Financial Intel Monthly

Interest rates are trending in the wrong direction for ConocoPhillips employees considering the lump sum option on their pension payment. While ConocoPhillips calculates interest rates quarterly, monthly rates for January were just released and they are rising. Interest rates are currently sitting at record lows for individuals that commence their benefits in Q2 2021. Over the last year, interest rates have dropped dramatically, which has greatly increased many lump sum payments. However, interest rates are now starting to tick upward, which could decrease lump-sums in Q3 2021. Should you desire to take your pension as a lump sum, ConocoPhillips will use interest rates and your age to calculate your lump sum payment. When interest rates move up or down, your pension lump sum amount will move in an inverse relationship (except for Cash Balance Pension Lump Sum payouts).

Analysis:

The 30-year Treasury and Corporate Bond Segment Rates are approximately 1% lower today than they were just 1 year ago. On average, a 1% decline in interest rates results in roughly an 8%-12% increase to your pension lump sum (varies by age). Conversely, a 1% increase in interest rates results in roughly an 8%-12% drop in your lump sum pension value. Now that the December Corporate Bond Segment Rates are published, we encourage all employees that fall under one of these defined-benefit pension plans to re-run their pension projections to find out whether or not their lump-sum has increased. We also encourage you to keep an eye on future rates as they seem to be trending upward. This is especially important if you are approaching retirement or already off payroll. You potentially may see a change in your pension lump sum.
Remember, you do not have to commence your pension benefit directly after you retire, unless you are age 65 or older at retirement. It may be advisable to defer the election of your pension benefit well beyond your retirement date, although you cannot commence your pension benefit prior to your retirement date in most cases.

Watch Our ConocoPhillips Interest Rates Update

ConocoPhillips Segment Lump Sum Interest Rates:

2020 Rates

2019 Rates

ConocoPhillips Retirement Plan

As it turns out, there are 8 different pension plans at ConocoPhillips, called Titles. Most
employees fall under either the Phillips Retirement Income Plan (Title I), the Retirement Plan of Conoco (Title IV), The Burlington Resources Inc. Pension Plan (Title VI), or the ConocoPhillips Cash Balance Plan (Title II). If you don't fall under one of these plans or aren't sure which plan you fall under, please reach out to one of our COP-focused advisors for further guidance.

Because of how sensitive Titles I, IV, and VI are to interest rates, The Retirement Group puts an immense amount of effort into tracking these rates and educating employees on how they affect pension lump sums in an effort to help individuals potentially increase their pension benefit when they leave the company.

Phillips Retirement Income Plan:

If you are considering a lump-sum on this pension plan, it is very important to pay
attention to interest rates as you approach retirement. Interest rates on this plan
change quarterly and have a negative correlation with the lump-sum payout (i.e. rising
interest rates will typically reduce the value of your lump-sum). The interest rates that are
used in this calculation are the Corporate Bond Segment Rates (service after 2008) as well as the 30-year Treasury rate (service prior to 2009). ConocoPhillips will typically use the average interest rates for the fourth month prior to the quarter you commence your benefit, which can be helpful in timing the election of your benefit to potentially increase the lump sum payout.

Burlington Resources Inc. Pension Plan (FAE Formula):

If you are considering a lump-sum on this pension plan, it is very important to pay
attention to interest rates as you approach retirement. Interest rates on this plan
change quarterly and have a negative correlation with the lump-sum payout (i.e. rising
interest rates will typically reduce the value of your lump-sum). The interest rates that are
used in this calculation are the Corporate Bond Segment Rates (service after 2008) as well as the 30-year Treasury rate (service prior to 2009). ConocoPhillips will typically use the average interest rates for the fourth month prior to the quarter you commence your benefit, which can be helpful in timing the election of your benefit to potentially increase the lump sum payout.

Securities through FSC Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC and investment advisory services offered through The Retirement Group, LLC, a registered investment advisor not affiliated with FSC Securities Corporation. Office of Supervisor Jurisdiction: 5414 Oberlin Dr #220, San Diego CA 92121. 800900-5867