| BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter |   |
April 29, 2005
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Treasury & Risk Management's Bundled 401(k) Buyers' Guide for 2005 (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "401(k)s seem likely to play an increasingly important role in financing workers' retirements... Treasury & Risk Management's annual listing of bundled providers of 401(k) plans shows they're rising to the challenge with options designed to aid reluctant participants: More than half now offer or plan to offer managed accounts and almost all provide time-targeted funds." (Treasury and Risk Management)
Bush Urges Move to Tiered Social Security Benefits
Excerpt: "President Bush last night proposed increasing Social Security benefits for low-income retirees more quickly than payments to 'people who are better off,' but said current workers can 'count on a benefit equal to or higher than today's seniors.' 'If you work hard and pay into Social Security your entire life, you will not retire into poverty,' the president said at the hour-long, prime-time press conference." (Washington Times)
PBS Series, Library Program Offer Investors an Unbiased Education
Excerpt: "[T]he Investor Protection Trust (IPT), a nonprofit investor education organization, has launched 'MoneyTrack,' a new 13-part series that began airing on some Public Broadcasting Service stations Sunday.... In addition to the public television series, IPT is partnering with the American Library Association and Kiplinger to launch a comprehensive investor education program in public libraries across the country." (Washington Post; free one-time registration required)
Survey Shows Gap in Financial Understanding Among Individuals
Excerpt: "Fifty-six percent of adults don't know that the purpose of buying mutual funds rather than individual stocks is to provide more diversification.... One in four adults don't know the purpose of the stock market." (BenefitNews.com)
Proposed Reform of DB Insurance Would Increase Premiums for All Employers, But Ensure PBGC Solvency (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "One welcome component of the proposal would allow plan sponsors to take advantage of periods of strong economic growth by allowing firms to contribute additional tax-qualified amounts to pension funds up to 130 percent of the funding target. The funding target also would be indexed to wages ..." (HR Policy Association)
Opinion: The Battle Against Privatizing Our Retirement
Excerpt: "NCPERS is totally involved in the battles to stop privatization of our public pension benefits by eliminating defined benefit plans and totally replacing them with defined contribution plans." (National Council on Public Employee Retirement Systems)
Some Wayne County (Michigan) Retirees Rake in Big Pensions
Excerpt: "Some recent Wayne County retirees walked off with fattened pensions of more than $100,000 a year and are earning more in pension payouts than they did while working, but county officials insist they are saving money." (Detroit Free Press)
2005 IRA Contributions: Higher Limits and Deduction Ranges
Excerpt: "Here is a brief reminder of the maximum IRA contribution limits and deduction ranges for 2005. Thanks to a scheduled increase in the IRA contribution limit, IRA owners can make larger contributions for 2005. In addition, the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) limits for determining deductible traditional IRA contributions have increased, allowing deductible contributions for more individuals." (Bankers Systems Retirement Plan Services)
Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Retirement (PDF)
Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin)
Broker Research: What's It Worth?
Excerpt: "With the Securities and Exchange Commission expected to rule on the use of soft dollars in June, the securities industry is hoping that the SEC will clear up the uncertainties surrounding the controversial practice and determine once and for all who is responsible for placing a value on proprietary research." (Wall Street & Technology)
Opinion: Retirement Income Security-- The Status of Hybrid-Pension Plans (PDF)
10 pages; April 25, 2005. Excerpt: "Left unresolved, the uncertainty surrounding hybrid pensions puts millions of Americans' retirement income at risk and threatens to force more companies to eliminate defined benefit plans – a result that does not serve anyone." (Republican Policy Committee, U.S. Senate)
Opinion: Game Clock Running Out on Social Security Reform?
Excerpt: "While this team of Democrats has been passing to the open man and playing tough defense on Social Security, Republicans have been dribbling the ball off their feet and questioning the game plan." (Brian Naylor published by National Public Radio)
Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General
Wanted: Retirees to Work
Excerpt: "Odd as it sounds in this era of downsizing and outsourcing, workforce experts say that companies and government agencies soon will have to encourage older employees to work longer because there aren't enough experienced younger people to replace them." (San Francisco Chronicle)
Towers Perrin U.S. Legislative Tracking Charts-- Human Resources (PDF)
Excerpt: "These charts summarize selected federal legislation that would affect employee benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors." (Towers Perrin)
Newly Posted Events
Form 5500 Preparation Workshop
in Pennsylvania on May 12, 2005
presented by Central Pennsylvania Chapter - ISCEBS
Major Employers: Controlling Your Healthcare Budget
in District of Columbia on June 22, 2005
presented by ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee)
Plan Design Workshop - Exploring New Directions
Nationwide on June 15, 2005
presented by SunGard Corbel
Newly Posted Press Releases
IRS Names New Members to TE/GE Advisory Group
(Internal Revenue Service (IRS))
Employers and Plan Sponsors Are Missing New Medicare Prescription Dollars
(Part D Advisors, Inc. )
Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Retirement Plan Specialist
for Diversified Investment Advisors
in MN
Employee Benefits Tax Consultant
for Deloitte
in VA
Pension Plan Administrator
for McDermott & Miller, P.C.
in NE
401(k) / DC Plan Administrator
for DR Pension Services, LLC
in NY
Junior 401(k) Administrator
for Benefit Equity Inc.
in CA
DB Plan Administrator
for TPA Firm in Boca Raton, FL
in FL
Employee Education Consultant
for PNC Advisors
in PA
Benefits Manager
for Peninsula Regional Medical Center
in MD
Handy Links:
- View Today's Active Message Threads
- Search BenefitsLink
- Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
- Employee Benefits Library
Copyright 2005 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you may reprint this newsletter in full (including this sentence) without obtaining our permission.
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