ERIC Number: ED511764
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 46
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Scrambling the Nest Egg: How Well Do Teachers Understand Their Pensions, and What Do They Think about Alternative Pension Structures? Working Paper 51
DeArmond, Michael; Goldhaber, Dan
National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research
This paper addresses two questions: How well do teachers understand their current pension plans? And, what do they think about alternative plan structures? The data come from administrative records and a 2006 survey of teachers in Washington State. The results suggest Washington's teachers are fairly knowledgeable about their pensions, though new entrants and mid-career teachers appear to be less knowledgeable than veteran teachers. As for teachers' preferences for plan structure, the survey suggests that when it comes to investing additional retirement savings, a plurality of teachers favor defined contribution plans which offer more portability and choice, but more risk than traditional defined benefit plans. Perhaps unsurprisingly, all else equal, teachers newer to the profession are more likely than veteran teachers to favor a defined contribution structure. An appendix is included. (Contains 1 figure, 7 tables, and 29 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Teacher Retirement, Retirement Benefits, Comprehension, Knowledge Level, Teaching Experience, Teacher Attitudes, Money Management, Investment, Beginning Teachers, Experienced Teachers
National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. The Urban Institute, 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 202-261-5739; Fax: 202-833-2477; e-mail: inquiry@caldercenter.org; Web site: http://www.caldercenter.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Urban Institute, National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER)
Identifiers - Location: Washington
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A060034