John Deere strike imminent?

isufbcurt

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Less than 20% of all Fortune 500 companies have a pension anymore and that % has dropped by 8% since 2013. Most large Pharma companies still offer it for now. Companies don't want to take on that risk of pensions and rather offset it with a 401K.

True. But you said they are not sustainable and that isn't true, 401k's are just cheaper for them to administer. But Companies right in Des Moines are making millions and almost billions by buying these Pension Funds. And they aren't stopping their purchase of them anytime soon.
 

2forISU

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True. But you said they are not sustainable and that isn't true, 401k's are just cheaper for them to administer. But Companies right in Des Moines are making millions and almost billions by buying these Pension Funds. And they aren't stopping their purchase of them anytime soon.
You can always find an outlier, but it's well documented that pensions are crippling cities, states and companies.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
It's also easier to plan for - you don't need to worry about what is going to happen 50 years from now.

I know it's unpopular but I like 401k's and I think they are superior to pensions as long as people fund them. They are portable between employers, and most companies have a match and everything.
I like 401ks because I have the control and know what is in my account is there and not being screwed with. Also, When I die, my kids will get something
 

Clonehomer

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I like 401ks because I have the control and know what is in my account is there and not being screwed with. Also, When I die, my kids will get something

But on a macro level, I also like pensions in that we as a society don't have to count on individuals to handle their retirement savings. There are a scary number of people over 60 with zero savings. We're going to end up paying for those people as they age beyond working years. So while there are a lot of people that have the ability to handle their own 401k, there are also a lot that can't or don't. So for them a pension is easier.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
But on a macro level, I also like pensions in that we as a society don't have to count on individuals to handle their retirement savings. There are a scary number of people over 60 with zero savings. We're going to end up paying for those people as they age beyond working years. So while there are a lot of people that have the ability to handle their own 401k, there are also a lot that can't or don't. So for them a pension is easier.
Pensions can also have a negative security aspect. My wife is a teacher and many of her coworkers feel IPERS will just take care of them when they hit rule of 88. So In their early 50s they go meet with the rep thinking at 55/56 they are in the rocking chair. They leave and their five years left becomes 10-15.
 
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CloneJD

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Mandatory Pension Insurance premiums make pensions kind of a non-starter anymore. Thanks Enron.
 
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AuH2O

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A significant issue in the future is going to be the elderly with no savings and no income. Pensions helped prevent that.
If someone was going to work in a job that gave them a pension, they are working at a job accumulating SS and a 401k or equivalent most likely. The idea that there are all these jobs out there that went from offering pensions to not offering an alternative retirement is simply not true and setting up a completely false choice. Anybody that in the current world is going to be elderly and have no income from SS and no savings from a retirement plan of some sort likely wasn't going to have a pension in the old world.
 
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bozclone

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$18 and change. No benefits, vacation or union protection for the first 7 months.

I assume that is a 7 month probation period. Do they get a is a pay increase after that?What are the benefits like once they get them?

Any idea what someone makes after 5 years or 10 years?
 

AuH2O

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Pensions can also have a negative security aspect. My wife is a teacher and many of her coworkers feel IPERS will just take care of them when they hit rule of 88. So In their early 50s they go meet with the rep thinking at 55/56 they are in the rocking chair. They leave and their five years left becomes 10-15.
Is there any option for IPERS people to get cheap health insurance between early retirement and Medicare? I just assumed when I see so many teachers working past their rule of 88 it was due to not being able to afford health insurance.
 
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Urbandale2013

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If someone was going to work in a job that gave them a pension, they are working at a job accumulating SS and a 401k or equivalent most likely. The idea that there are all these jobs out there that went from offering pensions to not offering an alternative retirement is simply not true and setting up a completely false choice. Anybody that in the current world is going to get to being elderly and have no income from SS and no savings from a retirement plan of some sort likely wasn't going to have a pension in the old world.
How do you figure that? Pensions are forced participation but 401ks are voluntary. There are pros and cons to both systems but I think the biggest difference is forcing people to do it with a pension. Personally I’m not as big of a fan of pensions because I’m financially literate enough to save but I worry about people like my brother who are not. I think he has gotten into the 401k system for his job after being pushed to by the rest of my family but if we weren’t doing that he probably wouldn’t have done so.

Sure there is social security right now but I don’t anticipate seeing much if any of it when I’m old enough.
 

bozclone

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If someone was going to work in a job that gave them a pension, they are working at a job accumulating SS and a 401k or equivalent most likely. The idea that there are all these jobs out there that went from offering pensions to not offering an alternative retirement is simply not true and setting up a completely false choice. Anybody that in the current world is going to get to being elderly and have no income from SS and no savings from a retirement plan of some sort likely wasn't going to have a pension in the old world.

This is not true. My experience was that you were automatically enrolled in the pension plan. You could then improve the pension by by contributing to it, but everyone got the company money. The 401k plans I have been enrolled in require the employee to enroll and contribute to get the company match. You must decide to save.

This matters when talking about the average hourly/manufacturing job. With a pension Ive seen many people retire at a decent age. Without a pension and relying on a 401 k I’ve seen many have worries of not enough money and little hope of retirement. They often don’t enroll or they save very little.
 

1UNI2ISU

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I assume that is a 7 month probation period. Do they get a is a pay increase after that?What are the benefits like once they get them?

Any idea what someone makes after 5 years or 10 years?

I don't know them all but I know it's like $25 a week for single insurance, 2 weeks vacation that you have to use during shutdown or a full week at a time if there isn't a shutdown, small pension, 401k, 3 personal days and the right to refuse something like 4 Saturdays a year if your department is working.
 
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jbhtexas

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But on a macro level, I also like pensions in that we as a society don't have to count on individuals to handle their retirement savings. There are a scary number of people over 60 with zero savings. We're going to end up paying for those people as they age beyond working years. So while there are a lot of people that have the ability to handle their own 401k, there are also a lot that can't or don't. So for them a pension is easier.

If the stock market and mutual funds aren't your thing, you can always find a credible financial planner to help you. My 401K allows me to move things around between funds. My financial planner tells me when to move things. It's worked well.
 

isufbcurt

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You can always find an outlier, but it's well documented that pensions are crippling cities, states and companies.

It's not really an outlier. These 2 Des Moines companies are buying up a lot of those you've mentioned and are swimming in profits. Like I said it just has to be invested and hedged correctly.

And buying these Pensions is a very highly competitive process. So much so that when bidding on them there's maybe 10 - 20 people in a company of 1000 - 2000 that know about it until it is final.
 

jsb

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I have both a small pension and a 401k with my job. The pension isn’t enough to cover retirement but I like knowing I’ll have a fixed amount along with my social security.

honestly more places might benefit from that system.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
Is there any option for IPERS people to get cheap health insurance between early retirement and Medicare? I just assumed when I see so many teachers working past their rule of 88 it was due to not being able to afford health insurance.
Not sure I know they can buy into the schools plans (this can quite often lead to higher premiums for the current employees at times). I know it did for my wife’s school for a while.
 

BryceC

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How do you figure that? Pensions are forced participation but 401ks are voluntary. There are pros and cons to both systems but I think the biggest difference is forcing people to do it with a pension. Personally I’m not as big of a fan of pensions because I’m financially literate enough to save but I worry about people like my brother who are not. I think he has gotten into the 401k system for his job after being pushed to by the rest of my family but if we weren’t doing that he probably wouldn’t have done so.

Sure there is social security right now but I don’t anticipate seeing much if any of it when I’m old enough.

Australia has a mandatory savings program. Kind of like a forced 401k. Honestly I'm kind of for it at this point.
 

BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
I have both a small pension and a 401k with my job. The pension isn’t enough to cover retirement but I like knowing I’ll have a fixed amount along with my social security.

honestly more places might benefit from that system.
The person could also invest some in an annuity to have the same effect.
 

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