the case for pension relief
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The Case for Pension Relief. Presented by: Joseph A. LoCicero Harold S. Cooper July 16, 2014. Background. Main Multiemployer PPA Provisions of Pension Protection Act of 2006 Provided for zone status More rapid funding (15 years) Scheduled sunset – end of 2014 plan year - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Copyright © 2014 by The Segal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Case for Pension Relief
Presented by:
Joseph A. LoCiceroHarold S. Cooper
July 16, 2014
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Main Multiemployer PPA Provisions of Pension Protection Act of 2006· Provided for zone status· More rapid funding (15 years)· Scheduled sunset – end of 2014 plan year
Effect of Sunset· Plans in Yellow and Red Zones continue
with funding improvement and rehabilitation plans· Plans in Green Zone – lose options if funding deteriorates· Funding rules continue
Background
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Solutions not Bailouts· Assumed no government bailout· Considered financial challenges of PBGC multiemployer fund· Designed to preserve the multiemployer system with regular and reliable lifetime
retirement income· Reduce the financial risks to employers in order to keep them in the plans and in
order to attract new employers
Employer Concerns· Ability to borrow· FASB exposure· Withdrawal liability· Last man standing
Background
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NCCMP Benefit Suspension Proposal
Plan has taken all reasonable measures to improve funding
Plan is expected to become insolvent within:· 20 years if ratio of inactive participants to active participants exceeds 2 to 1· 15 years otherwise· Insolvency can be avoided if benefits are reduced but not below 110% of PBGC
guarantee
Central States example — Can pay out $72 billion in benefits over next 50 years with suspension, compared to $28 billion before insolvency without
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Based on participant’s benefit and years of service· Determine participant’s average benefit per year of service· Guarantee per year of service is:
– 100% of first $11 of benefit– 75% of next $33 of benefit– Benefits in excess of $44 are not covered– Maximum benefit is $35.75 per year of service
· Sample maximum guaranteed benefits:– 20 years: $715/month– 30 years: $1,072/month– 40 years: $1,430/month
PBGC Guaranteed Benefits
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Midwest area construction plan
Expected to become insolvent in 2028· Insolvency date has been delayed due to favorable
investment performance
Contribution level of $10 per hour· Limited increases in contribution rate
(was $9 in 2006)
Benefit accrual rate of $50 per year of service, reduced from $100 several years ago· Many other cutbacks made as part
of Rehabilitation Plan
Case Study
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Average benefit (not including beneficiaries) of $1,700 per month· For service pensions, average benefit is $2,900· 25% of pensioners have benefits in excess of $2,500· PBGC guaranteed benefit maximum is $1,430 or less
Total benefits paid are $40 million
Total contributions are $20 million· Net outflows of $20 million per year
Market value of assets is $164 million· Expected asset decline of $8 million per year
and accelerating
Retiree and Cash Flow Statistics
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Projected Plan Assets with no Changes
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Trustees asked: What is minimum reduction required across the board (actives, inactive vesteds and retirees) that would keep the plan from insolvency?· Approximately 10%· A few beneficiaries were affected by the 100% of PBGC guarantee requirement,
so the average reduction was 9.8%· Other issues not considered, such as limited reductions to older or low benefit
participants
Potential Benefit Suspension
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PBGC Guarantee would result in average benefit cut of nearly 50%, once the plan is insolvent
After suspension, benefits much better than PBGC guarantee· Example: Service pension about
$2,600 vs $1,100 guarantee· Average benefit with suspension is
80% higher than Guarantee
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Projected Plan Assets After Suspension
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65% of plans are in Green Zone1
There are “Shades of Green”· Almost 10% of Green Zone plans are expected to migrate
into the Yellow and Red Zone in the absence of actuarial gains or corrective actions by the Trustees, assuming continuation of PPA rules
· Although favorable experience would decrease the percentage, unfavorable investment results and/or employment declines could increase the percentage significantly
Face significant increase in PBGC premiums.
These plans need the current tools, along with the other tools proposed in Solutions not Bailouts
Green Zone Plans
1Segal Consulting’s Survey of Calendar Year Plans’ 2014 Zone Status, Spring 2014