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SunGard's Relius Education Announces 11 Newly Archived Web Seminars Now Available for Online Registration
Nationwide on September 18, 2012 presented by SunGard Relius

SunGard's Relius Education Announces 11 Recently Archived Web Events Are Open for Registration
Nationwide on September 18, 2012 presented by SunGard Relius

Affordable Care Act and COBRA Compliance Workshop
in Nevada on September 25, 2012 presented by U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

ERISA Workshop 2012 - October-November, 21 Cities
Nationwide on October 17, 2012 presented by SunGard Relius

 

[Guidance Overview]

MAP-21 Brings Good News At Last for Plan Sponsors of Underfunded Pension Plans
"The effect of pension funding stabilization under MAP-21 allows plans to use a higher interest rate than would otherwise have been available under current short-term interest rates segments.... It is estimated that these stabilizing interest rates will provide a significant benefit for two or three years before the effect of the 25-year averaging and risk corridor wears off, bringing the rates closer to then-current rates." (Littler Mendelson LLC)

[Advert.]

Learn about Safe Harbor Plans and Earn CE Credit!

Wolters Kluwer Law & Business – ftwilliam.com will be hosting a FREE webinar on Wednesday, Sept 26th at 1:00pm CT for a review of the safe harbor plan rules, as well as a discussion on designing safe harbor plans on ftwilliam.com's plan documents.

IRS Advisory Committee Solicits Your Suggestions and Comments on EPCRS Program
"The Employee Plans subgroup of the IRS Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities ('ACT') is conducting its 2012/2013 project on the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System ('EPCRS'). Specifically, we are focusing on the current program, the aspects that are working well and those with areas for improvement or expansion. As part of the project, the ACT has prepared a very short online survey we are using to solicit practitioner feedback on their experiences with EPCRS. The survey does not require that you identify yourself, and the responses go directly to the ACT members, not the IRS. Please participate in the survey!" [Editor's note: click on the headline, above.] (IRS Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt and Government Entities)

Best Practices for Reforming State Employee Pensions
"Bloated pensions and retirement benefits for unionized government employees threaten the finances of states and localities across the nation. New accounting standards and bold reforms in some states reveal the 'best practices' for governments to use to regain control of their budgets.... 'Best practices' for state reforms require that legislators deal with the following issues. 1. Pension payouts based on final-year pay.... 2. Collective bargaining.... 3. Binding arbitration.... 4. Politicized pension fund boards.... 5. Faulty accounting standards.... 6. Defined-benefit pensions." (Capital Research Center)

The Future of Defined Benefit Plans Will Change Dramatically -- for the Better (PDF)
"The last 10-15 years have been difficult for employers who have maintained a Defined Benefit plan as part of their overall retirement program. This is all about to change. The factors and economics that caused significant increases in required contributions to Defined Benefit plans are showing signs of slowing down and reversing themselves." (Pentegra Retirement Services)

Liabilities to Triple When Moody's Applies 5.5% Discount Rate and Other Metrics to Governmental Plans
"In addition to using a uniform 5.5% discount rate for all plans, Moody's intends to apply a single, 17-year amortization period to annual pension contributions, and replace asset smoothing with the market value of assets as of the actuarial reporting date. The results, according to Moody's own estimates, will be to nearly triple fiscal 2010 reported unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities for the 50 states and the local governments that Moody's rates." (National Council on Teacher Retirement)

[Advert.]

University of Baltimore – Retirement Plan Summit 2012 – Oct 12th

Earn CE! Please join us for a half-day ERISA conference on retirement plan governance and fiduciary risk management. Presentations by U.S. DOL / U.S. GAO / Industry Roundtable / Breakout Sessions

DOL Sues Insurance Brokerage Firm—Selection of an Annuity Provider for a Terminating Pension Plan is a Fiduciary Duty
"The complaint does not allege that in this terminated trust scenario the participants received less than their vested benefits, or that the insurance company selected was 'less safe' than other annuity providers.... But the complaint sets forth an alternative claim: prohibited transaction, for compensation under an arrangement that did not satisfy the prohibited transaction exemption for reasonable arrangements, regardless of whether the defendants were fiduciaries." (Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP)

[Opinion]

Death of Zombie Pensions Will Be Worse Than 2008 Meltdown
"Today, 4 years after the 2008 market meltdown, the nation's pensions are gorging on toxins, which have already weakened them and which will, in the near future, outright kill them. Let's call them Zombie pensions.... Never before in the short history of pension asset management have such high-cost, high-risk investment products proliferated pensions. This is money management on steroids or heroin.... The odds are, these desperate gambles will fail and many of America's few remaining pensions, now on life-support, will finally die. " (Forbes)

[Opinion]

Text of Comments to IRS on Reporting and Notice Requirements for Deferred Vested Benefits under Section 6057 Proposed Regulations (PDF)
"The Council supports the proposal by Treasury and the IRS to permit an automatic extension for Form 8955-SSA without need for a signature on Form 5558.... This is a great example of eliminating unnecessary regulatory burden on our employment-based retirement system." (American Benefits Council)

Pensions, Medicaid, and State Budgets: Any Solution In Sight?
"The growing costs of Medicaid ... seem 'almost inexorable.' The growing cost of pensions have the potential for 'dramatically negative' effects.... It's a challenging time, and it will require states to reexamine their entire approach to government[.]" (Governing)

VALIC Launches Significant Enhancements To Online Services
VALIC

Paychex Reveals New 401k Sales Force
Paychex

Pensionmark Retirement Group Launches Online Educational Resource Center for Employers and Individual Investors
Pensionmark Retirement Group

Michigan-Based McGraw Wentworth Named To Inc. 5000 For Sixth Consecutive Year
McGraw Wentworth