By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. There appears in today's WSJ an article titled, "Pensions' Bad Year Poised to Get Worse" . The writer of the article, Heather Gillers, references data from the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. You may recall that I wrote on May 3rd that rising US interest rates might just be the antidote needed to slow the demise of DB pension plans, as rising rates make...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. We are pleased to see an acceleration in the approval process for ARPA/SFA applications. As of Friday, May 6, 2022, 23 applications have now been approved by the PBGC. These 23 funds...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. There seems to be a school of thought evolving within SFA eligible multiemployer plans on how to invest the grant's proceeds. We are hearing that plan sponsors and their advisors will invest...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. As everyone knows, corporate defined benefit (DB) plans have been disappearing like the dinosaur. However, rising US interest rates following a 39-year bond bull market might just prove to be the antidote...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. A massive Blue Fin Tuna was caught off the coast of Florida a couple of days ago. The 832-pound tuna may prove to be a Florida state record, but it doesn't compare...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. I published a year-end post (actually December 27, 2021). Here was the concluding paragraph: So, in conclusion, 2021 was a terrific year for pensions. Now what? Given the improved funding and general...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. The start to 2022 hasn't been great unless you are a long-suffering Mets Fan - great 5-run rally in the 9th to win last night. But I digress. It has been a...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. In 1970, the Carpenters released the song "We've Only Just Begun", as part of the album "Close to You". I mention this because there are a couple of lines from the song...

By: Russ Kamp, Managing Director, Ryan ALM, Inc. Another week, and a little more progress. Happy to report that the PBGC approved three additional Priority Group 1 applications last week. The pensions systems receiving approval included, the Retirement Benefit Plan...