Pensions & Investments

Benefits Tax Associate
Boutique Benefits Firm
in DC

Account Manager
BlueStar Retirement Services
in FL

401(k) Plan Administrator
America's 401k, Inc.
in TX

Attorney
Spear Wilderman, P.C.
in PA

Retirement Plan Marketing Specialist
Stifel Financial
in MO

Experienced Benefits Account Manager
Ascension
in GA

Daily Valuation Supervisor
Ingham Retirement Group
in FL

Defined Contribution Administrator
Saint-Gobain Corporation
in PA

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FREE Webinar: Employers and the Military Leave Act
October 15, 2013 WEBCAST
(Davidson Marketing Group -- FutureOffice Network)

RMD Intricacy
October 17, 2013 WEBCAST
(McKay Hochman Co., Inc.)

ERISA Workshop 2013 - Bloomington
November 7, 2013 in IL
(SunGard Relius)

ERISA Workshop 2013 - Charlotte
November 7, 2013 in NC
(SunGard Relius)

PPC 401(k) Service Training Program - Classroom Format
November 14, 2013 in PA
(fi360)

View All Webcasts and Conferences

BenefitsLink.com

[Guidance Overview]

About Reporting Those Late Deposits to 403(b) Plans
"Though late deferrals to an ERISA 403(b) plan do need to be reported under the Compliance portion of the Form 5500 Schedule H or Schedule I, Form 5330 cannot be filed -- in spite of the silence in the Form 5500 instructions.... Late ERISA 403(b) deposits are, however, violations of ERISA's prohibited transaction rules under ERISA Section 406. This means that the DOL's Voluntary Fiduciary Compliance Program (VFCP) does apply to these deposits.... [M]any auditors pick up the posting date of the contribution to the participant's contract, and claim that the late posting represents a late deposit, and a prohibited transaction. This is not the rule." (Business of Benefits)  

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Registration closes October 24th!

Looking to expand your professional opportunities? Register for one of our exams to earn an ASPPA certificate/credential. Employers are increasingly seeking to hire professionals with these qualifications. Registration closes Oct. 24th so act now!

How the Retirement Plan Landscape Is Evolving: Plan Sponsors Heed Call to Ignite Retirement Readiness
"Forty-one percent of survey respondents said helping employees accumulate retirement income is the primary goal of their plan, up from 35 percent in 2012. This notable figure suggests a growing awareness among plan sponsors and advisors that the primary goal of any plan should be retirement readiness versus recruiting and/or retaining employees. 'Keeping up with regulatory changes' was indicated as a primary challenge by 60 percent of plan sponsors." (Transamerica Retirement Solutions)  

So You've Frozen Your DB Plan -- Now What? (Part 3)
"There are three basic funding strategies: 1. Contribute the minimum requirement for an ongoing plan each year until the year the DB plan is terminated.... 2. Contribute a level amount each year until the year the plan is terminated.... 3. Fully fund the DB plan under ongoing Pension Protection Act funding rules (which are designed to fully fund the plan over a period of seven years) and then potentially let investment income make up the funding shortfall." (The Principal Blog)  

Who Gains from 401(k) Fee Lawsuits?
"It's ironic that employees of large companies are suing their employers, because large companies tend to offer the cheapest plans ... So in the International Paper settlement, is $30 million enough to make restitution? If [the plaintiff's attorney] gets 30 percent, that's a $9 million payday for him and his firm. If the balance were to get evenly distributed among 70,000 401(k) participants (which is not how it will be apportioned), each of the participants would get $300 in their account. It's not a big payday for plan participants, that's for sure." (Bankrate)  

Older Higher Ed Faculty Confident in Their Retirement Savings, But Few Have Taken Action to Plan Income Strategy
"Eight in 10 (82 percent) pre-retiree faculty members (age 55+) are confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, only 17 percent have taken action to create a retirement income plan. This lack of planning could result in faculty members nearing the common retirement age of 65 being less inclined to retire, as well as unprepared for long-term expenses and turning their assets into regular income. The promising news: They recognize the need for guidance." (Fidelity)  

[Advert.]

Targeted Strategies to Increase Your Defined Contribution Market Share

Join industry innovators, retirement platforms, advisors and consultants -- networking opportunities and in-depth sessions on latest trends, updates and information in the defined contribution investment-only industry. Mention FMP164 for 10% discount.

Providers Who Build a Strong Support Network for TPAs Will Have a Competitive Advantage (PDF)
"Key findings include: More than two-thirds of TPAs (68%) are very satisfied with their primary retirement service provider ('7' or '6' on a 7-point scale).... TPA support services and TPA service personnel are the most highly correlated attributes associated with a TPA's satisfaction with a retirement service provider.... The most frequently cited ways that retirement service providers can improve their service to TPAs are through providing better technological functionality, increasing communication and coverage for TPAs, and improving overall customer service." (Chatham Partners)  

Public Pension Plan Investment Return Assumptions (PDF)
"Although public pension funds, like other investors, have experienced sub-par returns in the wake of the 2008-09 decline in global equity values, median public pension fund returns over longer periods meet or exceed the assumed rates used by most plans.... [At] 8.6 percent, the median annualized investment return for the 25-year period ended June 30, 2013, exceeds the average assumption of 7.75 percent ... while the 10-year return is slightly below this assumption." [Appendix lists Investment Return Assumptions in use, or announced for use, by 126 Public Pension Plans as of October 2013.] (National Association of State Retirement Administrators [NASRA])  

Here Come the Three Horsemen of the Retirement Apocalypse
"The nation's retirement system consists of a patchwork of programs that include Social Security, 401(k) plans, IRAs, Keoghs, traditional pensions and federal thrift savings. Each of these has served a specific need or group. But in many cases, these programs have evolved into something they were never intended to be." (TIME)  

[Guidance Overview]

Proposed CEO Pay Ratio Disclosure Rules: Another Piece of the Dodd-Frank Puzzle
"The pay ratio disclosure requirements have elicited a fair amount of controversy and criticism, mostly due to a perceived high cost of calculating the ratio as compared to the value to investors of the information provided by the disclosure. In recognition of the complexity and cost that many public companies will face in complying with the disclosure requirements, particularly those with a significant global presence, the SEC's proposed regulations provide some flexibility in the methodology that may be used by an issuer in making the pay ratio calculations. However, there will still be challenges for many issuers to properly comply with the requirements." (Epstein Becker Green)  

San Francisco Ordinance Would Expand Flex Time Rights
"The city's Board of Supervisors passed the Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance [which] would amend the city's administrative code to allow employees in San Francisco to request flexible or predictable working arrangements to assist with their caregiving responsibilities.... The request can be made by any employee who is the primary contributor to the ongoing care of: a child or children for whom the employee has assumed parental responsibility; a person or persons with a serious health condition in a family relationship with the caregiver; or a parent of the caregiver age 65 or over." (Thompson SmartHR Manager)  

Defined Contribution Service Team Grows at Northern Trust
Northern Trust

GASB Offers Webcasts For Public Board Meetings
Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)

Prudential Retirement Adds New Funds To Manager-of-Managers Investment Lineup
Prudential Retirement

Healthcare Trends Institute Announces Landmark Healthcare Benefit Trends Survey
Healthcare Trends Institute

Securities and Exchange Commission Launches Market Structure Data and Analysis Website
Securities and Exchange Commission

The UnifiedPlan Dramatically Increases Retirement Success and Improves Plan Cost/Benefit Structure
Unified Trust Company, NA

TIAA-CREF Announces Plans to Grow Individual Financial Advisors by 45 Percent by End of 2014
TIAA-CREF

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