TEXPERS 29th Annual Conference
Casting the Net for Retirement Security
April 15-18, 2018
South Padre Island, TX
Mark your calendar now - you won't want to miss this!
Registration will open in November.
What's new at the 2018 Annual Conference?
Do you have a topic you would like to see us cover? Email Barbara@texpers.org.
about South Padre Island!
See you at the beach!
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Expanding Awareness of Public Pension Issues
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
6 Exciting Things to Look Forward to at TEXPERS' Annual Conference in South Padre Island!
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Start a Grassroots Effort at Your Fund
Education is key in creating pension advocacy
By Allen Jones
TEXPERS Communications Manager
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| Credit: iStock |
America’s northern neighbor, Canada, has turned out to be a
proving ground for public pension systems that are actively preparing plan
participants to spread the importance of defined benefits. The systems can
teach Texas funds a thing or two about grassroots advocacy building.
Ontario-based public pension plans are turning to their
participants to convince the country’s corporate employers to keep DB plans,
according to an article recently published in Pensions
& Investments magazine. Systems are building grassroots networks by
educating their plan participants about the value of their retirement plans and
counting on the messages spreading to their friends and family and eventually
to private companies.
The P&I article highlighted three public pension systems
that have developed grassroots efforts. They include:
- The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan recruits plan participants who are educated in the DB model to serve as ambassadors. The participants are then able to correct misleading views of DB retirement plans among their friends, relatives and colleagues in the private sector.
- The Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan established a “People for Pensions” program. The program explains the difference between DB benefits and other retirement plan models to the system’s plan participants so they will have the knowledge they need to discuss DB with people they know.
- The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Pension Plan established a program called “Building Plan Champions.” P&I describes it as a “participant- and employer-education program.” Again, the goal is that those educated in the value of DB plans will have the knowledge to speak to others.
“That would be enough to guarantee retirement security for them,” he told the magazine. “The Canadian culture is such that Canadians want DB plans. The question is, how to get them access.”
CAAT provides seminars, offers webinars, and has produced
online videos to help educate its members about defined benefits. The goal
isn’t to ensure plan participants understand their benefits and have the
knowledge to talk about the value of their retirement plans when conversations
arise. CAAT’s program goal is to educate 5,000 members and is 91 percent there,
according to information CAAT provided TEXPERS.
CAAT members and employers are surveyed on their knowledge
of DB plans, and those with a high level of knowledge are designated as
“champions.”
“Early on, about 8 percent or 9 percent (of those surveyed) were designated as ‘champions,’ but after the seminars, we identified 35 percent as ‘champions,’” Dobson told P&I magazine. “Clearly, there’s a direct link that the more you understand a pension, the more value you place in it, and they can go out and defend their defined benefit plans.”
Offering the various learning opportunities is attracting
plan participants. According to information from CAAT and shared with TEXPERS,
the 90-minute seminars are often held on Saturdays and have attracted as many
as 270 people. Plan members are spending lunch hours and breaks attending
CAAT’s webinars, which run for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The pension system also
produced nine videos that discuss some of the most common questions regarding
defined benefits.
Grassroots efforts such as CAAT’s are bottom-up approaches
to facilitating change, says Aabha Brown, a clinical assistant professor of
social work at the University of Houston. She spoke to TEXPERS about the
Canadian pension systems and how Texas funds can also engage their members to
contextualize the value of defined benefits.
Effective grassroots programs, Brown says, have three key
components: education, a story to tell, and a clear message.
“It is often hard to make a change if advocates don’t understand why resources are important in the first place,” she says.
Brown says the “grasstops,” or executives, often speak a
different language than their “grassroots” plan members. Topics must be
explained in a manner they understand and can articulate to their peers or other
intended audience.
The education could come in the form of seminars, speaker
luncheons, webinars, online videos, discussion groups, newsletters or emails to
plan members. Once plan members are educated, there must be a story to tell.
People connect with stories, Brown says.
“People often don’t connect to statistics,” she says. “Even though data may connect with an issue, people do not connect to the data. In the case of defined benefits, people enjoy retirement due to having a secure plan or those who do not have one don’t enjoy retirement.”
Those stories don’t always have to be about a threat to
pensions. Although bad news does spread, so does good news.
“Consider how benefits are positively helping people,” Brown says.
Any story, though, must have a clear message.
“If a pension system wants to equip their people, they need to very clear in what they are wanting people to act on,” Brown says. “Often, organizations talk about how good a benefit is but they are not clear on what action they are seeking through their stories.”
Brown suggests that pension systems provide multiple ways
for their plan participants to get involved. It may be encouraging people to
talk to their friends and family about the value of defined benefits. It could
be recruiting retirees to write letters to legislators. Maybe, it is to go
door-to-door to hand out informational pamphlets. Others may be better at using
the phone to advocate for defined benefits. Or, possibly solicit ambassadors to
speak one-on-one to lawmakers or testify during legislative hearings.
“Having diversity of actions people can take is important,” Brown says. “Not everybody is wired to go speak to legislators or write a letter.”
She also suggests finding ways to acknowledge the efforts of
advocates who are getting the word out and celebrate milestones achieved.
“If 100 members sign a petition or make a phone call, show appreciation and get the message out to other advocates,” she says. “It may motivate those on the sidelines to get involved.”
The big takeaway from CAAT and other Canadian pension plans:
Texas public pension systems looking to start a grassroots movement must begin
by properly cultivating their greatest assets – the members.
In Texas, The El Paso Firemen & Policemen’s Pension Fund
is equipping its members to better understand DB plans by teaching them how to
use their deferred compensation accounts to learn about investing. By showing
them that deferred benefits are easier due to pooled risk and professional
investment management, the members find out how relevant DB plans are, says
Tyler Grossman, the fund’s executive director.
“They can see how long it takes to save and how much if they tried to do it on their own,” he says.
The program is part of a series of informational summits the
system established this year to help educate its members on the value of DB
plans. So far, the El Paso system has held two summits. It is hosting its third
Nov. 28. Each summit has a five-member panel, including Grossman who talks
about the plan’s Forward Deferred Retirement Option Plans, how members can
create health funds with it and cost of living adjustments.
“Each panel member speaks on a subject,” he says. “The other topics are insurance, deferred compensation, taxes, and an attorney for estate planning. Each one expresses how important it is to preserve their DB and the importance of protecting it at all costs.”
Grossman hopes not only will his fund’s member become more
knowledgeable of their retirement plans; they will talk up the plan among their
friends and family, kick-starting a grassroots effort in the El Paso community.
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| Allen Jones |
Allen Jones is the communications manager for the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. Email him at allen@texpers.org or call 713-622-8018.
TLFFRA to host 2017 Local Firefighter Pension Conference
The 2017 Texas Local Fire Fighter Pension Conference is Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in The Woodlands.Hosted by the Texas Local Firefighter Retirement Act, the event features vendors, networking, golfing, and educational opportunities. The conference will be held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Dr., in The Woodlands.
Trustee member fees are $50. Add $25 to bring a spouse. The fee includes access to a golf tournament Oct. 1, skeet/sporting clay shoot Oct. 1, and dinner on Oct. 2. Click here to register.
A full agenda can be accessed here. Visit the TLFFRA website for additional information.
Online membership renewal for 2018 is open
As a reminder, when renewing your membership please update your organizations profile. Some of the information on your account will be
utilized to print the 2018 membership directory, which will be
available to members at the Annual Conference.
The "Bill Me" option will create an invoice under the "My Invoices" section for you
The "Pay Online" will process a credit card payment, you will be emailed a receipt, you can also view your receipt from the "My Transactions" section.
Please note: Retirement system members, your fund administrator or the person at your fund that is responsible for your TEXPERS membership will take care of renewing the dues.
We appreciate your continued support!!
Attendance and participation in TEXPERS conferences requires your membership be in good standing. If by Dec. 31 you have not submitted your dues or notified the TEXPERS office of your intent to renew, your membership will cease. If you are no longer interested in renewing your membership with TEXPERS, please notify us.
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New book serves as reference manual for pension trustees
Plan design. Expected contributions. Investment policy.
These are a few of the topics discussed in a new book, “One of a Kind! A
Practical Guide for 21st Century Public Pension Trustees.”
The book is published by Funston Advisory Services LLC. It
is organized by topic, starting off with “Public Pension Policy” and ending
with “Reporting and Reassurance.” Each chapter is written by a different
specialist and includes a section of self-assessment.
Rick Funston, the Funston Advisory’s managing partner, says
the firm put the book together to answer frequently asked questions by public
pension trustees and executives.
“Our approach is to describe the issue, why it’s important, the lessons learned by other systems, the options available and the respective pros and cons,” he says.
The book isn’t a prescription for a public pension system’s
ailments, however. Funston says it is up to each trustee and board to determine
what works best for them in their specific circumstances.
The book is available on Amazon.com.
Public sector employees overwhelmingly pick defined benefits over individually managed retirement accounts
By Allen Jones
TEXPERS, Communications Manager
Texas public pension plan administrators and trustees have a
new study to reference in highlighting the importance of maintaining defined
benefits for the state’s police, firefighters and other public workers.
Public sector employees in states with retirement plan
choice overwhelmingly pick defined benefits (DB) pension plans over 401(k)-type
defined contribution (DC) individual accounts, according
to a new study by the National Institute on Retirement Security, a
nonprofit research and education organization.
“The report makes it clear that when given a choice, public employees care about the type of retirement benefits they receive,” says Diane Oakley, executive director of NIRS.
Oakley spoke to TEXPERS about the study, “Decisions,
Decisions: An Update on Retirement Plan Choices for Public Employees and Employers,”
which examines new hire elections in 2015 for systems in seven states that
provide public workers with a choice of DB or hybrid DB/DC and DC plans. The
systems studied are located in Colorado, Florida, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Carolina and Utah.
Of the systems studied by researchers, the percentage of
persons who took advantage of DB pensions in 2015 was 80 percent or higher in
six states, according to the new report. Two of the state systems studied had
pension take-up rates greater than 95 percent. Florida and Michigan had take-up
rates of 76 percent and 75 percent, respectively.
Although Texas public pension systems are not among the
retirement plans studied in the report, the information is useful in gauging
how receptive public workers here could be to a choice of benefit plans, Oakley
says. The study is an update to previous research NIRS researchers conducted in
2011.
“The information really didn’t change much from our 2011 study,” Oakley says.
The report is co-authored by Jennifer Brown, manager of
research for NIRS, and Matt Larrabee, principal and consulting actuary with Millman. Brown says the study’s
findings are consistent with previous polling that finds American’s strongly
support pensions for providing economic security in retirement.
“Our findings also suggest that the public sector is unlikely to mimic the trend away from pensions as seen in the private sector for two reasons,” Brown states in a news release announcing the new study. “First, there is strong employee support for pensions. Second, DB pensions remain the most cost-effective way for public employers to provide a modest and secure retirement benefit for employees who typically earn less than comparable private sector employees.”
The report, published late August, also indicates that
employees directing their own investments in 401(k)-like defined contribution
plans typically earn lower investment returns than that of state pension plans.
The report attributes the investment advantage in public DB pensions to lower
plan expenses, professional asset management and optimal investment allocations
used by the DB plan over decades. DB pension plans also benefit from prolonged
risk pooling, says Oakley, NIRS’ executive director.
That’s not the only reason why the 401(k)-like accounts
aren’t catching on when public employees or employers are given a choice,
however. According to the NIRS report, DC plans typically lack supplemental
benefits such as death and disability protection. Some plans have attempted to
address these differences, but these provisions require extra contributions
that are not deposited to the members’ DC accounts. Plus, “making a complete
shift from a DB to a DC structure does nothing in and of itself to close any
existing DB funding shortfalls, and can increase near-term costs,” according to
the study.
The new report also examines the issue of states eliminating
DB pensions and moving new hires into DC accounts in the hopes of lowering
costs or addressing funding shortfalls often caused by states skipping their
full actuarial contributions. However, the experience of states shows that such
a change has the opposite impact with a DB to DC switch increasing retirement
costs for employers and taxpayers in the immediate future, according to a
synopsis of the report provided by NIRS.
DC plans would especially be less cost-efficient for small
pension systems, Oakley says. Not only are DB plans the most cost-effective way
to fund lifetime retirement benefits, but defined benefits also continue to
help recruit and retain public employees, she adds.
“Of the small minority who choose defined contributions, they tend to leave their jobs more often than those with defined benefit retirement plans,” Oakley says.
According to the NIRS report, the public sector workforce
has a median tenure rate that is twice that experienced in the private sector.
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| Allen Jones |
Allen Jones is the communications manager for the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. Email him at allen@texpers.org or call 713-622-8018.
Headed Down the Rabbit Hole? Maybe Not
Threat to globalization must be acknowledged,
but history suggests it won't be derailed
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| Credit: iStock |
Guest Columnist
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos and championed the benefits of globalization while highlighting the risks of protectionism. Meanwhile, populists in Britain and the United States—stalwart nations of global free
trade—have been busy talking up the scourge of globalization. It’s an
upside-down world only Lewis Carroll would understand.
Indeed, globalization is
in the cross-hairs of many politicians. Threats of tariffs and protectionism
abound, and, if enacted, they could pose a drag on global economic growth.
Nobody correctly predicted the political outcomes of the past year, and
certainly nobody knows how nationalism will manifest itself in future trade
policies. Yet there is a feeling that more sensible minds will prevail and
globalization is, ultimately, unyielding. Moreover, any setbacks and subsequent
market volatility might provide opportunities for active managers who can
capitalize when stock prices disconnect from fundamentals.
History
as our guide
I fully acknowledges that there are very real
risks to globalization today. But as an equity manager with a global
perspective, I still believe in trade liberalization and its ability to lift
both developing and developed countries. Statistics from the World Trade Organization show a longer-term trend of rising international trade following the conclusion of World War II between 1950 up until the global financial crisis in 2007-2008. There
may be setbacks along the way, but I think the slowing pace of trade
liberalization and rising protectionism rhetoric is unlikely to completely
reverse globalization.
Ultimately, globalization is driven by four
key factors: cross-border capital flows, trade, migration, and the free-flow of
ideas and communication. Capital flows and trade may have hit a speed bump, but
migration and the exchange of ideas and knowledge continue unabated. In fact,
the era of digital globalization (the vehicle of increased knowledge-sharing)
is still in its infancy. A 2016 report from McKinsey Global Institute asserts that in contrast to slowing international trade in recent years, digital flowsare showing no signs of abating. Cross-border bandwidth “has grown 45 times
larger since 2005,” and “is projected to grow by another nine times in the next
five years,” according to the report. All of this is boosting participation in the global economy and suggests that globalization is not reversing.
Risks remain
Yet, in recent years,
globalization has resulted in uneven economic growth among nations, as well as
disruptions across various sectors of the economy. This is the reality, and it
may be fueling the recent rise of populism and nationalist rhetoric. There has
been heightened talk of protectionism, and, surprisingly, much of it is
emanating from the West. This includes rumblings from the new U.S.
administration of a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods, or a border adjustment or“mirror” tax for goods produced in Mexico. No doubt about it, if enacted, these
types of protectionist measures could create short-term pain for global
investors.
Once protectionism grabs
hold, it runs the risk of spawning new tariffs, weakening consumer confidence,
and elevating geopolitical tensions. Consumer costs could rise while supply
chains are disrupted, resulting in job losses that could continue in a
disturbing feedback cycle.
The
takeaway
That’s just one possible dystopian economic
future, but the likelihood of such a bleak scenario is a long-shot in my
opinion. There’s simply too much to be lost on all fronts. In China, for
example, the Central Authority must hold up its half of the tacit agreement
whereby Beijing continues on a path to economic liberalization (albeit not
always as quickly as hoped) in return for stability, peace and control. The U.S.
and other developed economies are also unlikely to launch into full
protectionism at the risk of hampering economic growth.
In times like these,
it’s incumbent upon investors to retain their longer-term focus and commitment
as to why they are allocating to emerging markets. That may be to capture
potential higher rates of growth, to diversify return streams, or even to
diminish their inherent home-country bias. Moreover, emerging markets often
tend to over-react to macroeconomic developments in the short term, and this
can provide opportunities for active managers.
The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations.
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| Michael Reynal |
Michael Reynal is chief investment officer of Sophus Capital and a
portfolio manager of the Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund, Victory Sophus
Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund and Victory Sophus China Fund.
By Allen Jones
TEXPERS, Communications Manager
Getting ready to leave a public sector job for retirement can be a daunting task that usually results in many employees flipping through their plan’s guidebook to find out what forms must be submitted and by when. However, those nearing retirement often have questions beyond what is on the pages of their fund’s Summary Plan Description, and it's prompting some public pension system administrators to develop creative ways to prepare their members for the day they leave the workforce.
Corpus Christi
Each October, the Corpus Christi Firefighters’ Retirement System hosts a pre-retirement seminar for its members. The half-day program is open to all of CCFRS’ active firefighters but focuses on employees who are within five years of retirement.
“We host presenters and speakers to inform our members of what they should be aware of before retiring,” says Gracie Flores, the fund’s administrator. “It’s important that our members are ready for retirement. It is a big transition to move from work to retirement. Our seminars provide them the tools and information they need to make the process as smooth as possible.”
The CCFRS program is an example of what other public pension funds can do to ensure members are ready to enter their golden years. The Corpus Christi fund’s pre-retirement seminar explains the retirement process, lays out the benefits members can expect and addresses post-retirement issues. The workshop outlines the deferred compensation process and even uses role playing to demonstrate what steps members must take before their retirement dates arrive.
“Our Path to Retirement role play is a very popular portion of the seminar,” Flores says. “We have a person taking on the role of a future retiree. I’m there acting as the plan’s administrator, and we have a fire department official. We show our members exactly what they must do to retire, who they must talk to and what the process is like.”
System members learn about documents they will need to file for retirement benefits, deadlines they will need to meet, eligibility requirements, how to calculate the income they will earn during retirement, and when benefits are likely to start after retirement. Flores also demonstrates the fund’s Internet-based membership portal so members know how to log in, what information they can find there and how the software works.
The program doesn’t only focus on pension forms and retirement filing procedures, however. Other topics include such as estate planning, retiree health insurance plans, and Social Security fundamentals.
During last year’s pre-retirement seminar, Melissa Sirus, a Social Security representative, discussed eligibility. Nearly 30 percent of state and municipal employees are not covered by Social Security, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. Not everyone understands that, Flores says.
Flores tries to offer different topics each year and recruits professionals from the Corpus Christi community to speak to the seminar’s attendees.
“To reduce our liability, I only get speakers who have a relationship with the retirement system,” she says. “For example, CCFRS’ attorney presents the estate planning information.”
To promote the program, Flores sends flyers to system members who are within five years of retirement. She also emails the system’s membership to announce the seminar and promotes the program through board agendas and minutes, which are mailed directly to each fire station within Corpus Christi.
The number of attendees fluctuates each year. Her largest attendance was about 60 people, and she has had as few as 25 people show up. She also arranges to serve lunch to the attendees.
Elvin Bates, a captain with the Corpus Christi Fire Department, is nearing retirement. He has spent more than 40 years with the department and is currently a fire inspector with the department’s fire prevention division. He is a regular attendee of his fund’s annual pre-retirement seminar.
“It’s a fantastic program,” Bates says. “I learn a lot each year.”
He says the program has helped him better understand what steps he must take to leave the fire department with his proper benefits and has provided him insight into other aspects of retirement he might not have considered.
“Getting ready for retirement can be stressful,” Bates says. “There are so many things you have to be aware of. I think all plans should have some program to help retirees prepare for retirement. Gracie [Flores] has done a wonderful job with the seminar.”
Flores says her program has gotten the attention of a few other fund executive directors who have sent representatives to sit in on her CCFRS' pre-retirement seminars to bring back ideas to their own systems. She modeled CCFRS’ program off of a similar program hosted by the San Antonio Fire and Police Pension Fund, which hosts a full-day pre-retirement seminar for its members twice a year.
“Ours, of course, is on a smaller scale due to our member size and resources,” she says.
San Antonio
The San Antonio fund’s program attracts 60 to 80 people each time, says Warren Schott, the system’s executive director.
The San Antonio fund’s program attracts 60 to 80 people each time, says Warren Schott, the system’s executive director.
“If we had more demand, we would hold them more often,” he says. “But currently, twice a year seems to be working fine.”
The seminar is used to get members prepared for retirement and does not focus on pension issues. The program usually focuses on 10 issues that are important for public employees to consider before retiring. During the fund’s May seminar, attendees learned about common tax issues retirees face, legal planning, financial planning, health and wellness, and psychological matters. Individuals outside of the system usually conduct the sessions so a lot of staff time isn’t consumed. Doctors hosted the health and psychological sessions.
“Soon-to-be retirees – regardless whether they are from a small or large fund – need to begin thinking about the numerous issues they will face in retirement,” Schott says. “No one else prepares them for this, so it seems logical that the pension fund would provide it.”
The San Antonio system encourages active members who have been on the job at least 20 years to begin attending the seminars. Schott says those within one year of retirement are invited to participate again.
Schott suggests executive directors sit in on his seminars and “steal” ideas to conduct their own pre-retirement workshops for their members.
Houston
Houston
The Houston Police Officers’ Pension System doesn’t host a pre-retirement seminar like San Antonio and Corpus Christi. However, the fund hosts an annual conference for its members already in retirement.
The fund’s retirement program began about 20 years ago. The system’s executive director, John Lawson, says 500 to 600 people attend the program, which runs a full day. He says because people are often busy and don’t have time to read and research the retirement topics on their own, it is important that pension systems work to educate their members after retirement.
The fund’s retirement program began about 20 years ago. The system’s executive director, John Lawson, says 500 to 600 people attend the program, which runs a full day. He says because people are often busy and don’t have time to read and research the retirement topics on their own, it is important that pension systems work to educate their members after retirement.
Topics include many of those included in the Corpus Christi and San Antonio programs. During this year’s Houston retirement conference, a recap of what bills passed and what didn’t during a recent state legislative session will be discussed. Lawson says he also often invites the mayor of Houston to speak during the assembly and provides attendees with a lunch - two things smaller systems may be able to replicate for their own pre- or post-retirement programs.
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| Allen Jones |
Allen Jones is the communications manager for the Texas Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems. Email him at allen@texpers.org or call 713-622-8018.
Friday, September 8, 2017
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