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Sponsored by: DATAIR Employee Benefit Systems, Inc.

(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)

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Text of PBGC Prop. Regs. on Variable Rate Premiums for Single-Employer Pension Plans (PDF)
12 pages. Excerpt: "The amendments would implement provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-280) that change the variable-rate premium for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2008 . . . . For purposes of determining a plan's variable-rate premium (VRP) for a premium payment year beginning after 2007, the proposed rule would require unfunded vested benefits (UVBs) to be measured as of the funding valuation date for the premium payment year." (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation)

PBGC to Publish Proposal on Amended Premiums
Excerpt: "The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is publishing a proposed rule to amend the agency's regulations on premium rates and payment of premiums, as prompted by the Pension Protection Act." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

Text of ASPPA Comments to IRS on Upcoming Final 403(b) Regs Likely to Be Released Mid-Year (PDF)
3 pages. Excerpt: "In particular, we are concerned about the January 1, 2008, effective date and request your consideration of a further delay of the effective date in order to accommodate effective compliance. . . . Given that we are approaching August 2007 and the final regulations have not been released, ASPPA believes it would be appropriate to provide for an additional extension for the same reasons the IRS determined the initial extension [by IRS Announcement 2006-136] was warranted." (American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA))

Hearing Transcript: Are Hidden 401(k) Fees Undermining Retirement Security?
65 pages. Hearing Before The Committee On Education And Labor, U.S. House Of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First Session; Hearing Held In Washington, DC, March 6, 2007 (U.S. Government Printing Office)

A Study of the American System of Savings Plans and How Savers Are Using Them
41 pages; from 2006. Excerpt: "The profile of savings plan contributors is remarkably consistent across all plans: most are employed, earning in the top-half of the income distribution, middle-aged, married, and educated. Account sizes vary widely with an average size in a 529 plan of $9,700, about $57,000 in a 401(k) plan, and $45,000 in the Thrift Savings Plan. Median account sizes in 401(k) plans were about $20,000, traditional IRAs held $24,000, and Roth IRAs held less than $9,000." (Pamela J. Perun of the Aspen Institute's Initiative on Financial Security)

401(k) Fee Suits Over High Cost to Employees on the Rise
Excerpt: "While the first round of suits has focused on undisclosed fees charged for mutual funds, more recent suits focus on those charged for annuities. And still others challenge the prudence of employers that invest in funds that charge high fees -- even if they're fully disclosed to employees." (The National Law Journal via Law.com)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide Updated as of May 29, 2007, for Retirement Plans (PDF)
6 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding retirement plans. (Hewitt Associates)

SEC's New Rules Altering Brokerage Relationships
Excerpt: "You shouldn't have to buy more advice than you need. If you're looking for finite advice such as how to invest your 401(k) this year, you might be better off with an adviser who charges by the hour, answers your questions and allows you implement the advice yourself." (The Washington Post; free registration required)

The Department of Labor - Offering Insights and Seeking Input on Pending Regulations and Guidance
Excerpt: "In what Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao described as the only conference 'of its kind to be dedicated solely to issues arising under ERISA Title I,' the DOL Speaks conference in Washington, D.C., certainly lived up to its billing." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)

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Sponsored by: SUNGARD RELIUS

(Click on company name or banner to learn more.)

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Links to Items on Executive Comp, Benefits in General

What's Ahead for FASB and Balance Sheet Consolidation?
Excerpt: "[T]his article . . . focuses on balance sheet consolidation and its potential impact on leverage metrics." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide)

Executive Compensation Provisions Dropped from Minimum Wage Package
Excerpt: "Provisions to cap annual deferrals under nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) arrangements and expand the number of workers covered by the $1 million cap on executive compensation were dropped from the minimum wage package." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide)

Companies Omitting Specific Executive Pay Goals on Proxy Statements, According to Analysis
Excerpt: "Nearly half of U.S. companies have not disclosed the specific pay goals used in their executive compensation plans, according to an analysis by Watson Wyatt. The analysis of 2007 proxy statements found that 46 percent of the 100 large, publicly traded companies studied did not disclose the goals on which they based rewards under their 2006 annual incentive plans. Additionally, 45 percent did not include the goals for long-term incentive plans." (Watson Wyatt Worldwide)

A Closer Look at Representative Claims by Plan Participants
Excerpt: "Deluca v. BCBSM shows in stark relief the distinction in outcomes between participant claims on behalf of an ERISA plan and those advanced as claims for individual relief." (Health Plan Law blog by Attorney Roy F. Harmon III)

Hewitt Federal Legislation Quick Guide for May 29, 2007, on Human Resources & Employment Law (PDF)
12 pages. This Federal Legislation Quick Guide provides short updates on federal legislation that is currently under active consideration by Congress or has recently been enacted into law regarding human resources and employment law. (Hewitt Associates)

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Newly Posted Events

2007 Fall Forum
in Minnesota on September 10, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Fall Forum
in Massachusetts on October 15, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Fall Forum
in Nevada on October 29, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Fall Forum
in Texas on November 12, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Advanced Distribution Issues and Plan Loans
Nationwide on July 26, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Advanced Health Savings Accounts
Nationwide on July 12, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Basic IRAs
Nationwide on July 10, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Health Savings Account Market Entry
Nationwide on July 31, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Introduction to Health Savings Accounts
Nationwide on July 17, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: Introduction to Qualified Retirement Plan Distributions
Nationwide on July 24, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

2007 Web/Telephone Seminar: IRA-to-IRA Transfers and Rollovers
Nationwide on July 19, 2007
presented by BISYS Retirement Services

9th Annual Conference of the Retirement Research Consortium
in District of Columbia on August 9, 2007
presented by Retirement Research Consortium

Broken Plan Basics: Using the EPCRS, DFVC and VFCP Toolboxes
Nationwide on June 26, 2007
presented by ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits

Cafeteria Plans for Rookies-- How to Play by the Rules and Keep the Umpires Happy
Nationwide on April 26, 2007
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Navigating Form 5500 for Health & Welfare Plans-- A Guided Tour for Employers and TPAs
Nationwide on May 17, 2007
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Navigating Form 5500 for Health & Welfare Plans-- A Guided Tour for Employers and TPAs
Nationwide on May 17, 2007
presented by Employee Benefits Institute of America Inc. (EBIA)

Practical Answers to Questions about Section 409A with Daniel Hogans - Webcast
Nationwide on June 12, 2007
presented by BNA, Inc.

ReDesigning Pension Plans and Executive Compensation Conference: New Rules, New Opportunities - Conference Recording And Materials Are Now Available
Nationwide on May 31, 2007
presented by BNA, Inc.

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Newly Posted or Renewed Job Openings
( Post a Job | View All Jobs )

Benefit Service Representative
for Leggette Actuaries, Inc.
in TX

Primary Administrator for Qualified Retirement Plans
for Kidder Benefits Consultants, Inc.
in IA

Qualified Plan Administrator
for BFP Associates
in MA

Pension Specialist
for Nationwide Insurance
in OH

Internal Sales Consultant
for Transamerica Retirement Services
in IL

Defined Contribution Advisor
for Mercer HR Consulting
in DC, MD, VA

Defined Benefit Actuarial Testing Consultant
for Fidelity Investments
in NC, NY

Sr Analyst, Executive Compensation
for The Washington Post Company
in DC

Director of Healthcare Delivery
for Culinary Fund
in NV

Retirement and Investment Consultant
for WEA Trust Member Benefits
in WI

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Handy Links:

• View Today's Active Message Threads
• Using the Web for Employee Benefits Research (hypertext article)
• Employee Benefits Library

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