Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 January 2015
We discuss pension system risk in the USA, focusing on the investment policy and the methodology for the valuation of the liabilities of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). We offer suggestions as to how the PBGC should consider modifying the Pension Insurance Modeling System. The issues of investment policy and liability valuation are not two distinct topics. As emphasized here, the proper valuation of liabilities provides a benchmark for the PBGC to use as a starting point for the establishment of its investment policy and then for assessing investment performance.
The research reported herein was pursuant to a grant from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) funded as part of the Retirement Research Consortium (RRC); the author also acknowledges support from The Pension Research Council at The Wharton School. All findings and conclusions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the SSA or any agency of the federal government, the MRRC, the PRC, or The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.