The Pension Book: What You Need to Know to Prepare for RetirementEvery pension plan has its fine print. Using case studies from the Pension Rights Center, Ferguson and Blackwell show what everyone in a private plan needs to know: how and when their pension will vest; how much their benefit will be; and whether it is adjusted for inflation. Is the plan overfunded or underfunded? Will it survive should the company change hands or go bankrupt? And what happens in the event of death or divorce? Each chapter tackling these subjects is followed by a "What to Do" section in which the authors demonstrate, point by point, how we can take charge of our retirement future. No retirement plan? You're not alone. Half of all Americans have no plan other than social security, and this venerable system - never intended to cover all retirement needs - typically pays people 40 percent of what they were earning when they worked. Or maybe you're in a do-it-yourself savings plan. Increasingly, employers are substituting these plans for traditional pensions. Again, Ferguson and Blackwell provide practical suggestions and reliable advice about the pros and cons of IRAs, 401(k)s, and the other tax-sheltered savings arrangements. |
Contents
Eaten Alive Inflation and pensions | 63 |
The Pension Piggy Bank Rules for | 83 |
The Pension Safety Net Underfunded | 107 |
The Largest Lump of Money in the World | 137 |
An American Dream Pensions | 219 |
The Pension Players How pension rules | 237 |
Foreword by Teresa Heinz ix ཙ ཋ བྷྲ | |
An American Dream Pensions | 3 |
Do It Yourself 167 | 167 |
Pots of Gold? The new savings plans 171 | 171 |
Stranded in Buckeye Rules for getting | 177 |
A FourLetter Word No plan at all 183 | 183 |
No More Fiddling 195 | 195 |
Making the Old Way Work Reform | 199 |
New Directions Reform proposals for | 208 |
Afterword 217 | 217 |
Pension Tension Pensions | 11 |
Winners and Losers 21 | 21 |
It Just Isnt Fair Rules for getting | 34 |
The Pension Safety Net Underfunded | 107 |
The Largest Lump of Money in the World 137 | 137 |
The Pension Players How pension rules | 155 |
Common terms and phrases
allowed American amount assets average Bill called Committee Congress contributions corporate cost court covered defined benefit plans early earnings economic employees ERISA example Executive federal five Form former give half House income increase individual interest investment issues Labor Department lawyer legislation less live managers means ment million month offer officers older owners paid participants PBGC Pension and Welfare pension benefits pension funds pension plans percent person plan's private pension problem profit proposal protection received reduced Reform reports Representative result retirement rules savings says Senator sharing social security Social Security Administration statement Street terminated tion told trustees union vesting vote Washington widows women workers