Public Sector Benefits News Articles - Releases and Announcements

New Actuarial Standards Will Increase OPEB Liabilities for PEMHCA Benefits

GASB 45 Liabilities for retiree medical benefits from large community-rated plans like CalPERS to increase 3/31/2015 per new actuarial standards.

GASB Announces Drafts of New OPEB Accounting Standards

New accounting standards requiring recognition of unfunded OPEB liabilities will be released as Exposure Drafts in June 2014.

Bartel Associates to speak at WR IPMA-HR Conference in San Francisco

A session on "Pension and Health Care - Building a New Bridge to Retirement" will be presented by John Bartel, Mary Beth Redding and Deanna Van Valer on Thursday May 1st at the Western Region IPMA-HR conference in San Francisco.

Status of Public Sector Defined Contribution Plans

Minimum 2015 Health Benefit Announced 04/07/14 by CalPERS (PEMHCA)

CalPERS Announces PEMHCA Minimum Contribution for 2015.

New CalPERS Assumptions Will Increase Rates

New demographic actuarial assumptions have significant impacts on contribution rates and may also increase certain Member contributions.

GASB Publishes Implementation Guides to New Pension Accounting Standards

Details on the new pension accounting standards, GASB Statements 67 and 68, have been published by the GASB.

GASB Posts Deferred Inflows and Outflows of Resources Article

The GASB has written a very helpful article for understanding Deferred Inflows and Outflows of resources.

2014 PEPRA Compensation Limits are $115,064 and $138,077

The 2014 PEPRA Compensation limits are $115,064 and $138,077, based on a nonbinding calculation by the California Actuarial Advisory Panel (CAAP).

IRS Announces 2014 Limits 10/31/13

IRS Annual Compensation Limit increases to $260,000 for 2014.

Social Security Releases 2014 COLA and Benefit Amounts 10/30/2013

Social Security benefits increase 1.5%, and the taxable Wage Base for 2014 is $117,000.

Implied Subsidy - What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

This article explains what an Implied Subsidy is, where it comes from, and why upcoming changes in actuarial standards could lead to it causing a large increase in retiree health ("OPEB") obligations.

Recent Presentations by Bartel Associates

Pension Funding Guides by the Pension Funding Task Force - 8/12/13

Difference between pension amounts for Books (accounting), Bonds, and Budgets (cash contributions) plus a Guide to Pension Funding for Elected Officials from the Pension Funding Task Force.

PEMHCA Administration Fee Rate for 2013/14 Published by CalPERS - 6/24/13

The CalPERS Board of Administration set the PEMHCA administration fee, as a percentage of total premiums, to 0.33%

100/90 Annuitant Contribution Rates for 2014 Published by CalPERS - 6/18/13

At its June 2013 meeting, the CalPERS Board approved the 2014 PEMHCA 100/90 State Annuitant Rates

PEMHCA Premiums for 2014 Published by CalPERS - 6/19/13

At its June 2013 meeting, the CalPERS Board approved the 2014 PEMHCA medical premiums

CalPERS Rate Changes Approved and More Expected