Much has been written recently, particularly after 2000–2002 left pensions in tatters, about the challenge of meeting pension obligations. The challenge discussed here is interesting and multifaceted—embracing issues of demographics, reasonable expectations, business ethics, stakeholder interests, the social compact, and intergenerational equity. The first step is to acknowledge the reality that assuming investments will earn a risk premium without acknowledging the risk that they will not deliver a premium disguises the real size of pension liabilities.