7th Circuit Lets 401(k) Participants Challenge Unitized Stock Funds and Plan Fees
"401(k) plan fiduciaries may face liability for failing to decide whether company stock funds should stay 'unitized,' the 7th Circuit has ruled. Participants claimed the unitized structure, with a cash buffer, resulted in lower returns in a rising market and an inequitable allocation of transaction costs." (Mercer LLC)

See ftwilliam.com’s Form 5500 Software in Action! [Advert.]

Find out what made ftwilliam.com a success last year by signing up for one of our FREE 5500 software webinars. We’ll cover conversion, streamlined data entry, edit checking, workflow and different e-filing methods, including our integrated web-portal.

EIN End in 1 or 6? If Yes, Consider Applying for IRS Determination Letter (PDF)
Excerpt: 'In general, individually designed plans maintained by a single employer with an EIN that ends with a '1' or a '6' must prepare and submit an application for determination letter anytime between now and January 31, 2012." (The ERISA Law Group, P.A.)

Retirement Account Balances, Updated April 2011
"This fact sheet follows trends in retirement account balances since the beginning of 2005." (Urban Institute)

Should Pensions Be Progressive?
"[This] paper quantitatively characterizes the optimal progressivity of unfunded pension systems in an overlapping generations model with idiosyncratic income, disability and longevity risk as well as endogenous labor supply at the intensive and extensive margin." (Social Science Research Network)

Break-Even Funding Ratios for DB Pension Plan Participants
"We analyze whether a low funding ratio of a pension fund can create incentives for individuals to leave this fund and save for retirement on an individual basis. Furthermore, we explore how these incentives differ per age." (Social Science Research Network)

CFDD 2011 Advisor Conference [Advert.]

CFDD ’11, Participant Advice, Retirement Income & New Growth Strategies, is the premier education and networking event for the retirement plans advisory industry. Unmatched Advisor Attendance, Content & Value. Register Now & Win A Trip To LasVegas!

SEC Looking for Input on Effectiveness of Existing Investor Education Efforts
"Section 917 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act . . . directs the SEC to conduct a study of retail investors' financial literacy and submit its findings to Congress by July 21, 2012. Among other things, Section 917 states that the study must identify 'the most effective existing private and public efforts to educate investors.'" (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Nine Things to Know before Retiring in 2011
"Retiring is a major life change. Once all of your affairs are in order, you can focus on making the transition as seamless as possible." (Investopedia via San Francisco Chronicle)

Average Funded Ratio for Pensions Estimated to Increase from 77% to 82%
"The average funded ratio for defined benefit pension plans in the past ten years has been as high as 115% in 2000 and as low as 70% in 2008." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)

An Ongoing Labor Dispute in Connecticut Shows the Problem with Union Pensions
"The issue is over the company's desire to exit the Teamsters' grossly underfunded multi-employer pension plan, as well as asking union members to pay 10% of their medical premiums." (Labor Union Report)

Younger Participants Increase IRA Contributions
"Fidelity says its 2010 IRA contributions jumped across virtually all age segments compared with 2009, but investors under age 30 showed the biggest jump." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

One in Four Children Will Live to 100th Birthday, According to UK Government Figures
"Pensions minister Steve Webb said the estimates, based on data from the Office for National Statistics, highlighted the fact that in future, people could be spending over a third of their lives in retirement." (Newsquest Media Group)

Selected Materials from 2011 Enrolled Actuaries Meeting
The target page contains links to materials used at some sessions of the recent meeting, such as 'Public Plan Funding -- An Emerging Crisis.' The Enrolled Actuaries Meeting was jointly sponsored by the American Academy of Actuaries and the Conference of Consulting Actuaries in cooperation with the Society of Actuaries. (Conference of Consulting Actuaries)

ERIC Urges PBGC to Create Stakeholder Advisory Group; Expand Board to Include Outside Directors (PDF)
"[ERIC] recommends ongoing initiatives to keep the regulated community actively engaged in the review of existing regulations and the development of new regulations. In particular, ERIC recommends: 1. Creating a stakeholder advisory group, consisting of representatives from large employers, practitioners, and other interested parties, that would meet periodically to review regulations and discuss other issues of importance . . . ." (The ERISA Industry Committee)

Employers Optimistic, But Employees Reluctant to Relocate, According to Atlas Van Lines' Annual Relocation Survey
"72 percent of the relocation managers polled say they believe their respective companies will fare better in 2011, and 30% of companies plan to relocate workers this year - the highest percentage in six years . . . ." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Employees May Be Asked to Contribute More: Deloitte/ISCEBS Survey Findings
"In response to anticipated higher costs, employers may be poised to implement more employee health care cost-sharing and higher retirement contributions. The 17th annual Top 5 Total Rewards Priorities survey . . . indicates many employers are taking a 'wait and see' approach for final health care reform regulations that may reduce plan design flexibility." (Deloitte Development LLC)

Relocation Experts Focus More on Local Talent and Are Even Converting Expats to Local Employees
"[E]xecutives at U.S.-based multinational companies are taking a harder look at using local talent or selecting talent from lower-cost, growth regions for foreign assignments, rather than relying on the more expensive path of using expatriate employees from the United States, according to Mercer's 2011 Global Pay Summary." (Human Resource Executive Online)

Experts Tell State Legislators to Fix Pensions, and Fast
"A lawyer and an economist disagreed about the immediacy of the financial crisis state governments face, but did give about 30 people gathered at a National Conference of State Legislatures session here one common message: Start fixing pensions and retiree health benefits programs now. 'Or else.'" (StateHouseNewsOnline.com)

Nationwide Financial Expands Market Focus in Its Corporate Life Insurance Business
(Nationwide Financial)

ERIC Urges PBGC to Create Stakeholder Advisory Group; Expand Board to Include Outside Directors
(ERIC (ERISA Industry Committee))

Benefitfocus Launches Allstate Benefits App
(Benefitfocus)

Magellan Named a Top Workplace in Metro Atlanta
(Magellan Health Services, Inc.)

Howard University And Howard University Hospital Extend 33-Year Relationship With VALIC
(VALIC)

Director of Pension Administration
for Pension Consultants, Inc. in CT

Attorney
for UNITE HERE HEALTH in IL

Onsite Participant Counselor - Hawaii
for Diversified Investment Advisors, Inc. in HI

Compliance Analyst
for The Newport Group in NC

Retirement Plan Administrator
for Retirement Plan Services, LLC in MO

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2011 Update and Interim Amendment Study Group
Nationwide on October 19, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Cash Balance and DBK Study Group
Nationwide on November 16, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Determination Letter Applications Boot Camp
Nationwide on June 7, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Determination Letter Applications Study Group
Nationwide on July 20, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Ethics for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on May 10, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Ethics for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on August 18, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Ethics for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on September 13, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Ethics for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on December 6, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Going Forward, Year Two of Electronic Filing with EFAST2 - A Compliance Assistance Webcast
Nationwide on April 27, 2011 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

It's the Beginning of Another Restatement Cycle - EPCRS, Restatements, Late Amenders, and How to Stay in Compliance
Nationwide on October 11, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Multiple Employer Plans Study Group
Nationwide on June 15, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

New Form W-2 Guidance: Reporting Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage
Nationwide on May 19, 2011 presented by EBIA / Thomson Reuters

Plan Loans - The Good, the Bad and Fixing the Non-Compliant
Nationwide on August 16, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Plan Loans Study Group
Nationwide on September 21, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Plan Terminations Study Group
Nationwide on August 24, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Professionalism for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on June 9, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Professionalism for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on July 12, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Professionalism for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on October 13, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Professionalism for Retirement Plan Professionals
Nationwide on November 8, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Terminations, Partial Terminations and Severance from Employment
Nationwide on July 14, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

The Basics of Multiple Employer Plans
Nationwide on May 12, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

Update on DBK and Cash Balance/401(k) Combinations
Nationwide on November 10, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

What's New and Different in Litigation and Regulations for Cash Balance Plans
Nationwide on September 15, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

What's New for ESOP and KSOP Plans for 2011 and Beyond
Nationwide on June 21, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.

What's New for ESOP and KSOP Plans for 2011 and Beyond
Nationwide on December 8, 2011 presented by Erisafile Qualified Pension Consulting, Inc.