Pensions

Nope- very rare in health care. Most places have 401b's or like programs where the employer matches what the employee puts in up to a certain amount.

Others go farther and put in a certain percentage of ones gross yearly salary in a like account as well. A couple places that do these I have worked do this without the employee's input but the money then typically is just in a money market account making maybe 0.5-1% if your lucky.

Sadly the days of the true pension are all but gone, about the only companies with these are the US auto companies and just look at their financial conditions.

The only other places left as far as I know are state programs for government employees. So you might find them at county or state hospitals.

RJ

Thanks rjflyn for your input. I am currently checking out state employment opportunities but the application/hiring process seems very lenghthy. It looks like i'm really going to have to buckle down if I want to get into something like that.

I think Duke does, BUT do you want to trust any employer ?

If you contribute the maximum to a 401 plan and invest wisely you should be all right. Check on whether or not you contribute the maximum. I just found out I wasn't when I switched employers. Duh. Though, my retirement account still looks fine.

after working 33 years at bethlehem steel, james roberts expected to retire with a secure pension. a member of steelworkers local 1688 in harrisburg, pa., roberts retired in november 2000 with full pension and health care benefits. about a year after bethlehem declared bankruptcy in december 2001, the pension benefit guaranty corp. (pbgc), the federal agency that insures pensions, took over the company's pension plan. the pbgc cut roberts's monthly pension

payments by more than one-third, leaving him financially devastated.

"it's not like i was making $60,000 or $80,000 a year on my pension and could afford to take a cut," he says. before the pbgc cut his payments, roberts received $1,888 a month or $22,656 a year. now he receives $1,243 a month--$14,916 a year. he struggles to buy the daily medications he needs for a degenerative bone disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

the above quote was from the aflcio website. you cannot depend on pensions, social security, or any other "guaranteed retirement." 401b or 401k are good, but you need further retirement planning/savings. seek and use a good cfp.

after working 33 years at bethlehem steel, james roberts expected to retire with a secure pension. a member of steelworkers local 1688 in harrisburg, pa., roberts retired in november 2000 with full pension and health care benefits. about a year after bethlehem declared bankruptcy in december 2001, the pension benefit guaranty corp. (pbgc), the federal agency that insures pensions, took over the company's pension plan. the pbgc cut roberts's monthly pension

payments by more than one-third, leaving him financially devastated.

"it's not like i was making $60,000 or $80,000 a year on my pension and could afford to take a cut," he says. before the pbgc cut his payments, roberts received $1,888 a month or $22,656 a year. now he receives $1,243 a month--$14,916 a year. he struggles to buy the daily medications he needs for a degenerative bone disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol. [/colo

this is truly scary and sad.