Milliman analysis: Corporate pension funding deficit grows by more than $100 billion in 2014 due to plummeting interest rates

SEATTLE, Jan. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released the results of its latest Pension Funding Index (PFI), which consists of 100 of the nation's largest defined benefit pension plans. In December, these plans experienced a $19 billion increase in pension liabilities and a $3 billion decrease in asset value, resulting in an $22 billion increase in the pension funded status deficit and a funded ratio of 83.6%. For the year, despite market returns of $81 billion, these pensions experienced a $105 billion increase in the pension funded status deficit, fueled by a $186 billion increase in liabilities as interest rates fell to a historic low at year end.

"What a difference a year makes," said John Ehrhardt, co-author of the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index. "Last year at this time we were celebrating a historic rally for these pensions, thanks to—surprise surprise—cooperative interest rates. This year it's the opposite story, with interest rates falling to 3.80%, the lowest rate we've ever seen in the 14 year history of this study. With rates this low, the liability increase for these pensions outstripped strong asset performance by more than $100 billion."

Looking forward, if the Milliman 100 pension plans were to achieve the expected 7.4% median asset return for their pension portfolios, and if the current discount rate of 3.80% were maintained, funded status would improve, with the funded status deficit shrinking to $255 billion (85%.7 funded ratio) by the end of 2015 and to $217 billion (87.9% funded ratio) by the end of 2016. This forecast assumes 2014 aggregate contributions of $44 billion and 2015 and 2016 aggregate contributions of $31 billion.

To view the complete study, go to http://us.milliman.com/pfi/. To receive regular updates of Milliman's pension funding analysis, contact us at [email protected].

About Milliman
Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit www.milliman.com

About the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index
For the past 14 years, Milliman has conducted an annual study of the 100 largest defined benefit pension plans sponsored by U.S. public companies. The Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index projects the funded status for pension plans included in our study, reflecting the monthly impact of market returns and interest-rate changes on pension funded status, utilizing the actual reported asset values, liabilities, and asset allocations of the companies' pension plans.

The results of the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index were based on the actual pension plan accounting information disclosed in the footnotes to the companies' annual reports for the preceding fiscal year and for previous fiscal years. In addition to providing the financial information on the funded status of U.S. qualified pension plans, the footnotes may also include figures for the companies' nonqualified and foreign plans, both of which are often unfunded or subject to funding standards different from those for U.S. qualified pension plans. The results do not represent the funded status of the companies' U.S. qualified pension plans under ERISA.

SOURCE Milliman, Inc.

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