| BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter |   |
March 5, 2003 - 13,085 subscribers
Today's sponsor: Financial Research Associates proudly presents:
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Stars & Stripes 2003 The Stars & Stripes 2003 National Public Employees Retirement Summit is a comprehensive event for public board, staff, and investment officers that will cover every thing from rebalancing/asset allocation scenarios to the latest in retirement plans for state and municipal public funds officials, teacher retirement plan officials and fire and police pension plan board members and trustees. It will take place July 13-15, 2003 at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club in Orlando. To register call 800-280-8440 or visit www.frallc.com
(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
401(k) Plan Sponsors' Top Priorities for 2003
Excerpt: "[P]lan sponsors hope in 2003 to improve participants' perceptions of their 401 (k)s, avoid legal action, and help their workers build their retirement savings assets." (IOMA's Report on Managing 401(k) Plans via International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans)
American Benefits Council Urges Employers to Push for New Pension Interest Rate Rules
Excerpt: "Plan sponsors must make it clear that it is imperative to enact a replacement interest rate for the 30-year Treasury bond, which currently serves as the benchmark for calculating pension liabilities, funding requirements, lump-sum distributions and PBGC premiums. Since the 30-year Treasury bond program was discontinued, the rate on these bonds has reached historic lows." (American Benefits Council)
UAL Corp.: IRS Ruling Enables Sale of Stock by ESOP While Preserving Net Operating Loss Tax Benefits
Press release. Excerpt: "The IRS ruled that certain sales of stock by the 401(k) plans managed by Fidelity Management Trust Company and by a mutual fund that had previously held a large amount of UAL stock did not need to be included in the calculation of an ownership change for the purposes of preserving the NOL. Preserving the NOL should generate substantial tax benefits following UAL's emergence from Chapter 11 protection." (PR Newswire)
IRS Ruling May End Employee Control of United Airlines
Excerpt: "A ruling from the Internal Revenue Service yesterday could end control of United Airlines by its employees after nearly a decade, according to United and its parent, UAL Corp." (Washington Post)
United OKs More Sales of Employee Shares
Excerpt: "United Airlines said Tuesday it would allow the sale of a third of its remaining employee-held shares, retaining a key tax benefit but setting the stage for the demise of its controversial employee stock ownership plan." (The [Minneapolis] Star Tribune)
Another Question is Answered in the Prototype Plans Q&A Column
If a plan has been updated with a good-faith EGTRRA amendment and the plan is restated (e.g., for GUST), does the EGTRRA amendment have to be re-adopted again? (BenefitsLink.com)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Audio Report: Military Call-Ups Disruptive to Businesses
Excerpt: "The mobilization of military reserve and National Guard units tops 168,000 troops, the largest call-up since the Persian Gulf War. When a key employee is called to active duty, it can disrupt large companies and damage smaller ones. NPR's Elaine Korry reports.' (Mar. 4, 2003) (National Public Radio)
FASB Chief Takes Hard Line On Options As Expenses
Excerpt: "The head of the private group that writes U.S. accounting rules told members of Congress yesterday that he supports treating stock options as corporate expenses and will resist political opposition or challenges from companies that oppose change." (Washington Post)
FASB Chair Wants Options Expensing On Agenda
Excerpt: "The top U.S. accounting rule maker told lawmakers on Tuesday he supported the expensing of stock options but declined to predict what the other six members of the Financial Accounting Standards Board would do." (Reuters)
Newly Posted Webcasts
(Post Yours!)
Medical Malpractice in Crisis: Health Care Policy Options
on March 3, 2003
presented by KaiserNetwork.org
Newly Posted Conferences
(Post Yours!)
HIPAA Privacy Compliance Workshop
in OH
March 25, 2003
SunGard Corbel
HIPAA Privacy Compliance Workshop
in FL
April 1, 2003
SunGard Corbel
HIPAA Privacy Compliance Workshop
in TX
April 8, 2003
SunGard Corbel
ERISA Health Care Claim Denial and Appeal under New DOL Claim Regulation
in IL
May 16, 2003
ERISAclaim.com
ERISA Health Care Claim Denial and Appeal under New DOL Claim Regulation
in IL
June 13, 2003
ERISAclaim.com
ERISA Health Care Claim Denial and Appeal under New DOL Claim Regulation
in IL
July 18, 2003
ERISAclaim.com
17th Annual Employee Benefits Institute
in MO
April 24, 2003
Employee Benefits Institute of Kansas City and UMKC
ERISA Health Care Claim Denial and Appeal under New DOL Claim Regulation
in IL
March 21, 2003
ERISAclaim.com
Newly Posted Press Releases
(Post Yours!)
New Accounting Practices, Rising Prescription Drug Costs and Shifts in Control Concern Public Employee Benefit Plans
(International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans)
SunGard Corbel Introduces Self-Funded Health Plans through Relius Documents Internet
(SunGard Corbel)
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research
- Employee Benefits Library
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Editor and Publisher: David Rhett Baker, J.D.
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