Tag: Defined Benefit

ERISA acroynm spelled out on a cardboard paper

How important was the 1974 legislation compared to other factors? This year is the 50th anniversary of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), so Yale Law School professor John Langbein’s recent article “ERISA’s Role in the Demise of Defined Benefit Pension Plans” seemed timely.  My view is that a lot of factors…

Exterior view of the French headquarters of IBM

Shifting company contributions from 401(k)s to cash balance plan won’t help the rank and file. In the recent sudden burst of enthusiasm for defined benefit (DB) plans, IBM has been at the center of the conversation.  Indeed, IBM is making changes to its retirement plans.  Starting in January 2024, IBM will end its 5-percent matching…