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Category: In the News

  • In the NewsMay 18, 2023

    Retirement Benefit Changes Could Help Fix Alaska’s Teacher Retention Problem

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes that demonstrated way to keep teachers over their careers is to offer them a defined benefit (DB) pension. While there is a high degree of churn in the early years, as new teachers decide whether education is the right career for them, once teachers stay […]

  • In the NewsApril 27, 2023

    Closing Pensions For Public Workers Has Proven A Mistake

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes that state leaders have learned the hard way that ending pension benefits comes with little to be gained and a big price to pay. More specifically, states that shifted new employees from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution or cash balance plans experienced increased costs […]

  • In the NewsApril 24, 2023

    JP Morgan Analysis Says Corporate Defined Benefit Pension Plans Deserve A Fresh Look

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes Corporate retirement plan sponsors reevaluating their benefit packages have a variety of retirement products available to them, including defined benefit pension plans. In fact, some companies may already have an existing “frozen” or closed pension plan on their balance sheet. In fact, a JP Morgan […]

  • In the NewsMarch 27, 2023

    There’s A New Retirement Normal For Public Employees: Supplemental Savings

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes that one segment of the workforce has been on stable ground when it comes to retirement: the state and local government workforce. Today, the vast majority of state and local workers have a defined benefit (DB) pension, and nearly three-fourths of public employees participate in […]

  • In the NewsFebruary 22, 2023

    Do Americans Need A Retirement Reboot?

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan interview veteran financial journalist Mark Miller about his new book, Retirement Reboot: Commonsense Financial Strategies for Getting Back on Track . The book serves as a guide for the millions of Americans who just aren’t financially prepared for retirement. He offers insight on how to make […]

  • In the NewsJanuary 31, 2023

    Pension Income Bolstered A Struggling COVID-19 Economy

    In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes that during the unprecedented COVID-19 global health and economic crisis, pension funds remained a stable and reliable source of income for retirees. More specifically, pension plans paid out $612.6 billion in retirement income to nearly 25 million public and private sector retirees in communities across […]

  • In the NewsDecember 14, 2022

    False alarms distract from real retirement challenges

    In a Forbes column, Dan Doonan writes that despite economic challenges, public pension plans in the U.S. have remained resilient. In fact, many plans remain at their highest funded levels in years, even with more conservative investment return assumptions. The strength and resiliency of these retirement plans can be attributed, at least in part, to […]

  • In the NewsAugust 22, 2022

    Public Pension Benefits Support Small Towns Across America

    Public pension benefits provide a vital source of retirement security to the retired public employees who earned them during their years of public service. But the impact of public pension benefits goes beyond the retirees, spouses, and other beneficiaries of these plans. These benefit dollars also play a critical role in supporting local economies, especially […]

  • In the NewsJuly 1, 2022

    The Middle Class Is Missing Out On Retirement Savings

    Saving for retirement is one of the biggest financial challenges most working families will face. People are living longer, which means more years of retirement to pay for. Costs for healthcare and long-term care remain high. Meanwhile, incomes are being squeezed by higher inflation and rising costs for housing, college, and other major life expenses. […]