June Brings Rebound for Pension Index
July 8, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The Towers Watson Pension Index shows a 1.2% increase in the funded status of defined benefit (DB) plans during June, resulting in an...
Administration
S&P 1500 Pension Deficit Improves in June
July 8, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The funding for defined benefit (DB) retirement plans sponsored by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 1500 companies showed a slight improvement during June, according...
New Mortality Tables Will Impact Pension Plan Management
July 3, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Wilshire Consulting estimates defined benefit pension plan liabilities will increase between 3% and 8% in total for most plans when they move to...
Banks Ask to Continue as Pension Asset Managers
July 3, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – BNP Paribas and Credit Suisse, which have each pled guilty to U.S. criminal charges, are asking to be able to keep managing U.S....
DB Plan Liabilities Declined in June
July 2, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The funded status of corporate defined benefit (DB) plans in the United States increased to 92% during June, with liabilities decreasing 0.2% during...
ABC Says PBGC Report Shows Premium Increase Not Needed
July 1, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A report from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) provides evidence premium increases are not needed, said American Benefits Council President James A....
Using Hedge Funds to Improve LDI Strategy
June 30, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Plan sponsors should reconsider how to think about the growth portfolio in a liability-driven investing (LDI) strategy, Jeremy M. Kish of TeamCo Advisers...
Making Sure Plan Fees Are Reasonable
June 27, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – When it comes to retirement plan fees, recent regulatory changes and litigation have highlighted the importance of plan sponsors and fiduciaries ensuring that...
Target-Date Fund Fees Decrease
June 27, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) — In 2013, target-date fund (TDF) fees declined, assets rose and new TDF series were introduced to the market.
Cost of Maintaining Pension Liabilities Level for May
June 27, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The economic cost of maintaining liability for a defined benefit (DB) pension plan in May remained level at 108.7% of the same liability,...
Dietrich Warns DB Sponsors Against Doing Nothing
June 26, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The relative attractiveness of annuitizing pension liabilities fell for the second month in a row, according to Dietrich & Associates, Inc.’s Pension Risk...
Ill. Teachers Pension Further Lowers Return Assumption
June 25, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) Board of Trustees lowered the fund’s assumed rate of investment return to 7.5% from 8%.
Dispelling Myths About Indexing
June 25, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The effectiveness of indexing as an investment strategy has clearly taken hold in the industry, as evidenced by the difference in cash flows...
Pension Liabilities, Deficits Increase in May
June 20, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The funded status of the largest defined benefit (DB) plans in the United States decreased in May, according to data from consulting and...
NJ Public Pension Fund to Take Governor to Court
June 20, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – New Jersey’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) has decided to take the state’s governor to court to stop reductions in pension payments.
Tenn. Law Requires Local Government Pension Funding
June 19, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed into law a bill that officials say is designed to ensure Tennessee local government entities fully pay...
NCR Offers Pension Lump Sums to Retirees
June 12, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – NCR Corporation is offering a second defined benefit plan lump-sum window—this time to retirees and beneficiaries already receiving monthly benefits.
DB Buyout Cost Ticks Up in April
June 11, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The cost of purchasing an annuity to cover defined benefit (DB) plan liabilities continues to tick up, while the cost of maintaining pension...
Diversity Can Benefit Investment Committees
June 11, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Plan investment committees could benefit from a greater diversity in membership, says a new paper from Vanguard.
Public Pension Funding Should Improve in 2014
June 10, 2014 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – A report about the funding of state and local pensions notes 2014 could be a pivotal year.