Sự gia tăng hàng năm trong chi phí lợi ích postretirement được giả định giảm dần trong những năm tới, đạt tốc độ cuối cùng là 5,2% trong năm 2007. Các thành phần lợi ích ròng (thu nhập) hoặc chi phí mỗi năm là như sau: Postretirement Lợi ích kế hoạch 2002 | Hiding Financial Risk Exhibit Continued The annual increase in cost of postretirement benefits is assumed to decrease gradually in future years reaching an ultimate rate of percent in the year 2007. Components of net benefit income or expense each year are as follows Postretirement Pension Plans Benefit Plans In Millions 2002 2001 2000 2002 2001 2000 Service cost 34 18 20 11 6 6 Interest cost 122 79 69 33 21 17 Expected return on plan assets 241 159 142 23 23 22 Amortization of transition asset 15 15 14 Amortization of gains losses 2 2 1 3 1 1 Amortization of prior service costs credits 8 6 6 1 2 2 Settlement or curtailment losses 5 2 Income expense 85 69 60 25 3 Assumed trend rates for health-care costs have an important effect on the amounts reported for the postretirement benefit plans. If the health-care cost trend rate increased by 1 percentage point in each future year the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of postretirement expense would increase for 2002 by 5 million and the postretirement accumulated benefit obligation as of May 26 2002 would increase by 51 million. If the health-care cost trend rate decreased by 1 percentage point in each future year the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of postretirement expense would decrease for 2002 by 4 million and the postretirement accumulated benefit obligation as of May 26 2002 would decrease by 44 million. Corporate Pension Highlights These remarks help us understand recent corporate events with respect to pensions and OPEBs. As I discuss in more detail later in this chapter pension costs are a function of what the firm promises to its employees the interest rate and changes to the pension plan. In addition as the pension fund generates returns these gains reduce the pension cost. Losses of course would increase the pension cost. A few months ago Northwest Airlines reported that its pension costs would exceed 700 million in the fourth Chevron Texaco will
