Fannie Mae Reduces Pension Benefits

Posted on December 8, 2007 by Susan Mangiero

According to the The WashBiz Blog, Fannie Mae employees are feeling the pension benefit pinch.

  • New employees will not  be eligible to join the pension plan.
  • Current employees will see their benefits frozen if their "age and years of employment total less than 45."
  • The company will "stop contributing to the ESOP (employee stock ownership plan).

In exchange, and similar to what many companies are doing, Fannie Mae will boost its support for a 401(k) plan. For those relying on more traditional offerings, get your letter to the North Pole fast. Click here to read the December 7, 2007 post.

While this may come as unwelcome news to some Fannie Mae employees, the flip side is that companies are trying to save money where they can, especially if it means being able to set the stage for renewed future growth.

This blog's author is not taking an advocacy position either way but simply pointing out the raging controversy as to which constituency fiduciaries are practically asked to serve. (Getting the advice of legal counsel is paramount for company decision-makers on these matters.) How should plan sponsors properly navigate the choppy waters? Companies need to attract and retain talent. At the same time, some (more than others) have no choice but to cut costs right away.

Our prediction is that this struggle between HR strategy and Treasury will be a major issue for 2008 and beyond.

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Freezing Pensions: Brrr!

Posted on August 26, 2006 by Susan Mangiero


Talking about defined benefit plans is a little like listening to the Beatles.

You say yes, I say no.
You say stop and I say go go go, oh no.
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.

While some advocate their use as a means to attract and retain employees, others intimate their inevitable demise. Either way, one thing is certain. More and more companies seem to favor plan freezes in order to cut costs.

Dow Jones Newswire reporter Steven D. Jones points out that the newly enacted Pension Protection Act of 2006 encourages freezes by compelling companies to fully fund their obligations within a prescribed period of time.

Whether a freeze is "soft" and shuts out new entrants or "hard" and also halts benefits from further accruing, current retirees are not typically impacted. On the other hand, people in the system could end up with less money when benefits are tied to time in the plan.

Even when companies are flush with cash, freezing may make sense. Retiree longevity comes with a hefty pricetag in terms of funded benefits. Moreover, forthcoming accounting rules will force disclosure of pension obligations onto the balance sheet, an unwelcome event for some, especially if it leads to loan covenant breach.

Even writing from a few sunny vacation days in Arizona, this author has to admit that the pension climate sometimes seems downright Arctic.

Jacket anyone?
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