The financial crisis resulted in severe declines in the funded status of most U.S. corporate pension funds resulting in almost universal pension deficits. These deficits have persisted largely due to declines in interest rates to historical lows. With the dual goals of closing funding shortfalls and reducing risk, plan sponsors have responded by de-risking incrementally and allowing funding status, and in more limited instances, interest rate levels, to guide their de-risking programs.

The financial crisis plunged many corporate pension plans into deficit forcing many sponsors to reconsider the sustainability of their plans. The subsequent years have proven a difficult environment for plan sponsors who were hoping to reduce funding deficits and pension risk simultaneously.