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September 30, 2011 Get Health & Welfare News  |  Advertise  |  Unsubscribe  |  Past Issues  |  Search

Employee Benefits Jobs

Account Manager
for National Retirement Services, Inc. in NC

Administrative/Assistant Document Specialist
for The Senex Group in CA

401(k) Compliance Specialist
for Steele Capital Management, Inc. in IA

Associate Pension Administrator/Call Center Support
for Alliance Pension Consultants, LLC in IL

Director, eMarketing
for Prudential in NJ

Director of Core Operations
for J.P. Morgan in KS

Daily Team Associate II
for MBM Advisors, Inc. in TX

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[Official Guidance]
Disaster Relief Announcement 11–31 Relating to PBGC Deadlines in Response to Tropical Storm Lee in New York
"[PBGC] is waiving certain penalties and extending certain deadlines in response to the Tropical Storm Lee that occurred beginning on September 7, 2011, in New York." (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation)


DATAIR Government Forms Software   [Advert.]

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EFAST2-approved 5500s with all schedules and PBGC forms, 1099Rs, 5300 series, FAS 158 (license only the modules you need). Built-in verification and expert live support assures accuracy. PC-based software for economy and maximum security.


[Guidance Overview]
FASB Updates Multiemployer Plan Disclosure Requirements: Estimate of Withdrawal Liability Not Required
"Although the Update greatly increases the information about multiemployer plans that must be disclosed in the financial statements of contributing employers, it relies to a significant extent on third-party information as to multiemployer pension plans, principally Form 5500s. All Form 5500s must now be filed electronically with [DOL] and are easily accessible from the DOL website." (McGuireWoods LLP)

[Guidance Overview]
Plan Administrator Breached Fiduciary Duty Despite Participant's Failure to Properly Request Plan Documents
"The court also declined to adopt a bright-line rule that discovery requests for plan documents in unrelated litigation proceedings constitute written requests for documents under ERISA." (Practical Law Company)

'Retirement Heist': How Firms Trimmed Pensions
"'The main narrative is that [companies] are struggling to pay both their pensions and these unexpectedly high health care costs for the retirees,' Schultz [the author] says. 'What isn't known is that companies were well-prepared for this phenomenon. The plans were in fact significantly overfunded. They had more than enough to pay every dime for every person currently employed and already retired.'" (NPR)

Six Ways to Reduce Pension Costs and Combat Volatility
"Controlling pension expense and volatility is a complex problem, so it's important to identify a program that will adapt to market conditions and remain aligned with corporate objectives. When the economy eventually turns around, the new program needs to be attractive to employees and competitive as a retention tool for key personnel. That way, whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, the organization can retain its focus on its core business." (Milliman, Inc.)

Decisions, Decisions: Retirement Plan Choices for Public Employees and Employers
"In recent years, a few states have offered public employees a choice between primary DB and DC plans." (National Institute on Retirement Security)

Opportunities in 403(b) Market
"According to the latest issue of Cerulli's quarterly retirement-focused publication, the introduction of new legislation is shifting the 403(b) market from highly individualized and retail-focused, to one that is more efficient and institutionalized." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Video: Ponzi Schemes and Social Security
"In this video Rudolph G. Penner—an Institute Fellow at the Program on Retirement Policy and a former director of the Congressional Budget Office—explains what a Ponzi scheme is, how it compares with Social Security, and what can be done to fix the program's underlying structural problems." (Urban Institute)

2011 NAGDCA Survey of DC Plans II
"[P]rovides a narrative overview of the key areas involved in administering governmental 457, 401(k), 401(a), and 403(b) plans. The survey also provides a pdf of the Overall Survey Results, which offers a look at the survey through charts and responses from all participating entities." (NAGDCA)

Retirement and Investment Solutions Newsletter
This fourth edition of 2011 includes articles on the following: The case for re-enrollment; Back to the DOL drawing board for fiduciary definition; The Way Forward -- keeping plan participants informed in turbulent times; Oct. 6 Webcast for participants: 401(k) boot camp; Test your retirement plan knowledge; Make every day 401(k) Day. (JPMorgan Chase & Co.)

Mistakes to Avoid and Solutions for Success with Participation in the Company Retirement Plan
"Participating and managing your company sponsored retirement plan does not have to be complicated or overwhelming. Always consider the options carefully when investing your money. Do not panic during market fluctuations and always keep in mind, these are long-term investments!" (NASDAQ)

Most Claims Dismissed in Class-Action Retirement Plan Investment Lawsuit Against Orion Bancorp
"The lawsuit alleged the holding company's directors, as a group, failed to 'prudently and loyally' manage the retirement plan's investment in Orion stock and failed to provide complete and accurate information to its participants. According to the lawsuit, 96 percent of the retirement plan's assets—more than $33 mil.lion—were invested in Orion stock." (The E.W. Scripps Co.)

Retirement Caution for Some Public Workers
"[F]or state and local government employees, Social Security is not always a given. In fact, some public-sector workers get a choice to opt out of Social Security and contribute instead to a defined contribution plan, such as a 457(b). But is it smart to give up this retirement safety net?" (Chicago Tribune)

Public Pension Plan Assets at Three-Year High
"The 100 largest U.S. public employee retirement systems had a combined $2.8 tril.lion in assets as of June 30, 1.3% higher than three months earlier and 17.6% higher than a year earlier, the U.S. Census Bureau reported . . . ." (Pensions & Investments; free registration required)

Top Five Underestimated Retirement Expenses
"In [the current economic] environment, it's more important than ever to figure out what you'll need in your senior years. Good planning goes a long way to ensuring financial security, but even the best laid plans can be upset by unexpected events. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may incur expenses that exceed those on this list." (Investopedia US via Hearst Communications Inc.)

ASPPA Launches New Association for 401(k) Advisors
"The National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) will serve as an advocate for advisors to 401(k) plans[.]" (AdvisorOne)

Self-Directed Plan Participants Earn Substantially Higher Returns If Helped, Survey Shows
Describes results of a survey by Aon Hewitt and Financial Engines finding that participants enjoy about 3% per year in additional annual returns if they use target-date mutual funds, professionally managed accounts, online investment advice. (AP via the Washington Post)

Guaranteed Income Investments Help Keep Retirees in the Market
"Prudential found that 84% of the 1,000 Americans polled would remain in the stock market—even if they were to experience short-term losses—if they had guaranteed investment products in their portfolios. That's up 10% from 2006." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

[Opinion]
Pension Reform Plans from San Jose Unions Deserve Public Analysis
"The council should plan a study session to analyze these proposals. And where city and union conclusions differ, legal and financial experts hired by each side should hash out the basis for their positions—in public. This would not be negotiating in public, but clarifying the facts upon which negotiations and council decisions will be based. If people persist in disagreeing on facts, it's important to understand why." (Mercury News)

[Opinion]
Do Investors Really Need Investment Advisors?
"The question has surprised us because our general sense is that investment stewards, the lay fiduciaries, are growing more uneasy in this volatile market and more likely to seek professional help. But there are some who are feeling quite the opposite . . . ." (fi360 Blog)

Benefits in General; Executive Compensation

Outsize Severance Continues for Executives, Even After Failed Tenures
"A hallmark of the gilded era of just a few short years ago, the eye-popping severance package continues to thrive in spite of the measures put in place in the wake of the financial crisis to crack down on excessive pay." (The New York Times; free registration required)

Wal-Mart Adds Transgender Protections
"The protections include gender identity and gender expression . . . . Se.xual orientation protections are already a part of the company's 'Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy.'" (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Some Context for Thinking about Deficit Reduction: Social Security and Major Health Care Programs
"As policymakers consider the composition of policy changes to be used to reduce future budget deficits, it is useful to consider both historical experience and projections for the future for significant components of the budget. Today, I'll discuss Social Security and the government's major health care programs." (Author: Director of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office)

Press Releases



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