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Retirement Plans Newsletter January 31, 2019 |
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Jobs
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Webcasts, Conferences Tax Reform Basics for the Qualified Business Income Deduction (199A)
Power of Diversity and Inclusion: Today's Competitive Edge in Employee Benefits
Understanding & Managing Retirement Plan Fees
IRA Required Minimum Distributions
Essentials for the Benefits Practitioner: An Actuarial Update for ERISA Practitioners
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Discussions |
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This Newsletter:
BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter:
Message Boards Digest:
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RAS Consultant|
[Guidance Overview]
Compensation for MEP Sponsors, Part 1 (PDF) "[T]here is a growing interest in the TPA and advisory communities about the sponsorship and administration of both open and 'Association' MEPs. However, there are complex issues about the payment of compensation and expenses for those services, including: [1] Can MEP sponsors make a profit, or would that be a prohibited transaction? [2] Can they be reimbursed for costs? [3] Can the compensation or reimbursements be paid from plan assets? "
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[Advert.]
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![Sponsored by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans [IFEBP]](https://benefitslink.com/bnrs/2017/IFEBP_OnsiteEduc_top.jpg "Sponsored by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans [IFEBP]")
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PBGC Finalizes and Expands Mediation Program "In order to request to participate in the program, the sponsor of a terminated plan must submit within 120 days of the plan termination date certain information ... regarding the sponsor's and its controlled group's net worth, including, for example, audited financial statements, information regarding sales or sales offers, and appraisals."
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2019 Key Administrative Dates and Deadlines for Calendar-Year Defined Contribution Plans (PDF) This four-page chart includes a descriptive list of the 'key' administrative dates and deadlines for calendar-year defined contribution plans regulated by ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code.
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Essential Topics in Effective Employee Financial Education "[S]ix in 10 business owners report seeing employees make decisions that could be detrimental to their long-term retirement savings ... [T]opics many ... would like to include in the financial education curriculum they make available to help their employees make better financial decisions [include]: [1] Common money mistakes ... [2] Debt management and budgeting ... [3] Retirement risks, readiness, and sources of retirement income ... [4] Investing."
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"[Two recent articles provide] intriguing perspectives on the same issue -- one citing a survey of a seemingly irrational fear among those about to retire, and another stating that while a healthy concern for maintaining one's standard of living is quite valid, obsessing about a bear market -- or investment performance in general -- is the wrong approach to maintaining that standard, and should take a back seat to proper risk management."
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[Advert.]
2019 SPARK National Conference -- June 4-5, National Harbor, MD
The retirement services industry's leading event for top marketing, sales, administration and record keeping professionals. Comprehensive agenda is designed to meet the needs of 401(k) Plan Providers, Financial Advisors and Record Keepers. |
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CalSTRS Wants to Double Co-Investments "CalSTRS's overall private equity returns for the one-year period ending March 31 totaled 15.5%, the largest return of any asset class. CalSTRS currently has 8.1% of its overall portfolio devoted to private equity, but its long-term target is 13%."
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Could the Government Take the Bite Out of RMDs? "[T]he executive and legislative branches have been floating ideas to reduce the RMD bite ... The changes that are the most likely to happen are the least likely to be meaningful enough for retirees to even notice. However, a legislative proposal from Sen. Rob Portman and Sen. Ben Cardin would dramatically change RMDs for retirees over the next decade, although it might also lead to future RMD shocks."
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The Continuing Convergence of Retail and Retirement Regulatory Oversight "In [its December 2019 Examination Priorities letter, the SEC] continues and expands on Chairman Clayton's prioritization of 'Main Street' issues. Specifically, the first topic of the letter is 'Matters of importance to retail investors, including seniors and those saving for retirement.' This post focuses on and summarizes these issues and weaves in related perspectives pertaining to ERISA and IRAs on fees and expenses, conflicts of interest, and senior investors."
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Annuity Purchase Update: 2018 Interest Rates "During 2018, the market experienced a favorable upward trend of rising interest rates which generally increased U.S. defined benefit plan funding ratios. As interest rates climbed, plan liabilities dropped which led to a reduction in annuity purchase costs. However, as interest rates began to drop in January 2019, annuity purchase costs began to increase along with plan liabilities."
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Options for Construction Companies Facing Withdrawal Liability "[1] Do nothing; [2] Pay it; [3] Use subcontractors; [4] A stock sale of the company; [5] An asset sale of the company; [6] Negotiate with the plan; [7] Terminate your obligations under the CBA."
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Delivering Retirement Benefits to Healthcare and Higher Education Employees (PDF) "[It] is important to ... meet participants where they are through a thoughtful participant communication strategy and good investment offerings.... Plan sponsors can take immediate steps by evaluating auto-enrollment, auto-escalation, defaulting plan participants into target date funds, and considering the appropriateness of financial advice platforms offered through the retirement plan ... [M]ore 403(b) plan sponsors are recognizing the importance of good governance processes[.]"
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[Opinion]
Are U.S. Public Pensions Cooked? "[To] 'stress test' the funded status of US public pensions or any pension for that matter, you need to look at various scenarios where interest rates decline marginally or precipitously over the next two or three years.... [A] lot of US public pensions have not done this or if they have, they're not sharing their results because it will scare the bejesus out of their members."
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Press Releases |
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Most Popular Items in the Previous Issue |
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Estimates of the Financial Effects on Social Security of the Social Security 2100 Act (PDF)
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House Democrats Unveil Social Security Expansion Bill
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Connect
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BenefitsLink.com, Inc.
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Lois Baker, J.D., President
David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor and Publisher
Holly Horton, Business Manager
BenefitsLink Retirement Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9587. Copyright 2019 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All materials contained in this newsletter are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., or in the case of third party materials, the owner of those materials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notices from copies of the content.
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