Pension Protection
NEA strongly supports protecting public defined-benefit plans. Such plans provide a defined, predictable, guaranteed benefit, usually based on factors such as age, earnings, and years of service. In contrast, defined contribution plans offer no guaranteed, predictable retirement benefit and place retirement security at the risk of stock or bond markets.
Educators do not retire into a life of luxury. They have spent their lives dedicated to public service, often forgoing higher salaries offered in the private sector. They have earned and deserve the modest pensions they were promised.
Why Pensions Matter: Read Our Fact Sheets and Resources
- Pensions are a Win-Win for Educators and our Community
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MS-WORD, 162 KB, 2 pgs.) - New Educators: Three Things You Need to Know About Retirement!
( MS-WORD, 162 KB, 2 pgs.) - Pensions Work Best for Our Schools, Communities, and Educators
( MS-WORD, 141 KB, 2 pgs.) - The Intersection of the Teacher Pipeline, Pensions, and Teacher Retention
( MS-WORD, 317 KB, 2 pgs.) - Why a 401K is no Replacement for a Pension
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Resources for Educators on Retirement Security
Looking for information and research on why pensions are better for education, educators, schools, and communities? Need facts to support your advocacy around retirement security? Check out our comprehensive list of resources from NEA and its partners and organizations.
Useful Information on State Pension Battles
Key Organizations Supporting Retirement Security for All Educators:
- National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR)
- National Public Pension Coalition (NPPC)
- National Institute for Retirement Security (NIRS)
- Economic Policy Institute (EPI) on Retirement
- National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA)
- National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS)