Guest Article

Let Congress Know That Small Business Retirement Plan Coverage Must Be Protected

by Brian Graff
Executive Director
American Society of Pension Actuaries

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to consider the Bush Admisintration's dividends exclusion proposal this month. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to consider the proposal in April. As we indicated in our last e-mail, we are concerned that the extension of the dividends exclusion proposal to variable annuities will negatively impact small business retirement plan coverage. To learn more about these concerns, go to http://www.asppa.org/archivepages/gac/2003/030503-eco-proposal.htm.

We need your help getting the message to Congress that small business retirement plans need similar treatment so that they remain attractive to small business owners. Otherwise, many small business workers will be left without a meaningful way to save for retirement.

We have made it easy for you to let your voice be heard. Go to http://www.capwiz.com/aspa/issues/alert/?alertid=1630761 (click) and in just a few moments you will be able to send an e-mail to your members of Congress. We have created a model e-mail for your use, but please feel free to make changes and personalize it. In fact, it would be most effective if you could tell your members of Congress how many plans in your practice would be impacted by the proposal if enacted without a fix for small business retirement plans.

Thanks for doing this. It does make a difference.

Brian Graff, Esq.
ASPA Executive Director