Description: Living beyond ones life expectancy poses many challenges. Among them are financial issues. Though there are products and strategies available that retirees could use to mitigate this financial risk they are seldom used. Reasons range from high cost, lack of awareness of the available options, and general underestimation of longevity risk. This paper poses the question as to whether the federal government can provide a solution to this potential problem in a fair and cost efficient manner. Ideas are presented as well as a discussion of the pros and cons of such a program concept.

Description: There is no silver bullet to improving retirement income outcomes for retirees. However, a combination of changes can be of significant value in addressing this overlooked issue. Although QLACs on the surface have potential value, they are not nearly as efficient as they could be. So far, employer plans have provided limited options for retirement income solutions. IRAs may not cost effectively serve the best interest of retirees. Employer plans should be encouraged to become retirement income providers and alternative approaches should be considered. The current prohibition on allowing plans to modify benefit payouts based on mortality experience should be reconsidered to allow for innovative plan income designs. Improvements to the deaccumulation stage of the retiree nest egg are challenging yet necessary.

Description: The traditional defined-benefit (DB) plan is a type of plan structured to provide the greatest degree of retirement income security, designed to pay out a guaranteed retirement income for the life of the retiree (and, when applicable, a beneficiary). However, over the last several decades, the number of private-sector employees covered under these traditional plans has decreased dramatically and been replaced by defined contribution (DC) plans. In contrast, public-sector retirement plans, which are exempt from ERISA, have seen a much smaller decline in DB plans. There are many differences in the private and public sector that likely contributed to this phenomenon, but ERISA and the many amendments to it has been a major factor.

Description: Papers: Retirement Strategy Metrics – Mark Shemtob, FSA, MAAA, EA, MSPA, FCA A Review of the Demography of Retirement in the United States – Jacob S. Siegel

Description: Review of paper describing Collective Defined Contribution Plans. the elimination of traditional pensions by many companies have left employees without easy access to reliable retirement income Collective Defined Contribution plans which are used to a small extent in the US but more broadly used elsewhere offer an option for consideration.

Description: This is the Retirement Strategy Metrics paper authored by Mark Shemtob for Session 2B of the January 13-15, 2020 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: Though some defined contribution plans have added retirement income options in the form of annuities, there is a challenge to retirees in deciding whether to select such options and if so the amount to purchase. This article discusses a variety of considerations that retirees should be aware of when making a decision to annuitize.

Description: This is the Retirement Strategy Metrics abstract authored by Mark Shemtob for Session 2B of the January 13-15, 2020 Living to 100 Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Description: Defined benefit plans have been disappearing from the private sector retirement program landscape. 401k Plans that have taken their place are not designed to provide retiree lifetime income. Individuals seldom work for a single employer and thus have many retirement accounts spread about. This commentary discusses an alternative approach to providing retirement income a voluntary basis in a vehicle that is decoupled from employers.

Description: Collective Defined Contribution Plans offer an option in plan design that lies somewhere between defined benefit and defined contribution plans. This is achieved by fixing the contributions to the plan, but allowing benefits to fluctuate based on experience. This article provides a basic summary of how they can be structured. There are limitations to their use in the US, but are gaining in popularity elsewhere around the globe.