Anonymous said...
I received from LLNS my TCP1 (Defined Benefit Pension) summary notice as required by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Since the plan has only been around for a year and half there's limited information and its from Jan 1, 2008. As of that date there were 3927 in the plan - 3915 active and 12 retired/separated but not getting benefits yet. Based on what was in the "Funding Target Attainment Percentage" table the plan was at 209.62% of its funding target - $1.65 Billion in assets and $790 Million in liabilities. 109% more than what is required to pay lifetime pensions to all the participants in TCP1.
There was another section in the summary text called "Fair Market Value of Assets" and it was said to offer a "clearer picture of a plan's funded status as of a given point in time." This was as of Dec 31, 2008 - $1.3 Billion in assets and $882 Million in liabilities. My calculation puts TCP1 at 147.91% of necessary funding or 47% overfunded.
Am I understanding this information correctly? how does this compare to current UCRP numbers?
May 4, 2009 6:59 AM
4 comments:
The funny numbers in that TCP1 report are a fairy tale. Beware.
My *interpretation* is that numbers look quite reasonable and better than what UCRP is reporting (per newspapers). However, TCP1's liabilities will increase rapidly as the mean 'age factor' of participants grows. (The middle of the bell curve is going to traverse from roughly 50 to the max-out at age 60.)
Perhaps that effect is already calculated into the current perceived liability. But if not, it may explain why UCRP transferred so many funds to TCP1.
Usual disclosures that I am not a certified financial counselor.
"However, TCP1's liabilities will increase rapidly as the mean 'age factor' of participants grows."
Not if LLNS manages to layoff workers well before they reach the age of 60. That's what typically happens in most US corporations where age discrimination is rampant. Expect LLNS to follow the same route. Just look at the stats from the last LLNL layoff to see the trend.
They were lucky that the Dow was at $14,000 when UC figured out the percentage of the UC fund for the UC employees at LLNL. The folks at LANL weren't so lucky, saw in the paper their TCP 1 is in trouble.
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