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The BenefitsLink Newsletter -
Retirement Plans Edition
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November 14, 2001 - 12,441 subscribers
Today's sponsor: In Plain English

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(Help BenefitsLink to provide this newsletter at no charge to you -- our sponsors pay our way. Remember to visit them periodically; we try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)

PLAN SPONSOR's 2001 Defined Contribution Services Survey
Excerpt: "While the average number of investment options provided was 14, participants are only using about a third of the available options-- at best-- according to plan sponsor respondents to PLAN SPONSOR's 2001 Defined Contribution Services Survey." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Social Security Overhaul Plans Tempered by Economy
Excerpt: "Benefit cuts, a looming deficit and a need for money from a strapped federal budget are some of the challenges facing President Bush's Social Security commission." (Associated Press via Yahoo! News)

Sec. 401(k) Plan Sponsors Are Addressing Participation and Other Concerns, Hewitt Finds
According to research recently conducted by Hewitt Associates, employers are enhancing their Sec. 401(k) plans to address participation and diversification issues, but employees need more education about the importance of contributing to their plan. In reaching these findings, Hewitt compared the results from its 2001 Trends and Experience in 401(k) Plans study, which surveyed more than 400 employers nationwide. (Spencernet)

Good News for Executives Saving for Retirement
Association executives can now save more securely for their retirement. Congress and the Internal Revenue Service have provided association executives with new and safer opportunities to save for their retirement. The three planning devices highlighted in this article are the improvements contained in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the design-based safe harbor 401(k) plan, and the final regulations for new comparability (cross-tested) plans. (Sanders, Schnabel & Brandenburg, P.C.)

Survey Indicates Employers Remain Satisfied With Their 401(k) Plan Service Providers
Despite uncertainties in the stock market, employer plan sponsor ratings for their Sec. 401(k) plan service providers were high in 2001, up from the previous two years across all asset bands, according to a survey recently conducted by 401kExchange. The survey garnered responses from 95,000 Sec. 401(k) plan sponsors nationwide. (SpencerNet)

(Following items are in both editions of the BenefitsLink Newsletter)


IRS Proposes Regs on Payroll and Income Taxes Applicable to Statutory Stock Options
Excerpt: "These proposed regulations would clarify current law regarding FICA tax, FUTA tax, and income tax withholding on the transfer of stock pursuant to the exercise of statutory stock options. These proposed regulations would provide that at the time of the exercise of a statutory stock option, the individual who was granted the statutory stock option receives wages for FICA and FUTA purposes." (Internal Revenue Service)




Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings (Post Yours!)
Consultant, Employee Benefit for The Standard Insurance Company
in
ALL STATES
Implementation Specialist for Mellon Financial Services
in
NJ, NY
Actuarial Analyst, Defined Benefit Plans for Cowden & Associates
in
PA
Pension Administrator for Schiller's Pension Consulting
in
CA
401(k) Plan Administrator for Benefit Designers of Maryland, Inc.
in
MD
Retirement Plan Service Associate for CapTrust Financial Advisors
in
NC
Health and Welfare Ongoing Project Manager - EC-010215-003 for Hewitt Associates
in
GA
Benefits Analyst for Solo Cup Company
in
IL
Benefits Supervisor for Solo Cup Company
in
IL
Pension Trust Administrator for Inline Plans, Inc.
in
CA
Manager of Universal Qualified Plan Administration & Record keeping for First Trust Corporation
in
CO
COBRA Call Center Manager for Ceridian
in
FL
Trust Auditor (several positions) JO#269 for Financial Institution
in
MO



Newly Posted Conferences (Post Yours!)
Retirement Plan Basicsin CA on April 11, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Retirement Plan Basicsin WI on June 20, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Retirement Plan Basicsin WI on July 18, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Retirement Plan Basicsin NY on October 4, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
401(k) Plansin CA on April 15, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
401(k) Plansin WI on June 26, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
401(k) Plansin NY on October 7, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
401(k) Plansin WI on June 26, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Investment Basicsin CA on April 9, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Investment Basicsin WI on June 24, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Investment Basicsin NY on October 2, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Health Care Cost Managementin FL on March 4, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Health Care Cost Managementin WI on August 21, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Health Care Cost Managementin NY on October 9, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Choice-Based Benefitsin FL on February 28, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Choice-Based Benefitsin WI on August 19, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Choice-Based Benefitsin NY on October 4, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Variable Payin FL on February 28, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Variable Payin CA on April 11, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Variable Payin WI on July 24, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Investment Planning and Program Designin FL on March 4, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Investment Planning and Program Designin NY on October 9, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Financial Planning Basicsin FL on February 28, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Financial Planning Basicsin NY on October 7, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Certificate in Global Benefits Managementin NY on May 6, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Certificate in Global Benefits Managementin WI on September 9, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Accountants Forum on Employee Benefitsin NV on June 10, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Attorneys Forum on Employee Benefitsin FL on February 25, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Collection Procedures Institutein CA on April 22, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Essentials of Multiemployer Trust Fund Administrationin WI on June 3, 2002
presented by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans



Newly Posted Press Releases
FACTS Services, Inc. Expands FACTSWeb Functionality To Enable EDI Claim Uploads Through The Internet (FACTS Services, Inc.)
Ceridian's Retirement Plan Services Unit Selects Schwab Retirement Technologies as Recordkeeping Software Provider (Schwab Retirement Technologies tm)

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Copyright 2001 BenefitsLink.com, Inc., but you may freely distribute this email newsletter in whole. This newsletter is edited by David Rhett Baker, J.D.