The shift away from defined-benefit pension plans is eliminating life annuities
received upon retirement. Retiree incomes are becoming increasingly dependent
upon retirees’ investment returns and savings consumption rates. The
traditional solution, for retirees to purchase annuities, is expensive (because
insurance companies must be compensated for bearing systematic investment and
actuarial risks) and leaves the investor exposed to the risk of issuer default.
The alternative investment vehicle proposed here would allow retirees to
diversify life-expectancy risk but retain aggregate investment and actuarial
risks. Participants would thus save the cost of the risk premiums for
transferring those risks to an insurance company. As a result, the payments to
participants from this alternative should be significantly higher than payments
from a purchased annuity.