Originally Posted by slowplay

Yeah, that's just what I want...my survivors dependent on the financial health of Delta to pay their benefit...

I mean, what could go wrong? The pension was so overfunded that it didn't require any contributions since 1991 (until it was grossly underfunded). It was self-funding, just like the D&S! And how did that grossly underfunding happen? A combination of factors not the least of which was 1000's of guys taking their 50% lump sum plus the stock market tank plus the low GATT(?) rate that made lumps even larger plus the fact that Delta did NOT fund it when it went below the funding level. I don't see a "run on the bank" so to speak for D&S plan. How can there be? Do you?

Question: what happens to the funded status of the D&S Trust when all the current retirees die off and their survivors begin to draw the benefit? Is/was this not one of the purposes of the D&S plan in the first place? What is the purpose now of having a billion dollars in a D&S plan that essentially leaves out the "S" part.

I've seen how a Delta promise to pay works out, so I'd prefer to keep the $542K of insurance. My survivors don't pay tax on that money and it is completely independent of Delta. The pension termination and 1114 of the retiree medical benefits taught me to pass on Delta's promises that aren't funded in my name and portable. Your survivors don't pay taxes on $542K if, and it's a big IF, you die while active. After you retire it's a different story. I'm not adverse to the insurance part but the retiree "benefit" needs to be greatly enhanced.

So I'll pass on your option, thanks.