Reports and Surveys | October 29, 2025

Latest on Zone Status: Most Multiemployer Plans Are Green

More than three-quarters of multiemployer pension plans are in the green zone, according to Segal’s fall 2025 survey of zone status.

The survey covers plans that are in the green, yellow (endangered) and red (critical) zones as well as plans that have received Special Financial Assistance (SFA) from the PBGC and plans that are in critical and declining (C&D) status.

To see key findings from the survey, download an infographic.

Get the Infographic

Latest on Zone Status Most Multiemployer Plans Are Green Download Now

You'll learn:

  • Plans with higher Pension Protection Act funded percentages tend to be in the green zone, but that isn’t always the case.
  • The importance of a plan’s net negative cash flow, also known as its “burn rate.”
  • The median burn rate for C&D plans is more than twice that of red-zone plans.
  • For SFA recipient plans, the median inactive-to-active ratio is much higher than for other plans, including C&D plans.
  • What we expect over the next few years and what actions we suggest plan trustees consider taking during that period.

Fall Zone Infographic on All Segal Multiemployer Pension Plan Clients

 

We can help you manage changes in your plan's zone status.

Ask us to run projections that can help you make decisions with confidence.

About the survey

The survey covers the actual results of more than 300 plans that have completed zone certifications over the past 12 months. This includes over 100 plans with non-calendar plan years, as well as the calendar-year plans featured in our spring 2025 survey.

As a group, these plans have more than $310 billion in assets and provide benefits to just over 4.1 million participants.

We have also created an infographic of industry data from the survey.

See more insights

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This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. You are encouraged to discuss the issues raised here with your legal, tax and other advisors before determining how the issues apply to your specific situations.