Category Advocacy
Site (and Sight) Unseen: Florida Real Estate Update (October 23, 2008)
Site (and Sight) Unseen: Florida Real Estate Update (October 23, 2008) Is it a time to buy for Canadians in the U.S.? Last week I received, with my local newspaper, an advertising brochure with articles advocating that you run out to buy now because Florida property is on sale. The brochure included stories on short […]
What’s wrong with private sector defined benefit pension plans? Everything? …Problems and Solutions
What’s wrong with private sector defined benefit pension plans? Everything? …Problems and Solutions (Originally posted October 27, 2008 re-hosted March 5, 2012) A series of actions/circumstances, any one of which could be individually damaging to the welfare of pensioners, when taken together could threaten to destroy the retirement of millions of Canadians. The problems are […]
Under-funded pension plans
Under-funded pension plans A few weeks ago in “Is your (defined benefit) company pension safe? I discussed some gauges that you may find useful in assessing the true state of the funded status of your DB pension plan like: difference between solvency and going concern basis, and actuarial assumptions like discount rates, salary increases, mortality […]
August 2008 Update: Florida Property Values and Legal Challenge of Discriminatory Property Taxes Property Values
August 2008 Update: Florida Property Values and Legal Challenge of Discriminatory Property Taxes Property Values The May 2008 S%P Case-Schiller’s real estate index just released does not indicate that that Florida’s property values have bottomed if Miami is any indication of what is going on. The prices still pear about 30% above the long-term trend […]
Canada Supplementary Pension Plan (CSPP)
Canada Supplementary Pension Plan (CSPP)-Highlights and discussion of Keith Ambachtsheer’s proposal in recent C. D. Howe paper Keith Ambachtsheer tabled a pension model sponsored by the C.D. Howe Institute which may potentially turn a new page in Canada’s pension system. You can read the proposal in its entirety at “The Canada Supplementary Pension Plan (CSPP): […]
Is your (defined benefit) company pension safe? Is your Defined Pension (DB) Plan Adequately Funded? Pension Plan Valuation: Art, science or magic? …and, the answers are: No, Maybe, Not science!
Is your (defined benefit) company pension safe? Is your Defined Pension (DB) Plan Adequately Funded? Pension Plan Valuation: Art, science or magic? …and, the answers are: No, Maybe, Not science! Problem Statement A number of readers have approached me to see if I can help them get a sense of how secure is their company […]
Pension/Retirement Plan Reform
Pension/Retirement Plan Reform One of the interesting topics at the CFA conference that I recently attended was the topic of required pension changes to be implemented urgently with the accelerated unraveling of the defined benefit (DB) plans, the misapplication of the defined contribution (DC) plans and the often mentioned inadequately funded Social Security liabilities. At […]
Changes Needed for Pensions-Make Your Voices Heard
Changes Needed for Pensions-Make Your Voices Heard Changes are brewing in the how companies have to account for pension liabilities (affecting shareholder equity) and how long they will have to make up the shortfall (ten versus five years). Requiring explicit balance sheet recognition for the pension liability may encourage companies to reduce the liability by […]
Florida Property Tax: State rejects proposed compromise on SOHA Constitutional Challenge – Is Florida missing an opportunity for renewal?
Florida Property Tax: State rejects proposed compromise on SOHA Constitutional Challenge – Is Florida missing an opportunity for renewal? There are currently several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s discriminatory real estate taxation laws. At the heart of the cases is the fact that owners of properties with similar market value are charged vastly different […]
Pension Research Council Papers on Decumulation and Robust DC Pension Plans
Pension Research Council Papers on Decumulation and Robust DC Pension Plans The Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Research at UPen’s Wharton provides access to readers interested in pension to current research papers from high calibre sources. They have just posted 15 new research papers. I found a couple of these papers particularly interesting, one […]
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