The baby boom generation faces added uncertainty on their investments and perhaps lower realized rates of return on all components of their retirement savings, primarily because of their large number. Effects will be felt in the Social Security system and by pension plans and private investors. Individuals, employers, pension fund managers, and…

This issue examines inflation protection for pensions in the 1990s and beyond. It describes how providers of retirement services can offer participants opportunities to improve inflation protection through product design, services, and educational programs. It explains the use of inflation-indexed (real bonds), noting the potential role for such…

This issue describes the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF) life-annuity income options and traces the trends in their selection over a 17-year period, 1978-1994. Other income-related choices at or before retirement are also explored. The article emphasizes that participants in defined…

This paper describes a method of projecting inflation-adjusted (real) retirement benefit replacement ratios for defined contribution retirement plans such as TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association--College Retirement Equities Fund). The illustrated ratios are comparable to the ratios in defined benefit plans that result…