On December $31,2019,$ Palmer Company determined that the $2019$ service cost on its defined benefit pension plan was $$140,000.$ At the beginning of $2019,$ Palmer had pension plan assets of $$520,000$ and a projected benefit obligation of $$600,000.$ Its discount rate $($and expected long$-$term rate of return on plan assets$)$ for $2019$ was $10\%.$ There are no other components of Palmer$$s pension expense; the company had an accrued$/$prepaid pension cost liability at the end of $2018.$

Required:

$1.$ Compute the amount of Palmer$$s pension expense for $2019.$

$2.$ Prepare the journal entry to record Palmer$$s $2019$ pension expense if it funds the pension plan in the amount of $($a$)$ $$148,000$ and $($b$)$ $$140,000.$