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Version date: 10 February 2017 - onwards

Post-employment benefits: distinction between defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans (paras. 26-49)

26 Post-employment benefits include items such as the following:

(a) retirement benefits (eg pensions and lump sum payments on retirement); and

(b) other post-employment benefits, such as post-employment life insurance and post-employment medical care.

Arrangements whereby an entity provides post-employment benefits are post-employment benefit plans. An entity applies this Standard to all such arrangements whether or not they involve the establishment of a separate entity to receive contributions and to pay benefits.

27 Post-employment benefit plans are classified as either defined contribution plans or defined benefit plans, depending on the economic substance of the plan as derived from its principal terms and conditions.