Pension Smoothing, Potholes and Pork

Generally I keep politics out of this blog. Then I heard about pension smoothing. It is the latest sleight of hand trick in government and don’t worry, it is equally loved by all political parties and even many labor unions. On the surface it appears to be a victimless maneuver only affecting the millions of people counting on a future pension payment from American companies. So, what is pension smoothing?

Simply put, pension smoothing allows companies to defer making mandatory contributions to defined benefit pensions plans in order to use that money for any reason they choose. Pension smoothing was added to a recent transportation bill that covers repairs to highways, bridges and subways saving the Highway Trust Fund from bankruptcy. Just to make the entire situation more complicated, in addition to funding the highway work, this bill also saves 700,000 American jobs.

Here’s the risk: To solve the short-term issues of maintaining the nation’s road infrastructure; companies do not have to fully fund their pension plans which may mean more plans won’t have the money to meet their obligations to pensioners later. According to a survey by Pensions & Investments, a money management newspaper, the largest 100 U. S. pension plans were underfunded by $122.3 billion in 2013 and that was an improvement!

Companies today put much of the retirement burden on the employees by focusing on 401(k) plans where workers cobble together a DIY strategy to save for the future. However, there are millions of employees counting on employer-paid defined benefit plan payouts for at least a portion of their wealth when they are too old to work. Pensions are in trouble as city and municipal workers in Detroit, Stockton, CA along with Pennsylvania school districts and other public employees across the country realize. Private sector pensions are no better as the retirees of Hostess Brands, who bring us Wonder Bread, Twinkies and other goodies, learned in 2012 when the company filed bankruptcy. The PBGC, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a government agency had to step in and rescue their plan.

The concept of the PBGC is itself an oxymoron. The same Congress that is encouraging companies to delay funding their pensions has a safety net for 44 million workers covered by defined-benefit private pension plans, the PBGC. When private sector firms cannot meet their liability, the PBGC pays an amount less than the company-promised benefit, but it is something. The problem is that in their July 3, 2014 annual report, the PBGC says it is “90% likely to run out of funds in 2025.” The biggest birth year of Baby Boomers will be 68-years-old in 2025 with plenty of life ahead of them, but maybe not as many job prospects.

The Early Retirement Myth

                           The Early Retirement Myth: Why I am Not Retiring Early
                                                    and Neither Are You

I have a friend named Fred who constantly asks me when I’m going to retire. This is simultaneously a compliment and it is annoying. It is a compliment because obviously Fred imagines as a single mom/head of household for nearly twenty years; I am financially savvy enough to make the numbers lineup to retire at age 55. It is equally annoying because:

(a) The numbers are FAR from lining up despite my best efforts

(b) I enjoy working and the social engagement that comes from interacting with others

(c) With my genes I could easily outlive the Institute of Medicine’s forecast for U.S. women’s life expectancy of 80-85. My grandma died at home in her sleep at 104 of no particular disease and other family members are living well past IOM’s predicted expiration date

(d) All of the Above.

At forty-three years old, Fred has a rockin’ career, 2.0 young children, a wife, suburban home and seems to be on the trajectory to “Dream Street.” He assures me when he’s my age—he’s closing his office door for a life of 24/7/365 leisure. With a 401(k) approaching seven figures, Fred thinks his future is going to be an endless vacation. This is the point when I bring out the stick pin to burst the bubble of Fred’s Early Retirement Fantasy. If you are reading this in your 40s (and I know some 20s & 30-somethings read this blog even though I tell them there are secrets spilled here you have to be at least 40 to comprehend), let me guarantee you this: Barring some extraordinary life event, 99% of employees and business owners will not retire by choice at 55. There is a good reason for this. Fred, take notes.

Most of the people who talk about early retirement only focus on the financial aspects. From researching and interviewing people who have retired well and marginally before starting this blog; the happiest retirees approach leaving work from a holistic perspective. If you aspire to the traditional 3G retirement lifestyle of Golf, Grandkids and General Practitioner with no extra revenue being earned; it is very expensive. In 2012, according to Fidelity Investments, a 65-year-old couple is estimated to need $240,000 to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by the Medicare plan in place today. Imagine carrying the weight of all your family's health care needs on your broad shoulders at 55—you might even still have kids in college!

When I was consulting a financial planner in the roaring 1990s—she said I would only need 70-80% of my income when I retired. What did she expect me to give up? Driving? As I was shredding her proposal a few nights ago, I realized her projections were before Starbucks, iPhones and DirectTV were even in my budget. Anyway, the retired people I interviewed said in the early years of their retirement, they spent much more than when they were working. Many retirees wanted to travel and never had time when they were employed full-time. Other retirees found time to indulge in hobbies and it cost money to pursue these activities—even gardening can become pricey. You have your first grandchild and lose your mind buying “stuff” even the most boring grandparent will donate money to their namesake’s College 529 plan. Uber-cool grandparents splurge on the $$ (not available in stores) 6V Hello Kitty Quad ATV scoring it on eBay.

It doesn’t matter how much is in your 401(k) in 2013 or if your company is the rare one with a defined benefit pension plan. At fifty-five you’re walking away without the full company benefit that kicks in at 62 or 65 anyway. If Fred thinks he can retire at 55 and then cruise into Social Security with a reduced benefit at 62—oh please! When he turns fifty and joins AARP their website will warn him of the folly associated with that strategy. Claiming social security benefits early is the right choice for only certain situations. Still not convinced? In Part II we’ll cover that other non-financial reasons, you may want to nix the early retirement idea and think again. Forward this to someone!