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September 23, 2005
Today's sponsor: APSCREEN, Employee Locator

(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)
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(Please visit our sponsors. We try to make sure their products and services will be of interest to you. Thanks! --Editor)
Deciding to Contribute to a Roth-k Is Not a Cut and Dried Decision
Excerpt: "Contributions to a Roth-k are made with after-tax dollars, so they don't initially reduce a worker's tax bill. The money in the account grows tax-free and all withdrawals after age 59 1/2 are tax-free. In these respects, the Roth-k is like a Roth IRA." (The Star-Ledger via NJ.com)

Tapping Your 401(k) Plan Funds in an Emergency
Excerpt: "Current laws place some pretty stiff obstacles in the way of 'hardship distribution,' but if you're in dire straits, here's how it can be done." (Ellen Hoffman via BusinessWeek)

U.S. Senate Pension Bill Keeps 14-Year Airline Funding Fix
Excerpt: "Compromise U.S. Senate legislation to rewrite private pension rules will keep a provision to help distressed airlines by giving them 14 years to fix underfunded pensions as opposed to the 25 they had sought, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley said on Thursday [September 22, 2005]." (Reuters)

Oregon Public Employees Retirement System Staff Offers Gentler Cash Recovery from Retirees
Excerpt: "State pension-fund managers have devised a kinder and gentler way to get refunds from recently retired public employees in response to a Salem judge's ruling that workers got too much money in their pension accounts five years ago. The Public Employees Retirement System Board will rule on the staff recommendation Friday, in a weighty decision that could mean an $800 million reduction to the pensions of 43,000 former public employees." (Statesman Journal)

Quick Tip: The Trap to Avoid When Rolling Over Your Former Employer Provided Retirement Plan
Excerpt: "With some exceptions, in many cases it makes sense to rollover the retirement plan provided by your former employer to an IRA. IRA accounts in most scenarios provide far less restrictions than most employer provided plans and other advantages as well. But before rolling over the funds, you want to make sure you do it right." (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.)

Up United Kingdom Retirement Age to 69, Report Submitted to the Pension Commission Says
Excerpt: "A report by the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) said everyone should be eligible for a 'citizen's pension' starting at £109 a week. But, to ensure the payment rises in line with average earnings, people would have to retire later, it added." (BBC News)

Compendium of Research Papers and Discussion on United Kingdom State Pensions Policy Reform
Excerpt: "The PPI has suggested that there should be a wider debate on UK state pensions policy. There will be more pensioners and the cost of pensions is increasing yet both state and private provision are declining. Many of the current concerns in pensions are intrinsically linked to the structure of state pensions." (Pensions Policy Institute)

Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 ('KETRA') -- Summary of Benefits-Related Provisions
Excerpt: "Late on Tuesday, September 20, House and Senate negotiators reached agreement on H.R. 3768, the 'Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005' (KETRA). On Wednesday, September 21, the House approved the measure by a unanimous vote, and late in the evening of Wednesday, September 21, the Senate passed it by unanimous consent. The President is expected to sign the measure into law." (Attorney B. Janell Grenier via Benefitsblog.com)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated as of September 20, 2005
Excerpt: "Hewitt's Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding health and welfare benefit plans, retirement plans, and human resources and employment law." (Hewitt Associates)

Newly Posted Events

Benefit Plan Administration in Hurricane Disaster Areas
Nationwide on September 27, 2005
presented by Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Newly Posted Press Releases

Hewitt Offers Employees Tips to Maximize Benefit Choices During Open Enrollment Season
(Hewitt Associates LLC)

ERIC Asks Influential Members of Congress to Maintain Medicare Part D Implementation Schedule
(ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee))

PlanTools And FI360 Join Forces To Provide Integrated Reporting Services To 401(k) Advisors & Service Platforms
(McHenry Group, The)

24th Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium - Canceled
(International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS))

Olney Associates and LaRhette Manin Complete Employee Benefits Survey for New England Healthcare Organizations
(Olney Associates and LaRhette Manin)

Pace the Matchmaker? Newest Transit Website Feature Links Potential Riders to Existing Vanpool
(Pace Suburban Bus Service)

BNA Web Site Offers Employers Tools for Disaster Recovery In the Wake of Hurricane Katrina
(BNA, Inc.)

Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
Post a Help Wanted Ad

Defined Contribution Analyst I/II/Sr
for Standard Insurance Company
in OR

Operations Manager
for The Todd Organization
in MO

Retirement Plan Supervisor
for American Funds
in IN

Enrolled Actuary
for Tegra Financial Partners a subsidiary of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP
in GA

Qualified Plan Administrator
for Growing Administration Firm
in NC

Research Director
for Milliman, Inc.
in DC

Compliance Analyst
for Prudential Financial-Retirement Division
in CT, IA, NJ, PA



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Editor and Publisher: David Rhett Baker, J.D.

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