BNY Mellon trust universe plans return median 13.2% in 2020 Getty Images/iStockphoto BNY Mellon U.S. Master Trust Universe plans returned a median 9.4% for the three months and 13.2% for the year ended Dec. 31, respectively. Endowments in the universe performed the best during the fourth quarter, returning a median 10.4%, followed by public defined benefit plans at 10%; foundations, 9.7%; Taft-Hartley plans, 9.2%; corporate DB plans, 8%; and health-care plans, 7.5%. For the year ended Dec. 31, corporate pension plans posted the highest median return at 14%. Following that were endowments at 12.5%; public pension plans, 12%; Taft-Hartley plans, 11.5%; foundations, 11.1%; and health-care plans, 9.9% For asset classes, non-U.S. equities saw a median return of 17%; U.S. equities, 15.1%; non-U.S. fixed income, 8.3%; real estate, 1.9%; and U.S. fixed income, 1.6%.