilities being reported by many systems in fiscal 2014 should be viewed with caution. Reported asset values are now fully subject to market cyclicality, and thus the ratio of assets to liabilities reported by systems will rise and fall far more sharply than the funded ratio reported under prior GASB standards.

The new depletion date and blended discount rate reported by some systems under GASB 67 highlight existing weak practices - notably an unwillingness to consistently fund an actuarially calculated contribution.

The same contribution underfunding that over time may lead to a reported depletion date is simultaneously helping to erode a system's asset base, lowering reported assets.

The transition is having little effect on the way total liabilities are calculated for the majority of systems that had already used certain actuarial assumptions required by the new standards.

Minimal credit impact is expected from the transition.
For more information, a special report titled 'New Pension Perspectives' is available on the Fitch Ratings web site at www.fitchratings.com.