131 pages. "This rulemaking amends the Abandoned Plan Program regulations that provide streamlined procedures for the termination of, and distribution of benefits from, individual account pension plans that have been abandoned by their sponsoring employers. The regulations, which were adopted in 2006  ... did not cover individual account pension plans whose sponsors are in liquidation under chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. These interim final rules expand the regulations to cover these plans so that bankruptcy trustees may use the Abandoned Plan Program's streamlined procedures to terminate and wind them up. Other technical amendments also are being made to improve the efficiency and operation of the Abandoned Plan Program."  MORE >>

35 pages. "The exemption permits a 'qualified termination administrator' (QTA) of an individual account pension plan that has been abandoned by its sponsoring employer to select itself to provide services to the plan in connection with the plan's termination and pay itself fees for the services. This amendment ... permits chapter 7 trustees who elect to be QTAs to rely on the exemption. This amendment to PTE 2006-06 also permits 'eligible designees' of such chapter 7 trustees to rely on the exemption. The amendment is issued in connection with amendments to three related regulations under ERISA ... that provide streamlined procedures for the termination of, and distribution of benefits from, abandoned individual account pension plans."  MORE >>

"When the RMD is an annual obligation, the Single Life Expectancy Table must be used to identify the denominator for the RMD calculation. In some cases, adjustments must be made to determine the life expectancy factor for a year. Beneficiaries must know when adjustments are required and ensure they are applied.... These rules also apply to employer plans."  MORE >>

"The Court ... [held] that Plaintiff failed to state a claim for imprudence because he did not plead any facts showing how the fiduciaries' process in selecting and monitoring plan investments was flawed, did not plead any facts showing that the plan's recordkeeping fees were excessive in relation to the services rendered, and did not identify any specific misrepresentations Schenker made." [Partida v. Schenker Inc., No. 22-9192 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 29, 2024)]  MORE >>

152 pages. Chapters: [1] Worldwide Regulated Open-End Funds; [2] U.S.-Registered Investment Companies; [3] U.S. Mutual Funds; [4] U.S. Exchange-Traded Funds; [5] U.S. Closed-End Funds; [6] U.S. Fund Expenses and Fees; [7] Characteristics of U.S. Mutual Fund Owners; [8] U.S. Retirement and Education Savings. Appendices: [A] How U.S.-Registered Investment Companies Operate; [B] Significant Events in Fund History. Also available: Data tables and Quick Facts Guide.  MORE >>

"Know exactly what you need to provide each year.... Enlist the help of the appropriate service provider ... [W]ork with an auditing firm that liaises directly with your service provider team ... Document everything within your plan ... [T]roubleshoot before the audit.... Know the deadlines, and engage your auditing firm well in advance.... Respond timely to your auditor's requests."  MORE >>

"Retirees can safely spend down retirement account assets at a rate higher than 4% without depleting their savings in old age by monitoring account balances regularly and making tradeoffs like converting some savings into guaranteed income ... [PGIM's] conservative, moderate and enhanced guided spending rates are approximately 4.0%, 5.0%, and 5.5%, respectively, on average.... TIAA has marketed converting portions of retirement savings into an annuity as one way retirees can boost their safe withdrawal rates[.]"  MORE >>

"Members of the House [H.J. Res. 143] and Senate [S.J. Res. 79] introduced companion bills under the Congressional Review Act that would nullify the [DOL's] Retirement Security Rule.... If the bill were to pass [both the House and Senate], it is all but certain to be vetoed by President Joe Biden. The legislation has been endorsed by the Insured Retirement Institute and American Securities Association."  MORE >>

29 presentation slides. Topics include: [1] What is the legislative mandate for the Social Security Annual Report? [2] Three primary changes this year. [3] Why are we now facing OASDI Trust Fund reserve depletion in 2035, almost 30 years earlier than projected in the 1983 report, after enactment of the 1983 Amendments? Myth 1: Social Security is bankrupt, insolvent, running out of money. Myth 2: Increasing longevity and disability are the problem. Myth 3: The money in the trust funds has been spent.  MORE >>

34 pages. "This policy paper discusses retirement inequities and how current retirement plan design elements and policies may inadvertently disadvantage certain cohorts of individuals.... [It] offers potential changes and actions for consideration by policymakers, think tanks, actuaries, and employers/plan sponsors to improve retirement outcomes for groups facing inadequate retirement security under common designs [and] concludes with considerations for further effort, research, and studies."  MORE >>

"More companies are using AI to deliver a more intuitive and effective user experience for choosing benefits as generative AI applications become more sophisticated. However, the possibilities of AI go far beyond open enrollment to deliver an improved benefits experience year-round. ... [1] Content creation ... [2] Personalization ... [3] Data analytics ... [4] Improved efficiency ... [5] Benefits offerings and selection ... [6] Improved call centers."  MORE >>

"Mercer CEO and President Pat Tomlinson ... focused on two legislative priorities for employers: preserving ERISA's long-standing preemption and protecting current tax incentives for employer-sponsored healthcare and retirement plans. He talked about studies that have shown that for every $1.00 of tax expenditure, multiples of that amount are paid by employers to finance health and retirement benefits. He also discussed the importance of pharmacy data transparency to employers."  MORE >>