Retirement Trends

For fiscal 2013, Social Security spending totaled $808 billion, representing about a quarter of all federal spending. Revenue added to the Social Security system in 2013 was $745 billion

The organizations analysis shows that fund performance is a much less powerful variable compared with higher deferral rates and asset allocation.

If GM had gone under, taxpayers would have had to pick up pension plans with a $26 billion shortfall.

The FIO recommends that all states enact the NAIC Suitability in Annuities Transaction Model Regulation.

A surviving spouse must have been married to the deceased for at least nine months to be eligible for benefits, unless exceptions are met, such as that the death was accidental at work or happened in the line of military duty.

A study found that both U.S. and U.K. pension funds reported negative real annual mean performance from 2002 through 2011 and pension funds did not earn returns above the rate of inflation in either country during this time period.