Fast Fact

Adequate Retirement Income

Roger Hickey — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 03:00:00 -0400

Experts suggest a replacement rate of 75-80 percent of pre-retirement income is considered adequate, though rising retiree health care costs have led some to question this rule of thumb.

Underfunded Pension Plans

Robert Dorst2 — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 03:00:00 -0400

Corporate pension plans are underfunded by as much as $450 billion while the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation – which provides a partial guarantee of worker pensions for bankrupt companies – continues to show about a $23 billion deficit.

Americans Are Spending More Then They Are Earning

Robert Borosage — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 03:00:00 -0400

In 2005, Americans spent more than they saved for the first time since the Great Depression. People spent $1.04 for every $1 earned.

CEOs are Better Covered then Private- Sector Workers

Eric Lotke — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:00:00 -0400

69% of Fortune 1,000 CEOs are covered by traditional defined-benefit plans, while only 21% of private-sector workers are covered by the plans.

Social Security Saves Seniors and Children From Poverty

Alex Carter — Mon, 02 May 2005 03:00:00 -0400

Social Security benefits lift nearly 13 million seniors age 65 and older above the poverty line and lifted one million children under 18 above the poverty line in 2002.

Eliminating Social Security’s Deficit

Roger Hickey — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 03:00:00 -0500

Extending Social Security taxes to incomes over $90,000 would eliminate the program’s projected long-range deficit.