Are we living longer? Absolutely. Should we factor this into pension funding obligations? Not according to the IRS.

The Society of Actuaries released new mortality tables in 2014 to better reflect how long Americans are living. The IRS was expected to adopt the new tables.

Instead the IRS has decided to use tables developed 15 years ago. They’ve determined the best course of action is to “continue to use current assumptions until 2017 as (we) evaluate the new tables.” Put another way they’ve decided to kick the can down the road.

The winners are corporations with funding obligations. Had the IRS adopted the new tables employer funding obligations would have risen about 6% or approximately $126 billion. Instead the outdated tables should save them about $18 billion in 2016. Similarly it will make it cheaper for employers to offer lump sum buyouts.

The losers are current employees and retirees who may see their promised benefits evaporate due to underfunded plans.

It’s a painfully simple truth. People are living longer. The IRS will eventually have to adjust funding requirements to reflect that. Attempts to ignore the situation won’t make it go away – they’ll simply increase future funding costs.