On July 15, 2010, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released its final service provider fee disclosure regulations, bringing to fruition a more than two and one-half year regulatory project.
Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Sam Johnson (R-TX) this week introduced H.Res. 1481, which designates Oct. 17–23, 2010 as National Save for Retirement Week.
The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing on June 16, 2010 to discuss ways to help retirees
convert their savings into retirement income for the rest of their lives. Committee members paid particular
attention to testimony on how to educate individuals on retirement planning and flexible lifetime income
solutions, particularly annuity products.
Provisions to allow 457(b) deferred compensation plans to carry a Roth feature have not been included in the Senate’s version of the tax extenders legislation known as the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213).
The Department of Labor (DOL) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently released their long-awaited Investor Bulletin on Target Date Retirement Funds. The four-page document is designed to provide investors with a better understanding of how target date funds work and the risks associated with them.
thedreambigsite.org, a new financial education social media Web site targeted at Generation Y users, launched this week. ICMA-RC created the Web site as a resource for Gen Y users who work for or are considering a career in local, regional, municipal, or state government.
The health care reform bill recently passed by the House and Senate (H.R. 3590) does not include provisions to extend tax-free employer-paid coverage to nonspouse or nondependent beneficiaries.
In late February, the Department of Labor issued a new proposed regulation interpreting the investment advice provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA).
The Senate Finance Committee, this week, passed the Tax Extenders Act of 2009, which includes a provision to establish a Roth feature for state and local 457 plans.
The President’s FY2011 budget proposal, submitted to Congress in early February, generally does not change previous policy, but does include revisions that would expand both automated IRA enrollment and the Saver’s Credit.
The Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of the Treasury have issued a request for information to get a better idea of if, and how, the two departments should enhance the rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) regarding lifetime income options.
Throughout 2010, ICMA-RC and its clients have pulled together to meet ongoing challenges brought about by the deepest and longest financial downturn in decades. The market has demonstrated its resilience, and collectively, we have as well. It is still too early to say that all of the difficulties are behind us. However, we have seen encouraging signs of improvement that give me greater confidence that the recession is approaching an end.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a new report that evaluates fee levels and fee disclosure practices in IRAs and defined contribution plans other than 401(k)s.
Research shows that city and state government employees are twice as likely to save for retirement when employers provide support, resources and education for doing so.
Legislation that will provide tax parity to non-spouse/non-dependent individuals who qualify for and receive employer-provided health plan benefits passed in the House this week.
The economic turmoil of the past year produced some unprecedented challenges for investors planning for their retirement. Following a difficult recession, we are slowly beginning to see signs of a recovery. Specifically, we note that the stock market crossed the Dow 10,000 mark again in October and has climbed significantly since the lows of March 2009. For ICMA-RC participants like you seeking to build retirement security, time in the market has once again proved a smarter strategy than timing the market.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Treasury announced last week that they are preventing reductions in the amounts that workers can contribute to 401(k)s, 457 plans, IRAs and other tax-favored retirement systems in 2010.
ICMA-RC has launched a new "It Pays to Save" Web site at www.icmarc.org/savers featuring information and materials available to ICMA-RC plan sponsors as part of ICMA-RC's Saver's Initiative. Plan sponsors can use the tools available on the Web site to learn about the campaign and work together with their ICMA-RC representatives to promote retirement plan participation among their employees.
The Internal Revenue Service recently launched a new Web site designed to help employers determine the best retirement plan to suite their employees’ needs.
A resolution recognizing National Save for Retirement Week (NSRW) has passed in both the House and Senate. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Rp. Sam Johnson (R-TX) co-sponsored H Res. 647 which designates Oct. 18-24, 2009 as a week set aside for "raising public aware of the various tax-preferred retirement vehicles."
Legislation that would alter Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from pension plans has been introduced in both the Senate and the House. H.R. 2021, led by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), would extend the suspension of RMD requirements through 2012. It was referred to the House Committee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
The House Education & Labor Committee has approved bills related to fee disclosure and financial advice from financial institutions. One bill provides for enhanced fee disclosure for retirement plan participants, providers and sponsors. If enacted, the bill would require investment returns to be compared to appropriate benchmarks. It would also require the Department of Labor (DOL) to study whether benchmark provisions were helpful to plan participants.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mary Shapiro and a series of mutual fund industry representatives were among those considering changes in how target date funds are structured and marketed in a Joint Hearing on Target Date Funds held June 18 at the Department of Labor (DOL).