Answer: 4%
Step-by-step explanation:
From the question, we are informed that Pension plan assets were $1,200 million at the beginning of the year and $1,252 million at the end of the year and that at the end of the year, retiree benefits paid by the trustee were $28 million and cash invested in the pension fund was $32 million.
Based on the above scenario, the percentage rate of return on plan assets goes thus:
Opening balance of plan assets 1200
Add:- Actual return = 48
Add:- contributions = 32
Less :- retiree benefits = -28
Closing balance of plan assets = 1252
It should be noted that the actual return is the balancing figure which is calculated as:
= 1252 + 28 - 1200 - 32
= 48
The percentage rate of return on plan assets will now be:
= 48/1200
=0.04
= 4%