Pension Plans

Actuarial Accrued Liability: Understanding the Present Value of Earned Benefits
A comprehensive explanation of Actuarial Accrued Liability (AAL) which represents the present value of benefits earned by participants up to a specific point in time, including its types, significance, examples, and historical context.
Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS): Predecessor to FERS
An in-depth exploration of the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), its historical context, benefit structures, eligibility requirements, and its evolution into FERS.
Defined Benefit Plan: Guaranteed Retirement Benefits
A Defined Benefit Plan (DB Plan) provides a guaranteed retirement benefit based on an employee's salary and years of service. This type of pension plan offers a predictable income stream for retirees.
Defined-Benefit Scheme: Guarantees a Specific Retirement Benefit Amount
A detailed explanation of Defined-Benefit Schemes, which are retirement plans that promise a specified monthly benefit upon retirement, usually based on salary and years of service.
Pension Protection Act (PPA): Overview and Impact on Pension Plans
A comprehensive guide to the Pension Protection Act (PPA), its amendments to ERISA, and its implications for the funding of pension plans and protection of workers' benefits.
Pensioner: Understanding Retirement Benefits
A comprehensive guide to understanding the role and benefits of a pensioner in society, the types of pensions available, and the historical context of pension systems.
Projected Unit Credit Method: Actuarial Valuation Method
The Projected Unit Credit (PUC) Method is an actuarial valuation method that accounts for projected salary increases over the full working life of employees. It is widely used for determining pension obligations and expenses.
Qualified Plans: Retirement Plans That Meet ERISA Standards
A comprehensive guide to Qualified Plans, detailing their types, key events, benefits, rules, and more, with historical context, mathematical models, examples, and related terms.
Service Cost: The Present Value of Employee Benefits
The concept of Service Cost represents the present value of employee benefits earned in the current period within the context of defined benefit plans.
Superannuation: Retirement Payments and Contributions
An in-depth exploration of superannuation, its historical context, types, key events, mathematical models, importance, and applicability in financial planning.
Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL): Understanding Pension Plan Shortfalls
Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL) represents the gap between the actuarial accrued liability (AAL) of a pension plan and the value of its plan assets. This term is crucial in assessing the financial health of pension funds.
Allocated Benefits: Security in Defined-Benefit Pension Plans
Allocated benefits in a defined-benefit pension plan ensure guaranteed pensions for employees as premiums are received and paid up, securing their retirement even if the employer goes out of business.
Annuitize: Begin a Series of Payments from Accumulated Capital
Detailing the process of beginning a series of payments from the capital built up in an annuity with conditions on fixed amounts, periods, or lifetimes.
Balance Sheet Reserves: Definition and Importance
Balance Sheet Reserves refer to the amounts in pension plans expressed as a liability on the insurance company's balance sheet for benefits owed to policyowners. These reserves must be maintained according to strict actuarial formulas.
Cash Balance Pension Plan: Defined Benefit with Hypothetical Account
A comprehensive guide to understanding Cash Balance Pension Plans, a hybrid pension model that combines features of both defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
Deferred Retirement: Retirement After the Normal Age
Deferred retirement occurs when an individual continues working beyond the normal retirement age, typically 65 or 70, without increasing their monthly retirement income.
Defined-Contribution Pension Plan: Dynamic Retirement Savings
A Defined-Contribution Pension Plan is a retirement plan in which the amount of contributions is fixed, but the benefits vary based on investment performance. This article provides comprehensive details on types, benefits, examples, and comparisons with defined-benefit plans.
Enrolled Actuary: Authorized Pension Plan Professional
An Enrolled Actuary is a professional recognized by the IRS, whose signature is essential for IRS Form 5500 to confirm the tax compliance of a pension plan.
ERISA: Employee Retirement Income Security Act
A comprehensive act that establishes minimum standards for pension and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.
Fixed Benefits: Consistent Payment to a Beneficiary
Fixed Benefits refer to a payment made to a beneficiary that remains constant and does not vary over time. An example includes a fixed monthly retirement income benefit, such as $800 paid to a retired employee.
Past Service Benefit: Understanding Private Pension Plan Credits
Detailed overview of past service benefits, explaining how private pension plans credit employees for their service prior to the establishment of the pension plan. Learn the essentials, special considerations, examples, historical context, and related terms.
Prior Service Cost: Pension Plan Contributions for Previous Employment
A detailed examination of Prior Service Cost, the amount contributed for employee benefits under a pension plan for employment before a specified date.
Projected Benefit Obligation: Definition and Insights
Explore the actuarial valuation of projected benefit obligations in pension plans, considering future compensation levels and employee service to date, highlighting key concepts, formulas, and implications.
Self-Employment Retirement Plan: Keogh Plan
A Keogh Plan is a tax-deferred pension plan specifically designed for self-employed individuals and small business owners.
Understanding Actuarial Gain or Loss: Definition and Mechanisms
Explore the concept of actuarial gain or loss, the adjustments made to the assumptions used to value a corporation’s defined benefit pension plan obligations. Learn about its significance, how it works, and its impact on financial statements.
Overfunded Pension Plan: Definition, Mechanics, and Implications
A comprehensive exploration of overfunded pension plans, including their definition, operational mechanics, implications for organizations, and regulatory considerations.
Provident Fund: Definition, Function, and Role in Retirement Planning
A comprehensive guide to understanding Provident Funds, including their definition, functionality, and importance in retirement planning, similar to Social Security in the U.S.
Understanding Pension Plans: Types, Benefits, and Tax Implications
A detailed exploration of pension plans, including defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans, their advantages, and the tax implications for retirees.
Voluntary Plan Termination: Definition, Process, and Regulations
A comprehensive exploration of voluntary plan termination, focusing on its definition, process, and applicable regulations according to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, section 4041.

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