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RETIREMENT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
RETIREMENT PLANS RETIREMENT PLANS
 
Barnwell sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (“Pension Plan”) covering substantially all of its U.S. employees, with benefits based on years of service and the employee’s highest consecutive 5 years average earnings. Barnwell’s funding policy is intended to provide for both benefits attributed to service to date and for those expected to be earned in the future. In addition, Barnwell sponsors a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), a noncontributory supplemental retirement benefit plan which covers certain current and former employees of Barnwell for amounts exceeding the limits allowed under the Pension Plan, and previously sponsored a post-retirement medical insurance benefits plan (“Post-retirement Medical”) covering officers of Barnwell Industries, Inc., the parent company, who have attained at least 20 years of service of which at least 10 years were at the position of Vice President or higher, their spouses and qualifying dependents.

In June 2021, the Company terminated its Post-retirement Medical plan effective June 4, 2021. Pursuant to the Post-retirement Medical plan document, the Company, as the sponsor of the Post-retirement Medical plan, had the right to terminate the plan by the resolution of the Board of the Directors of the Company and sixty days’ notice to each participant in the plan. Further, under the terms of the plan document, the participants in the Post-retirement Medical plan were not entitled to any unpaid vested benefits thereunder upon termination of the plan. The Post-retirement Medical plan was an unfunded plan and the Company funded benefits when payments were made. As a result of the plan termination, the Company recognized a non-cash gain of $2,341,000 during the year ended September 30, 2021.
The following tables detail the changes in benefit obligations, fair values of plan assets and reconciliations of the funded status of the retirement plans:
 PensionSERPPost-retirement Medical
 September 30,
 202220212022202120222021
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:     
Benefit obligation at beginning of year$10,365,000 $10,280,000 $2,136,000 $2,031,000 $— $2,839,000 
Interest cost290,000 258,000 60,000 51,000 — 48,000 
Actuarial (gain) loss(2,418,000)(15,000)(478,000)63,000 — — 
Benefits paid(306,000)(158,000)(3,000)(9,000)— (5,000)
Termination of post-retirement medical plan— — — — — (2,882,000)
Benefit obligation at end of year7,931,000 10,365,000 1,715,000 2,136,000 — — 
Change in Plan Assets:      
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year12,594,000 11,051,000 — — — — 
Actual return on plan assets(972,000)1,701,000 — — — — 
Employer contributions— — — — — 5,000 
Benefits paid(306,000)(158,000)— — — (5,000)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year11,316,000 12,594,000 — — — — 
Funded status$3,385,000 $2,229,000 $(1,715,000)$(2,136,000)$— $— 
 
 PensionSERPPost-retirement Medical
 September 30,
 202220212022202120222021
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets: 
Noncurrent assets$3,385,000 $2,229,000 $— $— $— $— 
Current liabilities— — (66,000)(35,000)— — 
Noncurrent liabilities— — (1,649,000)(2,101,000)— — 
Net amount$3,385,000 $2,229,000 $(1,715,000)$(2,136,000)$— $— 
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income before income taxes: 
Net actuarial (gain) loss$(353,000)$471,000 $(343,000)$135,000 $— $— 
Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss$(353,000)$471,000 $(343,000)$135,000 $— $— 

The accumulated benefit obligation for the Pension Plan was $7,931,000 and $10,365,000 at September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligation for the SERP was $1,715,000 and $2,136,000 at September 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The accumulated benefit obligations are the same as the projected benefit obligations due to the Pension Plan and SERP being frozen as of December 31, 2019.

Currently, no contributions will be made to the Pension Plan during fiscal 2023. The SERP plan is unfunded and Barnwell funds benefits when payments are made. Expected payments under the SERP for fiscal 2023 is not material. Fluctuations in actual market returns as well as changes in general interest rates
will result in changes in the market value of plan assets and may result in increased or decreased retirement benefits costs and contributions in future periods.

The Pension Plan actuarial gains in fiscal 2022 were primarily due to an increase in the discount rate, partially offset by an actuarial loss resulting from actual investment returns that were less than the assumed rate of return. The SERP actuarial gains in fiscal 2022 were primarily due to an increase in the discount rate.

The Pension Plan actuarial gains in fiscal 2021 were primarily due to an increase in the discount rate and actual investment returns that were greater than the assumed rate of return. The SERP actuarial losses in fiscal 2021 were primarily due to an updated mortality projection scale and adjustments due to experience, partially offset by an increase in the discount rate.

The following table presents the weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations and net benefit (income) costs:
 PensionSERPPost-retirement Medical
                   Year ended September 30,
 202220212022202120222021
Assumptions used to determine fiscal year-end benefit obligations:  
Discount rate5.25%2.84%5.25%2.84%N/AN/A
Rate of compensation increaseN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Assumptions used to determine net benefit costs (years ended):   
Discount rate2.84%2.54%2.84%2.54%N/A
2.54% / 3.00%(1)
Expected return on plan assets5.00%5.00%N/AN/AN/AN/A
Rate of compensation increaseN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
_______________________________________________
(1)      2.54% as of September 30, 2020 and 3.00% as of May 31, 2021 termination.

We select a discount rate by reference to yields available on the ICE Bank of America Merrill Lynch AA-AAA 15+ Index at our consolidated balance sheet date. The expected return on plan assets is based on an actuarial model which takes into consideration our investment mix and market conditions.

The components of net periodic benefit (income) cost are as follows:
 PensionSERPPost-retirement Medical
 Year ended September 30,
 202220212022202120222021
Net periodic benefit (income) cost for the year: 
Interest cost$290,000 $258,000 $60,000 $51,000 $— $48,000 
Expected return on plan assets(622,000)(546,000)— — — — 
Amortization of net actuarial loss — 39,000 — — — 62,000 
Net periodic benefit (income) cost$(332,000)$(249,000)$60,000 $51,000 $— $110,000 
 
The benefits expected to be paid under the retirement plans as of September 30, 2022 are as follows:
PensionSERP
Expected Benefit Payments:  
Fiscal year ending September 30, 2023$412,000 $66,000 
Fiscal year ending September 30, 2024$552,000 $130,000 
Fiscal year ending September 30, 2025$545,000 $129,000 
Fiscal year ending September 30, 2026$537,000 $128,000 
Fiscal year ending September 30, 2027$529,000 $127,000 
Fiscal years ending September 30, 2028 through 2032$2,969,000 $667,000 

Plan Assets
 
Management communicates periodically with its professional investment advisors to establish investment policies, direct investments and select investment options. The overall investment objective of the Pension Plan is to attain a diversified combination of investments that provides long-term growth in the assets of the plan to fund future benefit obligations while managing risk in order to meet current benefit obligations. Generally, interest and dividends received provide cash flows to fund current benefit obligations. Longer-term obligations are generally estimated to be provided for by growth in equity securities. The Company’s investment policy permits investments in a diversified mix of U.S. and international equities, fixed income securities and cash equivalents.
 
Barnwell’s investments in fixed income securities include corporate bonds, U.S. treasury and government securities, preferred securities, and fixed income exchange-traded funds. The Company’s investments in equity securities primarily include domestic and international large-cap companies, as well as, domestic and international equity securities exchange-traded funds.
 
The Company’s year-end target allocation, by asset category, and the actual asset allocations were as follows:
 
 TargetSeptember 30,
Asset CategoryAllocation20222021
Cash and other
0% - 25%
14%—%
Fixed income securities
15% - 40%
34%31%
Equity securities
45% - 75%
52%69%
 
Actual investment allocations may vary from our target allocations from time to time due to prevailing market conditions. We periodically review our actual investment allocations and rebalance our investments to our target allocations as dictated by current and anticipated market conditions and required cash flows.

We categorize plan assets into three levels based upon the assumptions used to price the assets. Level 1 provides the most reliable measure of fair value, whereas Level 3 requires significant management judgment in determining the fair value. Equity securities and exchange-traded funds are valued by obtaining quoted prices on recognized and highly liquid exchanges. Fixed income securities are valued based upon the closing price reported in the active market in which the security is traded. All of our plan
assets are categorized as Level 1 assets, and as such, the actual market value is used to determine the fair value of assets.

The following tables set forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, pension plan assets at their fair value:
  Fair Value Measurements Using:
Carrying
Amount
as of
September 30,
2022		Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets
(Level 1)		Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
Financial Assets:    
Cash$1,539,000 $1,539,000 $— $— 
Corporate bonds1,000 1,000 — — 
U.S. treasury and government securities561,000 561,000 — — 
Fixed income exchange-traded funds3,223,000 3,223,000 — — 
Preferred securities67,000 67,000 — — 
Equity securities exchange-traded funds408,000 408,000 — — 
Equities5,517,000 5,517,000 — — 
Total$11,316,000 $11,316,000 $— $— 
  Fair Value Measurements Using:
 Carrying
Amount
as of
September 30,
2021		Quoted
Prices in
Active
Markets
(Level 1)		Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
Financial Assets:    
Cash$25,000 $25,000 $— $— 
Corporate bonds1,000 1,000 — — 
Fixed income exchange-traded funds3,809,000 3,809,000 — — 
Preferred securities48,000 48,000 — — 
Equity securities exchange-traded funds459,000 459,000 — — 
Equities8,252,000 8,252,000 — — 
Total$12,594,000 $12,594,000 $— $—