Pension plans hold their breath over PBGC’s final multi-employer aid rules

Whether a plan receives enough assistance to last 30 years depends on a confluence of factors, such as the plan’s contributions over that period and the amount of the plan’s special financial assistance assets relative to its assets. non-special financial assistance, Hicks said.

“I think there is concern that in some of these cases these plans will not meet the 2051 target, but I don’t think you can make a sweeping statement that all plans will fail or overshoot. of 2051,” Mr. Hicks said.

When it comes to calculating the amount of special financial assistance, the impact of rising interest rates is likely to be mitigated because a 24-month average of interest rates is used, Hicks explained.

Yet in a request Cheiron helped on and was approved for, Mr Kalwarski said: ‘We tried to get it as soon as possible so we could lock in the interest rate at the end of last year. and not letting interest rates this could increase in 2022 the impact and reduce the amount of special financial assistance.” Mr. Kalwarski declined to name the fund.

The PBGC has 120 days to decide on an application, which several sources say has not been a problem. Mr. Kalwarski also said that the application process was transparent and that the exchanges with the PBGC were positive.

There are about 1,220 multi-employer plans, and about 160 of them are expected to become insolvent over the next 20 years, Brenner said.

PBGC director Gordon Hartogensis said in a statement that the program will help about 3 million people who depend on these plans for their retirement security.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, praised the early success of the program in a statement. “People who had their benefits taken away through no fault of their own are cured, and others who were at risk of having their pensions cut are finally finding some peace of mind,” she said. “I’m working to make sure this progress continues and that the special financial assistance we’ve given under the US bailout helps as many people as possible, because the last thing anyone needs – especially when so many things cost more – is suddenly have less because they couldn’t count on the pension they worked so hard for.”

The special financial assistance program is helping many Americans, but more needs to be done, said House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, D-Va., in a press release. “I remain committed to adopting legislative solutions that will ensure that every worker has access to a secure retirement,” he said.

But while Democrats in Congress are happy with the program, Republicans continue their opposition. Representative Virginia Foxx, RN.C., a senior member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, called the special financial assistance program a “short-sighted exercise in futility,” in a statement. “Temporary support for failing multi-employer pension plans only turns the tide,” she said. “The aid requests, both approved and under review by PBGC, show that these plans will remain insolvent despite a massive injection of public funds. Democrats have a strong appetite to pump billions into a failing system. in the hope that something will miraculously change.They trick themselves into robbing taxpayers blindly.