September 5, 2012: The 2012 first quarter financial report from the Central States Pension Fund has finally issued, and is available only on this website.

The report indicates that the fund had $18.7 billion on March 31, 2012, a healthy increase over three months earlier. The bad news is that the stock market froth of the first quarter has not been repeated, and the fund's assets are now lower, probably about $1 billion lower.

The Financial and Analytical Report is available here, and the Report of the Independent Special Counsel is available here.

The report notes that fund Trustee Fred Gegare resigned his position on May 11, 2012, and the vacancy has not yet been filled.

The Central States Health and Welfare Fund, unlike the pension fund, continues to operate in the black and has strong reserves that equal about 18 months of benefits.

Click here to read "Could the Central States Pension Fund Go Insolvent."