In a Forbes column, NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan writes that defined benefit pensions are a reliable source of retirement income and remain extremely popular among workers today. Despite claims of their demise, DB pension plans are alive and well, paying benefits to 25 million people, holding $11.8 trillion in plan assets, and more than $600 billion in benefits paid annually to support seniors
Statement on Efforts in Alaska to Restore Pension Benefits to Address Grave Workforce Shortage
Alaska’s effort to restore a pension plan for public workers represents meaningful progress in addressing one of the state’s most pressing challenges: attracting and retaining a stable, experienced public workforce. While Governor Dunleavy has vetoed the legislation, the fact that the measure passed both the House and Senate demonstrates a growing recognition that retirement benefits are not just about retirement security — they also are an essential workforce management tool.