Once hailed as a bedrock of retirement security, many defined benefit pensions are now on the brink of failure. Some troubled multiemployer (union) pension plans carry debts so large that the government entity tasked with insuring them the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) will also soon be insolvent. If troubled pension plans do not take action to increase contributions and curb unsustainable benefits, most pensioners will receive significantly less than their companies promised them.