Pension Problems

Across the country businesses are failing. In some cases the straw that broke, or is breaking, the proverbial camel's financial back is their defined benefit pension plan. Do a Google search and see how many references pop up regarding pension plans and company failures.

I've written about Fayette County's vote to enact a defined benefit plan for their 600 plus employees before and most are aware of the problems the county is dropping into our laps. At a time when everyone else in the country is scrambling to try and fix their nightmare plans, at a time when tax revenues are down and everyone is trying to figure out how to afford to buy groceries, our "leaders" are giving away our future.

Sure, it'll start out fine, but the guys who are mortgaging the future of our county will have moved on by the time the fiasco hits our pocketbooks. The employees who sat on the committee that studied the feasibility of implementing a defined benefit plan will be retired and living off our tax dollars.

Every time I mention a DB plan to a financial planner and even to those who sell the product, they are horrified that our county will soon have that type plan. When I show them the comments made by Interim (still?) County Manager Jack Krakeel and Commissioner Jack Smith, they laugh. Everyone says exactly the same things they've said and everyone of the plans ultimately causes a huge financial burden on those paying for the plan.

The County has a wonderful plan in place that takes good care of the employees, especially those who are wise with their planning.

Why am I ranting about this one again? Well, the County is getting ready to finalize which plan they'll put into place AND I just received the following communication:

Isakson, Chambliss Urge Delta Air Lines, Pilots’ Union to Reconsider Termination of Retired Pilots’ Pensions

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today sent
a letter to Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson and Captain Lee Moak, Chairman
of the Delta Air Lines Master Executive Council, urging them to reconsider a
proposal to make a voluntary contribution to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation for the benefit of retired Delta pilots and to work toward finding a
solution that protects the earned benefits of employees and retirees alike.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr.
Anderson and Captain Moak:

As you know, we worked tirelessly on behalf of the Delta employees, retirees, and their families to pass into law provisions allowing airlines to spread their pension plan funding over a more manageable schedule. We did this to protect the 91,000 Delta Air Lines pensioners and family members in Georgia from losing their pensions and to help protect American taxpayers from having to pay for those airline pensions.

We understand that over 5,500 retired Delta pilots have had their retirement plan terminated and turned over to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Our understanding is that a majority of retired Delta pilots receive only a small percentage of the monthly retirement benefit they earned while employees of Delta. We are also told that a number of retired pilots receive zero benefit from the PBGC, and many more get a monthly PBGC payment that equals half or less than half of their Social Security benefit check. Finally, we are told that Delta will be assuming the pension liabilities for over 30,000 Northwest employees and retirees.

A group representing thousands of retired pilots recently sent a proposal to you, Mr. Anderson, asking Delta to make a voluntary contribution to the PBGC that would partially correct this issue. They also raised the issue at the September 25, 2008 shareholders meeting. As proponents of legislation designed to save these pensions, we were disappointed to hear that the response from Delta at that meeting was that this was considered a closed issue.

We urge you both to reconsider your positions, and to work towards finding a solution that protects the earned benefits of all employees and retirees. We appreciate your attention to this matter, stand ready to assist you in any way possible, and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson

United States Senator
Saxby Chambliss
United States Senator

Argentina Nationalizes Pensions

Argentina's pension takeover plan scares global markets
By Fiona Ortiz
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's surprise plan to
nationalize its private pension system caused chaos in local markets and spread
gloom to other emerging markets on Wednesday as investors read it as a desperate
government move to stave off default...
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSTRE49L5ZX20081022

My husband is retired military. We've discussed the future on many occasions but have felt fairly secure given the decisions he's made regarding the future. We've felt somewhat "safe" in this volatile market knowing at a minimum we had his pension.

The news this morning that Argentina was planning to grab $30 billion in pension funds sent chills down my spine. When times get tough, our governments "use" the situation to justify actions and the people are helpless to stop it in most cases.

I don't think at this point that our pensions are truly at risk, at least those of the military and of companies who've made wise decisions and funded those plans. However, it's not an impossible scenario, and it's not one I'd have ever considered until now when we're going through this economic crisis.

I am concerned about what will happen if Barack Obama is elected. We will have a majority Democratic House and Senate, a Democrat in the White House who has already told us what his criteria is for Supreme Court picks. It's not only the Supreme Court that is affected by this clean sweep at the top of our government, it's the lesser courts also.

While I consider myself a conservative and will be voting for McCain-Palin, I will admit I would be just as concerned if we were getting ready to put in a Republican President with a full Republican House and Senate.

Our country is one that works because of the checks and balances we set in place many long years ago. Having one Party in complete control is a recipe for disaster.

If you think what is happening in the third world countries and elsewhere around the world can't happen here in our wonderful country, think again. It's a slippery slope and many are making their choice for President based on the sense of false security that our country will remain a free democracy. Many are basing their vote on who is going to give them the most.

Your vote is a very precious gift and I hope that things like race, rhetoric and the current temporary economic situation doesn't cause you to punch a button that leads our country in the wrong direction.

Defined Benefits... Pension Woes...

Across the country governments are having major, major problems with their defined benefit pension plans. They are running from them like they are killer bees swarming. Not so in Fayette County. Our "leaders" voted to implement a plan. Yep, they are building hives to house the bees. The taxpayers are the ones who will someday feel the mighty stings.

Here's some more buzz on defined benefit woes:

Pension Dissension
FASB gets an earful as CFOs protest key details of pension-accounting reform.
Russ Banham, CFO MagazineAugust 1, 2006
Companies generally pride themselves on being forward-looking, but many are balking at the idea of looking ahead to future pension obligations and affixing a firm price tag on today's balance sheet. That has emerged as the biggest, but by no means only, bone of contention as companies, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, Congress, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and others grapple with pension-accounting reform.

Commentary: The Funding Crisis in Municipal Pensions
http://www.contingencies.org/mayjun06/commentary_0506.asp
Excerpt:
"Unfortunately, many municipalities in America face the consequences of underfunded pension plans, escalating benefit costs, and reduced income on investments. It's a situation that must be addressed immediately, before a crisis ensues."

San Diego/city: Little-Known Pension Problem Is Brewing and Will Soon Reach a Boiling Point (column)

$300 BILLION IN UNDERFUNDING – The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation reports that underfunding of U.S. pension plans has reached about $300 billion. Falling stock prices have increased the shortfall from the "low $100 billion" just a year ago. The Treasury is expected to issue proposed regulations allowing employers to convert defined benefit pension plans to cash balance plans. The AARP retiree's lobby is keeping a close watch to try to insure older workers don't get short changed in these transactions.

Lifting the Lid: Alaska case may spur more state pensions to sue
BOSTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Alaska's $1.8 billion lawsuit against Mercer accusing the consulting firm of pension calculation errors sets the stage for a showdown between U.S. government retirement funds and private service providers.

You really should read the articles if you have an interest in seeing what the future of our county may be. In particular, the last article, "Lifting the Lid" is going to have major repercussions on the future of pension plans depending on the outcome. One "defense" that Mercer touted is that employees retiring earlier than expected caused a shortfall in funds.

Now here in Fayette County, we have a LOT of employees who are looking forward to retirement. In fact, most, if not all, of the employees on the committee studying defined benefits are in spitting distance of retirement.

There are well over 700 employees currently working for the county in some capacity. How can anyone logically calculate how many of those will opt to retire in any given year. I know there are "models," but as I read the articles on DB problems, over and over I see them whining that more people retired than they expected. Take a look at the problems across the country and tell me the sales folks knew what they were talking about as they spouted numbers.

I heard, but don't know for a fact as the final plans haven't been completed, that county employees will be vested after five years of employment with the county. What that means is that someone who works for the county for five years, then moves on, will be collecting retirement from the county when they hit age 55, 60 or 65 depending on how they structure the plan.

As the county grows, taxes are going to become more of a problem. We're a bedroom community. We don't have an interstate running through here to make this a highly attractive place for industry to locate. As the county grows, there will be more people working for the county. Although they've touted the DB plan as something that will help attract and keep employees, most don't really start thinking retirement until they're in their later working years. We're going to have turnover. We're going to be paying out more and more for retirement. We're going to be just like any other county, state or business who is underfunding their retirement. We're going to have huge problems down the road.

The problem is that the guys who are building that bee hive will have filled their jars with honey and moved on. Some of them will be living on the retirement Fayette County taxpayers are funding. Yep, the Commissioners will be eligible for the self-same retirement as county employees if they stick around for a second term. I don't begrudge them a retirement, I don't begrudge any of the county employees a good retirement. They had an award winning plan in place that wasn't going to stick us with a huge bill somewhere down the road.

In every city, county, state and business where the DB plans are in trouble it's not just the taxpayers who hurt, the employees suffer, too. They face reduced benefits or even no benefits in some cases.

I keep coming back to the million dollar question (and the tab will be higher than a million over time): WHY?