The brief’s key findings are: *While most multiemployer pension plans are finding their financial footing, a substantial minority face serious problems. *The key reason is a declining financial base, which results in negative cash flow. *Plans deemed in “critical” condition can raise...

The brief’s key findings are: Although the introduction of defined contribution plans by some states has received considerable press attention, activity to date has been modest. Moreover, most recent shifts involve either hybrid plans or cash balance plans, rather than stand-alone defined...

Medical and long-term care costs represent a substantial uninsured risk for most retired households. In 2007, spending on Medicare premiums and copayments among married couples age 65 and over averaged $7,600. But such statistics are of limited value to households trying to determine how much to...

Defined contribution plans, predominantly 401(k)s, are the primary source of personal retirement savings for American workers, making the investment decisions within these accounts a salient policy concern. These decisions are a result of two separate actions: the mutual fund options selected by...

The brief’s key findings are: The brief’s key findings are: *Despite a strong stock market, the funded status of public plans in 2013 remained unchanged at 72 percent for two reasons: *actuarially smoothed assets grew modestly; and *CalPERS, one of the nation’s largest plans, significantly...

The 2014 Trustees Report shows little change from last year: o Social Security's 75-year deficit rose modestly to 2.88 percent of payroll. o But the deficit as a percent of GDP is still 1 percent. o And trust fund exhaustion is still 2033, after which payroll taxes still cover about three...

As life expectancy increases and the retirement income system contracts, households face an enormous challenge in ensuring a secure retirement. Working longer is often hailed as the best way to increase retirement incomes. But some suggest that more work by older persons reduces the job...

Many workers eligible for 401(k) plans fail to par­ticipate and those who do participate often save too little. In response, policy experts have advocated auto-enrollment, in which employees are signed up at a default contribution rate unless they opt out. Over the past decade, a number of...

The stock market hovers around pre-crisis peaks, tax revenues have rebounded, and plan sponsors have raised employee contributions for all workers and/ or reduced benefits for new workers, yet the funded status of state and local pension plans have once again slipped. This result reflects slow...

The Social Security Trustees Report states that replacement rates for the medium earner rose from about 30 percent in the 1970s to 40 percent in the 1980s, where they remain today. However, the focus on individual earners is often misleading as many people work and retire as part of a married...