Understanding Defined Benefit Plans

如果你像许多美国人一样，你可能有一个雇主赞助的退休计划.  This is the third article in a three-part series about the basics of 401k, 403b, and Defined Benefit Plans.

你可能会指望固定收益计划中的资金来帮助你实现舒适的生活 退休. Often referred to as traditional pension plans, defined benefit plans promise to pay you a specified amount at 退休.

帮助您了解固定收益计划在您的退休储蓄策略中可能扮演的角色, here’s a look at some basic plan attributes. 但是自从 雇主的计划 有一点不同, you’ll need to read the summary plan description, 或社会民主党, provided by your company to find out the details of your own plan.

What are defined benefit plans?

Defined benefit plans are qualified employer-sponsored 退休 plans. Like other qualified plans, they offer tax incentives both to employers and to participating employees. For example, your employer can generally deduct contributions made to the plan. 在你开始从该计划中获得分配(通常是在退休期间)之前，你通常不需要为这些捐款纳税。. 然而, these tax incentives come with strings attached–all qualified plans, including defined benefit plans, 必须遵守1974年《365asia亚洲官网》(ERISA)和《bet36365线路检测中心》(Internal Revenue Code)下的一套复杂规则吗.

How do defined benefit plans work?

A defined benefit plan guarantees you a certain benefit when you retire. How much you receive generally depends on factors such as your salary, 年龄, and years of service with the company.

每年, 养老金精算师计算计划中预计将支付的未来福利，并最终确定金额, 如果有任何, needs to be contributed to the plan to fund that projected benefit payout. Employers are normally the only contributors to the plan. 但固定收益计划可能会要求员工向该计划缴费，尽管这种情况并不常见.

你可能需要工作一定的年限，才有永久的退休福利. This is generally referred to as “vesting.” If you leave your job before you fully vest in an employer’s defined benefit plan, you won’t get full 退休 benefits from the plan.

How are 退休 benefits calculated?

Retirement benefits under a defined benefit plan are based on a formula. 这个公式可以为你为雇主工作的每一年提供一个固定的金额, or it can provide for a specified percent年龄 of earnings. 许多计划通过平均雇员在工作的最后几年(或几年)的收入来计算雇员的退休福利, 另外, averaging an employee’s earnings for his or her entire career), taking a specified percent年龄 of the aver年龄, and then multiplying it by the employee’s number of years of service.

注意:许多固定收益养老金计划公式也会根据你期望获得的社会保障福利金额的百分比减少养老金福利.

How will 退休 benefits be paid?

许多固定收益计划允许你选择你想要的福利支付方式. Payment options commonly offered include:

• A single life annuity: You receive a fixed monthly benefit until you die; after you die, no further payments are made to your survivors.
• A qualified joint and survivor annuity: You receive a fixed monthly benefit until you die; after you die, 你未亡的配偶将继续领取福利金(至少相当于你福利金的50%)，直到他或她去世.
• A lump-sum payment: You receive the entire value of your plan in a lump sum; no further payments will be made to you or your survivors.

选择正确的付款方式很重要，因为你选择的方式会影响你最终获得的收益. You’ll want to consider all of your options carefully, and compare the benefit payment amounts under each option. Because so much may hinge on this decision, you may want to discuss your options with a financial advisor.

What are some advant年龄s offered by defined benefit plans?

• Defined benefit plans can be a major source of 退休 income. They’re generally designed to replace a certain percent年龄 (e.g., 70 percent) of your pre退休 income when combined with Social Security.
• Benefits do not hinge on the performance of underlying investments, so you know ahead of time how much you can expect to receive at 退休.
• 大多数福利都是由联邦政府通过养老金福利保证公司(PBGC)保证达到一定的年度最高限额。.

How do defined benefit plans differ from defined contribution plans?

虽然这很容易做到, don’t confuse a defined benefit plan with another type of qualified 退休 plan, the defined contribution plan (e.g., 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan). 顾名思义，固定收益计划侧重于支付的最终收益. 你的雇主承诺在你退休时支付一定的金额，并有责任确保计划中有足够的资金最终支付这笔金额, even if plan investments don’t perform well.

相比之下，固定缴款计划主要侧重于向该计划提供的当期缴款. 您的计划规定了您每年有权获得的供款金额(由您或您的雇主提供的供款), but your employer is not obligated to pay you a specified amount at 退休. 而不是, 你退休时收到的金额将取决于你选择的投资以及这些投资的表现.

Some employers offer hybrid plans. 混合计划包括固定收益计划，它具有固定缴款计划的许多特点. One of the most popular forms of a hybrid plan is the cash balance plan.

What are cash balance plans?

现金余额计划是固定收益计划，在很多方面类似于固定缴款计划. Like defined benefit plans, 他们有义务在退休时付给你一定数额的钱，并由联邦政府提供保险. 但他们也提供了一个最熟悉的固定缴款计划的特点:退休基金在个人账户中积累(在这种情况下), 假设的说法).

This allows you to easily track how much 退休 benefit you have accrued. And your benefit is portable. If you leave your employer, 一般而言，你可选择领取你既得户口余额的一次过分配. 这些资金可以转到个人退休账户(IRA)或新雇主的退休计划中.

你现在该做什么

It’s never too early to start planning for 退休. 你的退休金收入, along with Social Security, 个人储蓄, 投资收益, can help you realize your dream of living well in 退休.

首先要弄清楚当你退休时，你可以从固定收益计划中得到多少钱. Your employer will send you this information every year. 但要仔细阅读细则. Estimates often assume that you’ll retire at 年龄 65 with a single life annuity. 如果你提前退休或领取联合年金和遗属年金，你每月的福利可能会少得多. 最后, remember that most defined benefit plans don’t offer cost-of-living adjustments, 因此，现在看起来慷慨的福利在未来当通货膨胀造成损失时可能会少得多.

下面是你可以做的其他一些事情来充分利用你的固定收益计划:

• Read the summary plan description. 它提供了贵公司养老金计划的细节，包括重要信息, such as vesting requirements and payment options. 如果有任何不明白的地方，向您的计划管理员提出问题.
• 检查你的账户信息，确保你知道你有权享受什么福利. 定期这样做, checking your Social Security number, 出生日期, and the compensation used to calculate your benefits, since these are common sources of error.
• Notify your plan administrator of any life changes that may affect your benefits (e.g., marri年龄, divorce, death of a spouse).
• Keep track of the pension information for each company you’ve worked for. 确保你有养老金计划报表的复印件，准确反映你有权获得的福利金额.
• 注意变化. 雇主可以改变甚至终止养老金计划，但你会收到充足的通知. The key is, read all notices you receive.
• Assess the impact of changing jobs on your pension. Consider staying with one employer at least until you’re vested. Keep in mind that the longer you stay with one employer, the more you’re likely to receive at 退休.

最后，当你退休时，有固定收益计划，你有很多选择要权衡.  If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

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Please visit our prior two articles in this three-part series on 401 (k)基础知识 and 403(b) Basics for further reading.