Defined Benefit

The official blog of the National Public Pension Coalition

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  • A Win for Pensions in South Carolina!

    Victory in South Carolina! Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill increasing contributions to the state pension fund. While this is an important step towards improving the health of the fund, the cause for celebration is the part of…

  • 160 Years of Public Pensions in the United States

    Public pensions are not a recent creation. In fact, the earliest public pension in the United States was established over 150 years ago for police officers in New York City. We covered the history of public pensions in our recent…

  • Attention Michigan: Closing a Pension System is Never a Good Idea
    Michigan Pensions Protest

    Is anyone else experiencing some serious deja vu? Michigan Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof has been tossing around the idea of closing the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) pension plan and moving new hires to a defined contribution…

  • This Week in Pensions: April 21, 2017

    Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Pensions! As we do most weeks, we have gathered the top stories about pensions and retirement security from the previous week. This is the news you need to know in the…

  • This Week in Pensions: April 13, 2017

    Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Pensions! As we do most weeks, we have gathered the best stories about pensions and retirement security from the previous week. This is the news you need to know in the…

  • Special Interest Groups And Your Pension: What You Need To Know

    Long-time readers of Defined Benefit are familiar with John Arnold, the money behind many attacks on public pensions. Loyal readers have also heard about the Pew Research Center, which uses Arnold’s money to promote flawed anti-pension research, and the Retirement…

  • “It was a disaster”: Garry Lynne Shearer’s Story

    When a state closes a public pension system, the consequences are widely felt. Unfunded liabilities skyrocket and plan costs rise. Defined contribution 401(k) plans cost 91% more than pensions, with the burden falling on taxpayers. No one feels these consequences…

  • National Retirement Planning Week

    This week is National Retirement Planning Week.  During this week, the financial services industry encourages Americans to focus on setting aside what they’ll ultimately need for a secure retirement.  Unfortunately, many Americans will only be able to save for retirement…

  • This Week in Pensions: April 1, 2017

    Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Pensions! Today may be April Fool’s Day, but we’re no fools when it comes to retirement security. Pensions continue to provide the most secure retirement for working families.  In case you…

  • Cesar Chavez: Pension Pioneer

    Today we commemorate the life and achievements of Cesar Chavez – one of our country’s preeminent social justice champions. Born on March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, Chavez spent his life fighting for better treatment, fair pay and improved working…

  • Pensions are Still Important for Oklahoma Teachers

    For school districts, fire departments, and other government entities across the nation, public pensions are an important tool for recruiting and retaining high-quality public employees. In Oklahoma, defined benefit pensions for teachers are especially valuable given the ongoing teacher shortage…