The heyday of U.S. corporate pension plan funding ended in 2007, when the aggregate level of funding was 106%, according to an analysis by Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory company. And though corporate funding of pensions is much better than public employee pension funding, the 2018 amount dropped slightly to 84% from 85% in 2017.
"Pension plans had been on track for another year of improved funding through the third quarter of 2018 as a result of higher interest rates, relatively stable equity markets and solid contributions," said Jennifer DeMeo, senior consultant at Willis Towers Watson, in a statement. "However, the steep declines in the equities markets during the fourth quarter, particularly in December, negated what had been a very positive year."
