"In the past, plans were able to fully recover, according to [Alan Glickstein, a senior retirement consultant at Towers Watson]. For example, after funding fell sharply in 2002, from 101 percent to 82 percent, plans 'clawed their way back' to 99 percent [in] 2006 and 106 percent in 2007, he says. However, in the current ongoing cycle that began after a big drop in funding to 77 percent in 2008, 'we're not clawing our [way] back,' to full funding, Glickstein says. 'We're just circling the drain here at the 80 percent level.' "  MORE >>