Usually this means either a
defined contribution
plan [such as a 401 (k) or 403 (b)
plan] or a
defined benefit plan (a
traditional fixed «
pension» that a government employee might
receive).
On one side, some reformers have favored scrapping
traditional teacher
pension plans (
defined benefit, or DB, of the «final average salary» type) in favor of the IRA - type
plans received by most private - sector professionals (
defined contribution, DC).