They could be either type.  You can have cash in IRA’s or taxable accounts.  It’s just a fancy term for “you ain’t makin’ money market interest rates”.  It’s just basically cash (unless I am confused by what you are referring to).

It is pre-tax $ if you are talking about a Cash Balance pension--which I think you are...should be able to rolled into an IRA just like a 401k.  Broker24 is confused about what you are talking about, because you weren't very clear.  But if a client said "I've got a cash balance account at work," I would bet it is the pension.

Cash balance plans are becoming much more common in the defined benefit world....I'm not a pension actuary or expert, but the jist of the thing is:  cash balance plans build credits in a straight line type accumulation, whereas the more traditional plan was very back ended--that is, the benefit was low until the last 10 years or so and got much higher based on the last years of service.  Cash balance plan conversion from the older version usually makes the liabilities go down because the oldest workers being switched (ie not grandfathered) get hosed.  Google "IBM cash balance plan lawsuit" and look at the 4th result article.

Cowboy, looking back at the post, I think you are right. It sounds like a

pension plan.