The stabilization in pension-funding gaps marks an encouraging sign for states and municipalities, potentially providing officials with more breathing room to allocate budgetary resources toward services and infrastructure as well as retiree benefits.

The number of public pensions that have put Pimco on watch or are expected to do so keeps growing.

Whether the shortage is a result of the increased access to health care mandated by PPACA and whether there is a shortage in the first place remains up for debate.

Unum acknowledges the dampening effect of the PPACA but offers evidence that the longer trend line for voluntary sales is decidedly upward.