What Is A Defined Benefit Retirement Plan? 
what is a defined benefit plan ? A defined benefit plan is an employer sponsored retirement plan that the employer bares all the risk of investment . A defined benefit plan provides an outcome for employees rather than a lump sum balancesubject to market risks.A defined benefit plan used to be the norm for retirement programs , now they arerare asmany employers have jumped to 401 -LRB- k -RRB- plans which only obligate the employer to the original contribution . The shift of RISK falls completely on the employee . 