"[CMS] will be ceasing the heavy-handed practice of intercepting 100 percent of an overpaid beneficiary's monthly Social Security benefit by default if they fail to respond to our demand for repayment.... [CMS will be reframing] guidance and procedures so that the burden of proof shifts away from the claimant in determining whether there is any evidence that the claimant was at fault in causing the overpayment. For the vast majority of beneficiaries who request to work out a repayment plan, ... [CMS] will approve repayment plans of up to 60 months."  MORE >>

"Updated information is now available on PBGC's website regarding the following interest rates: [1] Variable-Rate Premiums ... [2] ERISA 4044 Annuities ... [3] Late Premium Payment Interest Charges ... [4] Late or Defaulted Withdrawal Liability."  MORE >>

"What Is a safe harbor contribution? ... Can you suspend or reduce safe harbor contributions? ... What are the consequences for suspending safe harbor contributions? ... Can you reinstate suspended safe harbor contributions? ... Best practices for avoiding safe harbor contribution errors."  MORE >>

"Generally speaking, ... if an advisor is saying, explicitly or implicitly, that a particular investment or strategy is appropriate for a retirement investor, it could be viewed as a recommendation, thereby invoking the fiduciary standard and the prohibited transaction rules. Since this an objective standard, it could be described as whether a reasonable person, observing a conversation between an advisor and a retirement investor, would believe that a recommendation had been made to, e.g., purchase a particular investment or pursue a particular strategy."  MORE >>

"[PBGC] Director Gordon Hartogensis defended PBGC actions and said that it is 'providing crucial pension relief' in a March 20 appearance before the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.... Much of the discussion concerned how the PBGC has been disbursing funds through the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program."  MORE >>

"How [to] handle the novel types of relief requested in the complaints, especially in light of the fact that no participant has yet to suffer an unpaid pension benefit, may well be important issues that the courts will want to address. As the cases move through the courts, the [DOL] will presumably continue its consideration of changes to IB 95-1 as directed by Congress in SECURE 2.0.... Further, beyond its impact on any pending litigation, the [DOL's] future report to Congress as required by SECURE 2.0 may well impact future PRTs."  MORE >>

"Male and female investment behavior has been compared in numerous studies, polls, and papers over the past few decades. While results vary, there are some consistent themes that appear and reappear. Examining these findings ... can help us better understand the factors that influence our own investment behavior and to become more aware of which behaviors and strategies are most successful over time."  MORE >>

"[In 2011,]the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI) ... changed from a defined benefit pension plan to a hybrid plan with a reduced pension component and mandatory participation in a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan.... Employee turnover has been consistently higher ... Higher turnover will result in fewer workers providing full careers in their communities ... These increased turnover trends not only dictate how much hiring public employers must undertake, but also the average and median level of experience of their workforce."  MORE >>

"The problem is most acute for people who leave behind small accounts. Employers are permitted to transfer orphan accounts that hold less than $7,000 into IRAs that may earn low returns in money market funds and charge high fees -- and most do so to trim plan administration costs. Over time, these accounts can simply waste away."  MORE >>

"[1] Give Social Security personnel and prospective beneficiaries access to an online calculator to avoid mistakes and make informed judgments about claiming benefits.... [2] Allow partial benefit claims, so that cash-constrained seniors can claim some Social Security income early, and allow the remainder to grow.... [3] Allow beneficiaries to work without losing Social Security benefits. [4] End the practice of taxation by inflation -- by inflation- indexing all retirement-income taxation, including indexing the Social Security benefits tax. [5] Eliminate the Social Security benefits tax and make benefits part of ordinary taxable income for future retirees."  MORE >>

"[E]xpense ratios for 401(k) plans are largely determined by the level of plan assets. Bigger means thriftier. Multinationals have Treasury departments staffed with benefits experts who haggle when negotiating with 401(k) providers. In fact, they often circumvent mutual funds altogether, insisting instead on cheaper collective investment trusts. In contrast, small-company sponsors are often ill-informed and possess little bargaining power regardless."  MORE >>

"Average change in control payments remain substantial, averaging ~$23.1M for CEOs and ~$7.5M for CFOs. The most common cash severance multiple in connection with a change in control is between 1.99 and 2.99 times compensation (60% for CEOs and 42% for CFOs). The prevalence of double trigger vesting for equity awards remains high, utilized by 88% of companies. Accelerated vesting of equity awards continues to be the most substantial CIC payment, representing, on average, 63% and 58% of the CIC payments for CEOs and CFOs, respectively."  MORE >>