[Guidance Overview]
Puerto Rico-Qualified Plans May Participate in U.S. Group and Master Trusts for Transition Period and Deadline Extended for Puerto Rico Spin-Offs – Excerpt: "Employers that sponsor Puerto Rico-qualified retirement plans can expect future guidance from the IRS on whether those plans can pool assets with U.S.-qualified plans in Revenue Ruling 81-100 group or master trust arrangements. Permanent relief is needed . . . ." (McDermott Will & Emery)

DATAIR Retirement Plan Document Software (advert.)

Cost-effective PC-based software gives you everything needed to produce and maintain accurate plan documents, SPDs, amendments, administrative forms and procedures. Many choices of plan types and document formats. Includes technical support from DATAIR?s Document Team.

[Guidance Overview]
DOL Form 5500 Troubleshooter's Guide Updated to Reflect All-Electronic Filing, Expanded Schedule C Reporting, and More – Excerpt: "The updated Troubleshooter's Guide reflects the significant changes made to the Form 5500 filing process since the guide was last issued. It should be noted, however, that the guide provides only general guidance and does not reflect all Form 5500 filing rules. In preparing the Form 5500, filers and their advisors should consult the Form 5500 instructions, applicable regulations, and -- with regard to filing under EFAST2 -- additional DOL guidance (including webcasts, FAQs, tutorials, and user guides) intended to ease the transition to all-electronic filing." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

[Guidance Overview]
Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs Revived – Excerpt: "In consideration of the late enactment of 2010 TRA, the Act extends the time during which qualified charitable distributions for 2010 may be made. The deadline for distributions to be credited to the 2010 tax year has been extended until January 31, 2011." (McKay Hochman Co., Inc.)

The Drawdown of Personal Retirement Assets – Excerpt: "How households draw down the balances that they accumulate in retirement saving accounts such as 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement Accounts can have an important effect on the contribution of these accounts to retirement income security. This paper presents evidence on the pattern of withdrawals at different ages." (National Bureau of Economic Research; paid subscription or individual purchase required to retrieve fulltext)

Interview with Stephen Rosenberg Who Explains DOL's New Fiduciary Definition – Excerpt: "[Question]: What are some of the implications of the new definition that will change the way advisers do business? Rosenberg: At the end of the day, the most likely outcome is simply that advisers will have to be more willing to accept the risk of becoming a fiduciary with regard to the services they are directly providing, and it will be harder to create a scenario in which they can sell their services while still disavowing that status." (Fiduciary News)

DC Plan Sponsors Will Focus on Fees in 2011 – Excerpt: "Defined contribution plan sponsors expect to focus more on plan fees this year, according to a new survey by Callan Associates. Plan sponsors' highest priorities, in order, are to ensure that fees are reasonable, well monitored and documented, and clearly communicated to participants." (Employee Benefit News; one-time free registration required)

Public Pensions Face Disclosure Suits – Excerpt: "The primary legal issue behind disclosure in [recent] cases is that the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are spent and how the pension plan fundamentally operates. Advocates of disclosure argue that pension funds are hiding behind legal arguments in order to avoid scrutiny in the press that would most certainly raise public discontent." (The Daily Reflector)

Gingrich Seeks Bill Allowing State Bankrup.tcy to Avert Bailouts – Excerpt: "Former House Speaker and possible GOP presidential contender Newt Gingrich is pushing for federal legislation giving financially strapped states the right to file for bankrup.tcy and renege on pension and other benefit promises made to state employees." (Pensions & Investments)

Expectations for Retirement Shifting As Market Stabilizes – Excerpt: "[Workers are counting the losses in their 401(k) retirement accounts, drained in the stock market downturn in 2008]. Two years later, the values are returning, but not quickly enough for retirees and near-retirees forced to adjust or postpone plans for their golden years. Hundreds of thousands of other workers now expect to labor for many more years with less assurance that automatic retirements will be within easy reach." (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Pension Fund Withdrawal Liability Can Cripple Companies When Terminating Union Relationships – Excerpt: "Terminating a union contract can be an expensive proposition for a business, if there is a pension fund involved. Under federal law, the union pension fund can assess a 'withdrawal liability' to cover unfunded pension benefits." (Barker Olmsted & Barnier)

Lawmakers Propose Increase in New Mexico Workers' Pension Contributions – Excerpt: "The Associated Press reports that under the pension change, government workers and educators would contribute an extra 1.75% of their salaries. The panel said the pension change -- intended to be in effect for just one year -- would save nearly $50 mil.lion." (PLANSPONSOR.COM)

Pension Indicator Updated for 12/31/2010 – Excerpt: "Findley Davies has updated the Pension Indicator (TM) tool based on market conditions through December 31, 2010. This tool allows employers to evaluate their risk exposure by monitoring the estimated changes to their pension plan's funded status as it is reported for financial statement purposes under U.S. GAAP. The tables . . . provide the percentage change in the funded level of the plan, both year-to-date and month-over-month as of December 31, 2010, based on the investment mix and plan type." (Findley Davies, Inc.)

New Strategies in Defined Contribution Plan Design – Excerpt: "To better understand what employers are doing to improve the success of DC plans during these difficult economic times, Towers Watson conducted its 2010 Survey of DC Plan Sponsors. [Link to the survey report from the target page.]" (Towers Watson)

Deficit Reduction Groups Recommend Increasing PBGC Premiums, Imposing New Limits on Retirement Savings – Excerpt: "Two recent deficit reduction proposals would increase the premiums paid by some defined benefit . . . plan sponsors to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation . . . . They also recommend strict new limits on workers' and employers' contributions to defined contribution . . . retirement savings programs, such as 401(k) plans." (Towers Watson)

Month-by-Month Overview of Retirement Law Changes and Guidance Issued in 2010 – Excerpt: "Each item contains a link to more information on the subject." (McKay Hochman Co., Inc.)

Reports Dispute Financial Health of Various Florida Public Employee Pension Funds – Excerpt: "The AFL-CIO called a news conference with two actuarial experts to dispute the idea that the Florida Retirement System is headed for trouble. . . . But the James Madison Institute published a study by Florida State University economics professor Randal Holcombe, saying city pension funds across the state are facing a 'tsunami' of pension liabilities." (The News-Press (Fort Myers, FL))

[Opinion]
401(k)s Have Assisted Millions of Retirees, According to Retirement Expert – Excerpt: "First, 401(k)s were created as a voluntary supplement to Social Security. Social Security is the nation's mandatory retirement program, which was never intended to be a person's only source of income in retirement. Social Security and voluntary programs like 401(k)s were intended to work together." (Cincinnati Enquirer)

[Opinion]
Public Pension Plan Reporting and Disclosure – Excerpt: "The topic of financial disclosures may soon create real problems for public plans and, by extension, ERISA plans that are sponsored by companies that issue stocks and/or bonds." (Susan Mangiero)

[Opinion]
How to Talk Civilly about Public Employees' Pensions: A Conservatives' Guide – Excerpt: "As readers of this blog may know, I tend to think that this scrutiny of public labor costs is a good thing. But even a good thing can spawn a lot of petty, misguided invective, and there has been no shortage of mean-spirited vitriol cast at public sector unions during this latest set of subnational budget crises. So, after the jump, here are three rules I observe when talking about public-sector pensions that, I hope, help me steer clear of some of the more histrionic tropes of anti-union rhetoric without compromising on what generally is regarded as my conservative sympathies for cutting back on this budget item." (PrawfsBlawg LLC)

2011 Orlando Advanced Pension Conference (advert.)

Join us to learn more about service provider and participant fee disclosure regulations, designing service agreements, DB and cash balance plans for DC practitioners, EFAST2, plan correction, new PTIN rules, Washington update, and more. Early bird discount ends 1/17 - register now to save $150.

[Guidance Overview]
Annual Reporting Requirements for Incentive Stock Options and Employee Stock – Excerpt: "For any exercise of an incentive stock option . . . or transfer of a share previously purchased pursuant to a tax-qualified employee stock purchase plan . . . where the purchase price paid for the share was (a) less than 100% of the fair market value on the date of grant or (b) not fixed or determinable on the date of grant, the Internal Revenue Code requires companies to . . . ." (Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP)

[Guidance Overview]
8th Circuit Tosses ERISA Appeal Over Employees' Stock Losses – Excerpt: "The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a 2009 ruling against employees who alleged they lost money in medical-device maker Medtronic Inc.'s stock option plan because of corporate mismanagement." (Thomson Reuters)

[Guidance Overview]
The IRS 2010 Version of Form 2106 for Employees to Report Deductible Business Expenses – Excerpt: "The accountable plan rules allow employees to avoid tax on business expense reimbursements if three principal requirements are met: the expenses have a business connection, they are adequately substantiated, and any excess reimbursements are returned. If accountable plan reimbursements do not fully cover an employee's expenses, the employee may use Form 2106 to take a deduction for the unreimbursed expenses." (Thomson Reuters/EBIA)

Employees Want Interactive Communication and You Should Know How to Bring It to Them – Excerpt: "Today, most organizations have some sort of intranet used for business to employee (B2E) communication. B2E communication is a broad category ranging from bulletin boards and memos to e-mail and, in today's online world, intranets." (Employee Benefit Adviser; one-time free registration required)

US Labor Department Sues Defunct Portland, Maine, Company And Former Owner To Recover Misused Retirement Plan Assets U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

HSAs and HRAs See Growth Over Four-Year Span: Assets Have Also Increased While Account Balances Fell Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)

Transamerica Retirement Services Announces Three Additions to TPA Channel Team Transamerica Retirement Services

Fidelity and MetLife Announce Variable Annuity Sales of Over $1 Billion MetLife

US Pension Plan Sponsors See Overall Decline In Funded Status In 2010 Mercer

Martin, Martin, Randall & Associates, Inc. Expands to Atlanta Georgia Martin, Martin, Randall & Associates, Inc. (MMR)

Best Doctors President Evan Falchuk Launches First Blog Carnival for the Benefits Community Best Doctors, Inc.

Group Benefits Account Coordinator
for The Meltzer Group in MD

Relationship Mgr II/III
for The Standard in IL

Retirement Plan Specialist / Relationship Manager
for Financial Services Firm in Austin Texas in TX

Relationship Mgr II
for The Standard in LA

Recordkeeping Specialist
for Capital Retirement Plan Services in FL

Plan Administrator
for Capital Retirement Plan Services in FL

Dependent Audits -- Does Health Care Reform Make Them Obsolete or More Important than Ever?
Nationwide on January 20, 2011 International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

Fixed Income Summit
in Illinois on April 28, 2011 Pensions & Investments

Fixed Income Summit
in New York on May 3, 2011 Pensions & Investments

Risk Management in a New Era Conference
in California on June 7, 2011 Pensions & Investments

Risk Management in a New Era Conference
in Texas on June 9, 2011 Pensions & Investments

Risk Management in a New Era Conference
in Illinois on June 14, 2011 Pensions & Investments

Risk Management in a New Era Conference
in New York on June 16, 2011 Pensions & Investments