Dave Says: Pension Solvency

Dear Dave,

Considering the condition of the economy, how secure should I feel about the solvency of my pension?

- Crystal

Dear Crystal,

In many ways, this would depend on your particular pension. Some pension funds are very well-run, very solvent and are in great shape. Others are poorly managed and not the type of programs in which you'd want to invest any of your money.

The biggest problem with a pension is that it's the property of the organization. If it's a union pension, it's not yours—it's theirs. All they do is pay you out of the fund. So if they go broke, you lose everything you had in there. If it's a business that has the pension, that makes them the owner—not you.

That's the beauty of the 401(k). You're the actual owner. If the company you work for goes broke or the union does a poor job of managing things, it doesn't harm your investment.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. There are good pensions and bad pensions, just like there are great managers and lousy managers. Just make sure you check into the solvency of the program before you put your money in there!

- Dave