Ryan ALM
Blog
ARPA Updated as of March 6, 2026
The uncertainty surrounding the Iran invasion and the impact that it is already having on the U.S. consumer is disconcerting. However, it is comforting to know that the PBGC continues to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the implementation of the ARPA...
DB Pension Plan "Absolute Truths" Revisited
This post may be familiar to some of you, as I originally published it in October 2024. Given today's great uncertainty related to geopolitics, markets, and the economy, I thought it relevant to share once again. Please don't hesitate to...
Milliman: Corporate Pension Funding now at 109.4%
Milliman has released the latest monthly report on the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index (PFI). As a reminder, this index analyzes the 100 largest U.S. corporate pension plans. For February, the PFI funded ratio rose from 109.1% as of January...
Here's Another Example - Why, Oh Why?
In October 2022, I wrote the following: "I believe that we have overcomplicated the management of DB pension plans. If the primary objective is to fund the promised benefits in a cost-efficient manner and with prudent risk, why do we...
Eliminate the Uncertainty
There are many benefits to using Cash Flow Matching (CFM) for your pension plan, endowment or foundation. The obvious benefit is the liquidity that is created to meet ongoing expenditures, whether benefit payments or grants. That liquidity comes at a...
ARPA Update as of February 27, 2026
Welcome to March and all the "madness" that comes with it! Regarding ARPA and the PBGC's implementation of this critical pension legislation, last week proved to be fairly quiet, and I imagine it will continue to be so, as the...
Oh, Canada!
There were significant trade developments announced yesterday between the U.S. and Canada, which don't seem to be getting the attention that they deserve. I wish that these developments were driven by Canada in retaliation for both the women's and men's...
New Jersey's Pension System's "High" Investment Return
As a taxpaying resident in New Jersey and a huge supporter of defined benefit plans who has a daughter in the system, I was happy to read that NJ's pension systems generated strong investment returns in fiscal year 2025, reporting...
ARPA Update as of February 20, 2026
Good morning and welcome to another update related to the PBGC's implementation of the ARPA pension legislation. I wish good luck to those of you in the Northeast corner of the U.S., as we are getting rocked by another massive...
The Median Account May Not Be <$1k, But It Is Still A Crisis!
There has been some debate within the investment industry related to National Institute on Retirement Security's (NIRS) recent release of their report titled, "Retirement in America: An Analysis of Retirement Preparedness Among Working-Age Americans". A report that claimed that "across...