The policy option of extending mandatory Social Security coverage to newly hired uncovered state and local workers is often included in packages to eliminate the program’s financing shortfall. The arguments for mandatory coverage go beyond financial considerations, though, as extending...

A recent Issue in Brief projected that, under the most likely scenario, the aggregate funded ratio for state and local pension plans will increase from 73 percent in 2012 to 81 percent in 2016. The “optimistic” and “pessimistic” scenarios assume higher or lower, but also constant, rates...

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...

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 brief’s key findings are: The brief’s key findings are: *Since the financial crisis, 17 states have reduced, suspended, or eliminated cost-of-living-adjustments (COLAs) for public employee pensions. *This response was surprising as current employees and retirees tend to be legally...

The brief’s key findings are: *Private sector multiemployer pension plans, which are negotiated by a union with a group of employers, have become a focus of congressional interest. *Multiemployer plans have been hurt by an expansion of benefits during the 1990s and the twin financial crises...

Many state and local governments have responded to challenges facing their pension plans by cutting benefits. Will these cuts make it harder for state and local governments to recruit and retain high-quality workers? To date, the answer has been difficult to obtain; most micro-level datasets...

This study was undertaken in order to provide better insight into the dynamics of the life-cycle model and to develop a set of quantitative relationships that model the behaviour of macroeconomic aggregates. To begin, a microeconomic model was constructed which could, with a certain accuracy,...