Private Pension System Faces Variety of Challenges

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Private Pension System Faces Variety of Challenges

  • In total, only about half the private labor force covered by pensions

  • Defined Benefit System

    • Long term decline in number of plans, active participants
    • Recent large plan terminations by bankrupt sponsors threaten solvency of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the federal agency that insures benefits
    • Stock market and interest rate declines reduced overall plan funding levels
    • Demographics and industry restructuring (steel, airlines) have contributed to both plan and corporate weakness