Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution Plans

This report finds that a defined benefit (DB) pension plan can deliver the same level of retirement income to a group of employees at 46% lower cost than an individual defined contribution (DC) account.  The report finds that certain built-in features of DB plans enable the systems to be the most fiscally efficient way to provide retirement income. 

This brief reviews the evidence on the role defined benefit pensions play in ensuring that older Americans have the resources they need to be self-sufficient in retirement.

This brief discusses the differences between defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, what they mean to long-term retirement goals, and ways to achieve parity between the two types of plans.