View source for User:Rebecca E. Harvey/United States defined benefit pension plan

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A '''defined benefit pension plan''' is a type of [[retirement plan]] in which an employer allocates specific amounts of money for participating, vested employees in a tax deferred account.<ref>Business Dictionary. ( n.d.). ''Definition of defined benefit plan''. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/defined-benefit-plan.html</ref> The plan is referred to as defined because the formula for calculating the amount contributed by an employer is known in advance. In the [[United States of America]], the monthly payment a retiree receives from a defined benefit plan (commonly referred to as a ''DB plan'') is not dependent on the success or failure of the [[portfolio]] in which the employer's contributions are invested.<ref>Financial Dictionary. (n.d.). ''Definition of Defined benefit plan''. Retreived from http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Defined-Benefit+Plan</ref> This characteristic places the entire liability of [[Financial system#Markets|market]] fluctuations and the particular portfolio's performance on the employer (or the ''plan sponsor''). 

The monthly payment that a participating employee receives is called their ''benefit''. It is traditionally calculated based on length of employment and terminal wages.<ref name=Investopedia>Investopedia. (n.d.). ''Definition of defined benefit pension plan''. Retreived from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/definedbenefitpensionplan.asp</ref> In some instances, the management level of a participant will also factor into the calculation. Because of the plan's tax-deferred status, there are restrictions on how early benefits can be received.<ref name=Investopedia /> The academic study of [[retirement]] is generally in the field of [[financial economics]], but it can also be examined in [[sociology]], [[political economics]], and the [[aging (social)|study of aging]].

==History of defined benefit pension plans==
 


==Eligibility==
To be eligible to receive benefits from a DB retirement plan in the United States, an [[employment|employee]] must first work for an employer who is offering the plan. Since the introduction of [[defined contribution plans]] (or ''DC plans'') in the 1980s, the number of defined benefit plans has shrunk considerably due to the decreased risk put on the employer by DC plans.<ref>CNN Money. (n.d.). ''Am I eligible for a defined benefit plan?'' Retreived from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/pensions_basics.moneymag/index6.htm</ref> Only about 10% of employees in the United States private sector have defined benefit plans, although 90% of state and local governments still offer the plans.<ref>CNN Money. (n.d.). ''Just how common are defined benefit plans?'' Retreived from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/pensions_basics.moneymag/index7.htm</ref><ref>CNN Money. (n.d.). ''What if I work for the government?'' Retreived from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/pensions_basics.moneymag/index8.htm</ref>

Once an employee is hired, they must meet participation requirements in order to join the plan. Requirements are often either one year of employment with the plan sponsor or 1000 hours of service (about half a year of full-time employment on a [[working time|40-hour work week]]).<ref name=indiv>Beacon Capital Management Advisors. (n.d.). ''Defined Benefit Plans FAQs''. Retreived from http://www.individual401k.com/defined_benefit_plans/faq.htm</ref>


==Calculation of defined benefit pension plans==

===Vesting===
:''See also [[Retirement|Vesting]]''
After joining, the employee (now a ''participant'') must become vested in the plan or else they will not receive benefits upon retirement. A vesting percentage determines how much of the calculated benefit a participant will receive once they retire. Employers in the United States are permitted by law to require a participant to work at least 5 years before becoming 100% vested.<ref name=whatyou>United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). ''What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan''. Retreived from http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/wyskapr.html</ref> However in a graduated vesting schedule, the employer may require 7 years for 100% vested, but they must permit lower percentages of vesting for lesser years of service (such as 60% vested after 4 years of service).<ref name=whatyou /> Once vested, a participant can terminate their employment at any time and still receive benefits at retirement.

===Calculation===
The plan sponsor, while working with an outside company that is administrating the plan, can choose to calculate participants' benefits in several ways. In every type of plan in the United States, the final calculation is multiplied by the percent that the participant is vested.<ref name=whatyou /> For example, if a participant did not meet the vesting requirements of their employer, then the final calculation is multiplied by 0%, resulting in no benefit. If a participant's vesting percentage is 60%, they would receive 60% of the calculated amount of benefit.

====Unit credit formula====
Benefits at retirement are determined by the years of service to the employer, either as a fixed percentage of compensation per year or as a flat-dollar amount per year.<ref name=waddell /> 

The former type (sometimes called ''final pay formula'') is the most prevalent [[mathematical formula|formula]] used and is typically based off the average of a participant's highest [[wage|earnings]] for 5 consecutive years in the last 10 years of service.<ref name=bls>United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). ''Payment Options under Retirement Plans''. Retreived from http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030409ar01p1.htm</ref> This average is then multiplied by each year of service worked and the total amount is the participant's account balance.

The second type is very rare and it adds a specified dollar amount to the account balance for every year of service.<ref name=bls />

====Fixed benefit formula====
The monthly benefit is determined by a fixed percentage of the participant's compensation.<ref name=waddell>Waddell and Reed Financial Advisors. (n.d.). ''Employer Contribution''. Retreived from http://www.waddell.com/personal_investors/products_retirement_sponsored.aspx</ref> The compensation is calculated as an average of a participant's earnings over all years worked at the company.<ref name=bls /> Fixed benefit formula is much less common than the unit credit formula.

====Flat benefit formula====
Monthly benefits are a flat-dollar amount for every participant regardless of service or compensation.<ref name=waddell />

===Early or late retirement===
 


==Payouts available==
 


==Management of defined benefit plans==

===Duties of a plan administrator===

===Investment strategies===
:''See also [[Investment]]''

===United States federal retirement laws===
:''See also [[United States federal retirement laws]]''

A participant must begin receiving payments from their DB plan by April 1 following the year in which they turn 70.5 years old, regardless of employment status at this time.<ref name=whatyou /> Specific plan sponsors may require their employees to begin receiving distributions before age 70.5 even if they have not yet retired.


==Advantages==
Participants in a DB plan have very little control over their benefit, which translates into very little responsibility required. In the United States, when employees are faced with making monthly investments, setting up employer-matching contributions, choosing which funds to invest in, and [[financial plan|planning]] out how much money is needed to support a retiree from retirement to [[death]] (which are all true for defined contribution plans), they often choose to do nothing or do too little.<ref name=CNNadv>CNN Money. (n.d.). ''What are the advantages of a defined benefit plan?'' Retreived from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/pensions_basics.moneymag/index9.htm</ref> 

DB plans are administered by an outside company and are funded by the plan sponsor, taking nearly all of the responsibility out of the hands of the participant. In a basic DB plan, the only actions required by a participant are filing initial paperwork to enter the plan, keeping their employer updated of [[postal address|address]] changes even after they leave the company, and choosing a type of monthly payout upon retirement.<ref name=whatyou />


==Criticisms==
Although the performance of the pension's portfolio does not affect payments made to retirees, some critics of defined benefit plans argue that participants should have a higher degree of control over the investments.<ref name=CNNDisat>CN Money. (n.d.). ''What are the disadvantages of a defined benefit plan?'' Retreived from http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/pensions_basics.moneymag/index10.htm</ref> The most common argument for more control is that participants can't invest more in their plans if they want to. If a DB participant desires a higher post-retirement payout, he or she must take out a separate [[IRA]] or [[defined contribution plan|401(k)]], if available.

DB plans require a participant to work for their employer for a set number of years in order to become vested in the plan, whereas retirement options such as defined contribution plans allow the participant to be 100% vested when they first open their plan.<ref name=whatyou />

Defined benefit plans also traditionally have no adjustments for [[inflation]] post-retirement.<ref name=CNNDisat /> If a retiree is receiving $400 per month for the rest of their life, this amount will not increase even if the [[price index]] increases, reducing the real value of the $400.


==Combination pension plans==

===Cash Balance Plan===

===Money Purchase Plan===
 


==References==
<references/>


==Notes and links==

===Related articles===
*[[Retirement]]
*[[Financial system]]
*[[Early retirement]]
*[[Financial economics]]
*[[Macroeconomics]]
*[[Defined contribution plan]]
*[[Federal retirement laws]]
*[[United States Department of Labor]]

===Further reading===

===Related external links===
*[http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/wyskapr.html What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan, United States Department of Labor]
*[http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030409ar01p1.htm Payment Options under Retirement Plans, United States Bureau of Labor Statistics]
*[http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/index.html Ultimate Guide to Retirement, CNN Money]