The Pension Book

Book excerpt: Every pension plan has its fine print. Using case studies from the Pension Rights Center, Ferguson and Blackwell show what everyone in a private plan needs to know: how and when their pension will vest; how much their benefit will be; and whether it is adjusted for inflation. Is the plan overfunded or underfunded? Will it survive should the company change hands or go bankrupt? And what happens in the event of death or divorce? Each chapter tackling these subjects is followed by a "What to Do" section in which the authors demonstrate, point by point, how we can take charge of our retirement future. No retirement plan? You're not alone. Half of all Americans have no plan other than social security, and this venerable system - never intended to cover all retirement needs - typically pays people 40 percent of what they were earning when they worked. Or maybe you're in a do-it-yourself savings plan. Increasingly, employers are substituting these plans for traditional pensions. Again, Ferguson and Blackwell provide practical suggestions and reliable advice about the pros and cons of IRAs, 401(k)s, and the other tax-sheltered savings arrangements.