Towers Perrin Experts available to discuss factors influenci

STAMFORD, CT April 8, 2009 – Equity returns were strong across the board and long corporate yields continued their recent upward trend during March, according to the latest Capital Market Update from global professional services firm Towers Perrin.  The net impact was a 3.5 percentage point increase in the firm’s benchmark plan’s funded ratio.

While the March results bring some relief for plan sponsors, the funding gap created over the prior six months remains mostly intact.  The March funded ratio of 63.7% represents a decline of 25 percentage points over the trailing 12 months, and stands as the second-worst figure ever recorded in the data series.

Experts from Towers Perrin are available to discuss the implications of the current market on the Towers Perrin benchmark plan and the ongoing financial management of U.S. retirement plans.

Who:

• Mike Archer, Towers Perrin Chief Actuary
• Jerry Mingione, Towers Perrin Principal and leader of the firm's Retirement Financial Management practice

Among the issues Towers Perrin's experts can address:

• The impact of capital market performance on pension plans
• Pension plan liability measurements under accounting and funding regulations
• The varying effects of liability characteristics and contribution policies
• The impact of financial management practices on plan financial results
• Potential financial management responses by plan sponsors.

When:

• Through April 30, 2009

Contact:

• Michael McNamara
• Towers Perrin
• 914-745-4126
• Michael.McNamara@towersperrin.com

About Towers Perrin's benchmark plan

Towers Perrin's benchmark plan is a final-pay-based plan covering a typical (relatively mature) participant group.  Approximately half of the benchmark plan liabilities relate to inactive participants, with a resulting duration of approximately 12 (about average for large corporate plans).

The funded status for the benchmark plan is intended to be indicative of capital market results rather than to specifically align with the average for U.S. corporate or public pension  plans. Towers Perrin separately tracks a database of 300 large U.S. corporate plans.

About Towers Perrin

Towers Perrin is a global professional services firm that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management.  The firm provides innovative solutions in the areas of human capital strategy, program design and management, and in the areas of risk and capital management, insurance and reinsurance intermediary services, and actuarial consulting.  Towers Perrin has offices and alliance partners in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.  More information about Towers Perrin is available at www.towersperrin.com.