The 10 Top Papers for US Pension Plans - 2018 H1

The Top 10 White Papers of 2018 H1 - for US Pension Plans

US Pension Plan sponsors have until 15 Sept to make pensions contributions and write them off at the 2017 corporate tax rate of 35% (before the new 21% rate comes into force).

But there's plenty more for corporate pension sponsors to think about, as the papers below demonstrate. The Savvy Content Team has selected this list from amongst the most viewed pensions papers of 2018 to date.

8 questions for the next 90 days: Prep for the U.S. pension deadline (Wellington, Jun 2018)

U.S. corporate plan sponsors have a lot on their minds. They have until September 15 to make plan contributions and be able to write them off at the 2017 corporate tax rate (35% vs the new 21% rate that will apply after the deadline). Many also have an opportunity to rethink their investment allocations, since funded ratios are now at the highest levels since the global financial crisis. In recent conversations with plan sponsors about these and other pressing issues, we’ve noted some common areas of inquiry. In this paper, we offer brief responses from LDI Team Co-Chairs Amy Trainor and Bill Cole.

Russell Investments Communiqué (US Pensions Issues, Summer 2018)

The latest issue of Russell's communiqué provides the firm's perspectives on current and emerging investment issues. Including articles on target-date funds (TDFs), OCIO arrangements, pensions governance and US DB tax reform.

2018 US Defined Contribution Trends Survey (Callan)

This survey was conducted by Callan in the fall of 2017. It incorporates responses from 152 plan sponsors, including both Callan clients and other organizations. The authors highlight key themes and findings from 2017 and expectations for 2018.

2018 US Corporate Pension Funding Study (Milliman)

The 2018 edition of the Milliman Corporate Pension Funding Study (PFS) is our 18th annual analysis of the financial disclosures of the 100 largest corporate defined benefit (DB) pension plan sponsors. These 100 companies are ranked highest to lowest by the value of their pension assets reported to the public, to shareholders, and to the U.S. federal agencies that have an interest in such disclosures.

DC Pensions: How Re-enrollment Can Help Plan Participants and Sponsors (AB, 2017)

(For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in the Americas and the Carribbean)

It isn’t easy to persuade DC plan participants to control of their asset-allocation decisions. While some are actively involved in choosing investments for their account, many don’t make the best choices—and some make no choices at all.

Exploring the Plan Ecosystem: the case for custom target date solutions (SSGA)

Off-the-shelf TDFs offer a convenient and cost effective solution for retirement saving that works well for most participants and employers. However, in conversations with plan sponsors across the globe, we have found that some plan sponsors feel that their plan has unique features that require a customized solution. In this paper, we describe our process for evaluating whether a custom approach is appropriate for a client. In addition to the mathematical modeling of the target date glidepath, our customization analysis includes a deep dive into the retirement ecosystem – the benefits structure, participant demographics and the plan sponsor’s investment philosophy.

2018 Guide to U.S. Retirement (JP Morgan AM)

This 49-page report by JP Morgan Asset Management provides a helpful look into the U.S. retirement and savings landscape.

American Views on Defined Contribution Plan Saving, 2017 (ICI)

With millions of US households personally directing their retirement savings, the Investment Company Institute (ICI) has sought to track retirement savers’ actions and sentiment. This report, the 10th in this series, summarizes results from a survey of American adults, weighted to be representative of US households by age, income, region, and education level. The survey was designed by ICI research staff and administered by the GfK Group using the KnowledgePanel?, a proprietary, probability-based web panel. This report presents survey results that reflect households’ responses collected during December 2017.

Currency Hedging in Target Retirement Strategies (SSGA)

In this paper, SSGA experts discuss hedging foreign currency exposure within target date funds for US pension plans.

Understanding and Managing Post-Retirement Risks (Society of Actuaries, 2018)

The Society of Actuaries has recently put together an extensive body of research on post-retirement risks and issues. This report has been authored by Anna Rappaport, Chair of the Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew Perrins is a former Actuary and Asset Allocator. as an Actuary, he worked for 15 years in, serving as Director of Asset Allocation for Abbey Life Chase Manhattan, before setting out on a more entrepreneurial path. 

To contact him, email [email protected]