Pension Risk News & Analysis : Pension Governance, LLC : Pension Risk & Investment

In today's edition, New York Times reporter Robert Pear describes a recent action by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") that gives employers free rein to cut back benefits for persons 65 and older. (See "Many Retirees May Lose Benefits From Employers.") The rationale seems to be that, once eligible for Medicare, senior workers should transition fully or partially out of private benefit programs because they are otherwise covered. Quoting EEOC Chair, Naomi C. Earp, the goal is to encourage plan sponsors to continue voluntarily providing and maintaining health benefits. Premiums deemed "too high" and the fact that people are living so much longer than ever before is creating havoc with corporate bottom lines. As a result, "many employers refuse to provide retiree health benefits or even to negotiate the issue." In some cases, if they are unable to contain costs for benefits offered to older workers, companies may decide to cut back altogether. This means that younger workers would be exposed - no employer provided coverage, no Medicare.

According to the December 26,2007 Federal Register, the new policy protects plan sponsors from legal threats of age discrimination in the event that they create a two-class benefits program. The "Appendix to Sec. 1625.32--Questions and Answers Regarding Coordination of Retiree Health Benefits With Medicare and State Health Benefits" provides additional information. The upshot is that employers now enjoy flexibility to (a) provide retiree healthcare benefits “only to those retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare" (b) modify, reduce or eliminate benefits upon an employee's 65th birthday and (c) decrease or eliminate health benefits for the spouse or children of a retiree of a certain age.  

How many companies rush to the door remains to be seen. As employers struggle to attract and retain good workers, including those with a bit of gray, providing or reinstating diminished benefits may come to pass. Only time will tell.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

According to its May 12, 2006 press release, Fidelity Investments expands its offering to deliver "defined benefit plan sponsors increased investment flexibility and greater access to and control of plan data to help them identify and mitigate financial and fiduciary risks."

In today's Investment News, reporter Kathie O'Donnell writes that Fidelity Investments will replace its traditional pension plan for over 30,000 participants and instead offer them a "retiree health reimbursement plan and a beefed up profit-sharing plan." O'Donnell adds that Fidelity's in-house studies suggest the need to address the health care gap, the company match will increase to 7% from 5% and profit-sharing contributions will continue.

For some reason, today's headline stood out, causing me to wonder. Might it make sense to ask pension advisors, consultants and money managers what plan(s) they offer to their employees and why?

• Print
• Comments (2)
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

As retirement plan losses mount, the inevitable finger pointing ensues. In a recent survey of visitors to this blog, an overwhelming 96 percent of people agree that a pension crisis looms large. What's interesting is that multiple parties are getting the blame, with the lion's share going to U.S. Congress, plan fiduciaries, pension consultants, governors, regulators and board members.

Here are the results so far.

"Assuming you think there is a pension crisis, who do you think is responsible?" (Respondents were allowed to pick more than one answer.)

Attorneys: 10 percent
Auditors: 14 percent
Board Members: 31 percent
Chief Executive Officers: 24 percent
Employees: 17 percent
Governors and Other State Officials: 31 percent
Money Managers: 10 percent
Pension Consultants: 34 percent
Plan Fiduciaries: 45 percent
Regulators: 38 percent
Retirees: 7 percent
Shareholders: 3 percent
Taxpayers: 7 percent
U.S. Congress: 41 percent
Honorable Mention: IRS, Unions, Actuaries

When asked who can fix things, U.S. Congress, board members, plan fiduciaries and regulators took the lead. Interestingly, while pension consultants and state legislators are cited as part of the problem, they are not given much credit for being part of the solution. Only 21 (18) percent of respondents pick pension consultants (state politicians) as likely rescuers. Perhaps this stems from a feeling that the "pension crisis" must be addressed at the top in terms of tax, financial and accounting incentives and constraints.

Regarding Social Security, 76 percent worry about a current crisis.

An eye-popping 96 percent of respondents agree that "most people are ill-equipped to invest their own money for retirement planning purposes". The sorry state of financial literacy has been discussed in several posts and countless articles elsewhere by investment pundits. Regulators are clearly concerned too. On April 11, IMF Director Hausler emphasized the exposure of retail investors to a wide array of complex risks, adding that a "low level of financial literacy, combined with extensive risk taking, is politically an explosive brew."

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

Valuation and risk professional Dr. Susan M. Mangiero, CFA, AVA, FRM will moderate a panel of esteemed retirement plan experts at the forthcoming 42nd annual meeting of the Eastern Finance Association at the Sheraton Society Hill in Philadelphia on April 20 from 10:15 a.m. to noon. (The hotel is located at 1 Dock Street in Philadelphia.)

Months away from sweeping Congressional reform and accounting standards that will dramatically impact the financial health of Corporate America, a diverse and seasoned panel of experts will talk about plan termination, 401K plan design, pension governance, fiduciary compliance, ERISA litigation trends, liability-driven investing and pension risk management with respect to shareholder value and employee productivity and morale. With over $10 trillion and 100 million plan participants at risk, conference producer Dr. John Finnerty describes this presentation as "an urgent call to our 850 financial members who are helping finance leaders, at all levels, grapple with the real challenges that post-retirement benefits present". Moderator Dr. Mangiero concurs. "CEOs and CFOs alike are quickly realizing how vulnerable they are to pension problems that can force rating downgrades, invite litigation and higher regulatory compliance costs, increase the cost of capital and otherwise impede corporate growth. For more than a few companies, pensions have become a veritable albatross."

Panelists include Mr. I. Lee Falk, Senior Counsel (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP), Mr. Wayne H. Miller, CEO (Denali Fiduciary Management), Mr. James V. Morris, Senior Vice President (SEI Global Institutional Group) and Mr. Norman Jackson, Deputy Regional Director (United States Department of Labor - Employee Benefits Security Administration's Philadelphia Regional Office).

The general public is invited. There is a nominal fee of $50, payable at the door. The Eastern Finance Association is a non-profit organization. Its members include college and university professors, officers of financial institutions and organizations, and others interested in finance and the objectives of the EFA. The Association sponsors The Financial Review, a journal that publishes original empirical, theoretical, and methodological research providing new insights into issues of importance in all areas of financial economics.

• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link