Steve retired at the beginning of 2019. He worked for a company with a defined benefit plan. The plan provides for retirement benefits at a rate of 2% of the last three years' average compensation for every year of service. Steve had worked for this company for 30 years when he retired. His average salary for the last three years was $400,000.

The maximum benefit Steve can receive from his retirement plan in 2019 is $ .

Wo firms, a and b, each currently dump 50 tons of chemicals into the local river. the government has decided to reduce the pollution and from now on will require a pollution permit for each ton of pollution dumped into the river. it costs firm a $100 for each ton of pollution that it eliminates before it reaches the river, and it costs firm b $50 for each ton of pollution that it eliminates before it reaches the river. the government gives each firm 20 pollution permits. government officials are not sure whether to allow the firms to buy or sell the pollution permits to each other. what is the total cost of reducing pollution if firms are not allowed to buy and sell pollution permits from each other? what is the total cost of reducing pollution if the firms are allowed to buy and sell permits from each other? a. $3,000; $1,500 b. $4,500; $3,500 c. $4,500; $4,000 d. $4,500; $2,500