The Defined Benefit

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  • A Workingmen’s Holiday

    Labor Day: the unofficial end of summer. A last hurrah of vacations, barbecues, and pools close for the season. But the holiday is more than just a long weekend – it’s a day to commemorate the immense contributions of America’s…

  • There’s no question: workers want pensions
    Workers want pensions

    Traditional defined benefit pensions remain the most common retirement plan for public sector employees. 84 percent of state and local government employees have access to a pension. Increasingly, however, anti-pension ideologues say public employees should be given a choice between…

  • The Trump Administration Continues to Weaken Retirement Security
    Trump federal pensions

    As we’ve documented before, the Trump administration has taken multiple actions that will weaken the retirement security of working families. From attacking the pensions of federal employees to hindering the work of states to enact Secure Choice savings programs, the…

  • Attention Kentucky: Closing a Pension is Never a Good Idea

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it – and it’s prime time for Kentucky lawmakers to learn a history lesson. Kentucky’s public pension funds face very real challenges, caused by decades of underfunding on behalf…

  • The “Pension Crisis” is a Myth, Part Four
    The pension crisis is a myth

    Since the Great Recession in 2008, warnings of an impending pension crisis have been splashed across the business pages of newspapers across the country. Despite these boisterous decrees, America’s public pension funds are stable. We explore the roots behind the…

  • Public Pensions Remain the Best Option for Kentucky
    Public pensions Kentucky

    Today the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (KCEP) and the Keystone Research Center (KRC) released a new report on public pensions in Kentucky. The report, titled “Switch to 401k-Type Plan for Kentucky Public Employees Will Cause More Harm,” finds that…

  • Public Pensions FAQ

    In the fight to protect pensions, education is key. We’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions about public pensions. For more information on all things pension, check out our Glossary of Common Pension Terms. What is a pension? A…

  • The Fundamentals of Retirement Planning

    Nearly two-thirds of Americans can’t pass a rudimentary financial literacy test. This illiteracy extends to retirement: when quizzed on their retirement income knowledge, 80% of Americans ages 60-75 failed. Fortunately, in our increasingly digital age, the information needed to educate…

  • Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution: The Basics

    Many Americans believe that a retirement security crisis is looming. According to a recent survey, 88 percent of Americans agree that the nation faces a retirement crisis. Many Americans also believe that one of the benefits of a lifetime of…

  • Pew Misleads States By Pushing Cash Balance Plans
    Pew Research Center misleads states

    The Pew Charitable Trusts are a widely respected source of information on a great number of subjects. Pew provides objective, non-partisan analysis on issues ranging from religion & public life to the health of the oceans. Unfortunately, one division of…

  • The “Pension Crisis” is a Myth, Part Three
    The pension crisis is a myth

    Since the Great Recession in 2008, warnings of an impending pension crisis have been splashed across the business pages of newspapers across the country. Despite these boisterous decrees, America’s public pension funds are stable. We explore the roots behind the…

  • Public universities offer superior retirement for professors
    university professor retirement

    University professors are typically regarded as having one of the most desirable jobs in the country. Pay is usually high, benefits are good, and if they have tenure, then professors have excellent job security. Despite these benefits, professors still rely…