Description: This study examines reductions in retirement benefits from the decline in defined benefit plans and increases in defined contribution plans during the past 20 years and what effect this has on workforce management. In particular how this change is affecting older workers’ decisions to retire and what effect this could have on companies. An underlying assumption implicit in evaluating the benefit of retirement of older workers is that productivity declines in old age while pay does not, leading to a pay productivity gap that could have an adverse effect on the employer from delayed retirement. The validity of this assumption was also examined.

Description: This session discussion was a primer on hybird pension plans, in particular cash balance plans and age weighted profit sharing plans. Included nondiscrimination issues, IRS issues and communication about the plans to participants.

Description: This material summarizes work done to date to develop a model for a quantitative evaluation framework for retirement benefit systems.