[Guidance Overview]
403(b) In-Plan Roth Conversion Guidance
"This guidance supplies the retirement plan community with answers to the many questions that have arisen regarding the implementation, ongoing administration, and reporting of in-plan Roth conversion." (McKay Hochman)

2011 NIPA Annual Forum & Expo (advert.)

The 2011 NIPA Annual Forum & Expo provides timely information on all aspects of the retirement plan industry including impacts of recent legislation, industry trends and practical tools to help you advance your pension administration knowledge.

[Guidance Overview]
Orders Issued Under Tribal Law by Family Court of Navajo Nation Were Not DROs for ERISA Purposes
"ERISA §3(10) does not include Indian tribal governments in its definition of 'state.' However, EBSA noted that nothing in ERISA §206(d)(3) requires that a domestic relations order be issued by a state court." (Wolters Kluwer Law & Business)

[Guidance Overview]
IRS Ruling Addresses Termination of 403(b) Plans; Practical Problems Remain (PDF)
"The Revenue Ruling answers most of the tax questions that have arisen since 2007, when the IRS first expressly allowed 403(b) plan sponsors to terminate their plans. However, practical problems remain, many of which are not within the authority of the IRS to resolve." (Buck Consultants)

CalPERS Committee Holds Assumed Return Rate at 7.75%
"A committee at CalPERS on Tuesday decided to maintain the pension fund giant's annual assumed rate of return on investments, despite an actuary's recommendation to switch to a lower rate." (The Wall Street Journal)

Retirement Plan Survey 2011: Focusing on the Fiduciary Agenda (PDF)
"[This survey was conducted] to assess the level of understanding of investments, fees and administrative practices pertaining to retirement plans." (Grant Thornton LLP)

Register Now for ASPPA?s Spring Exams! (advert.)

ASPPA?s Education and Examination programs provide affordable and convenient ways of earning credentials and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. Register before April 14 to save money with the "early bird" discount.

Structuring DC Plan Automatic Features to Pump Up Retirement Savings (PDF)
"Organizations that offer it have increased enrollment by nearly 30 percent above 'pre-automatic enrollment' rates. What's more, these organizations said participants who were automatically enrolled viewed automatic enrollment favorably." (Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association)

Report of the CalPERS Special Review (PDF)
"CalPERS announced the outset of a special review of placement agent matters in the fall of 2009 and, while investigating these matters and related activities over the last 18 months, we found that they were not limited to its investment program." (The California Public Employees' Retirement System)

Public Employee Pension Plans Drawing Statewide and National Attention
"As the North Dakota Legislature works its way through bills handling public employee retirement and pay, new studies are showing the value of pension systems, both as a tool for retirement and compensation for low pay." (The Bismarck Tribune)

30% of Plan Sponsors Plan to Reinstate Previously Eliminated or Reduced Matching Contributions During 2011
"Fifty-eight percent of plan sponsors stated that they are not considering a Roth feature in their plan, slightly lower than the trend in the marketplace." (PLANSPONSOR)

Funding Obligations for Single-Employer DB Pension Plans: Updated Projections for 2011-2014
"Our model incorporates the main provisions of the PPA; the Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA); March and October 2009 IRS guidance and regulations; and the Relief Act. The PPA establishes the general seven-year schedule for funding shortfall amortization, and the WRERA clarifies and improves the use of smoothed asset values." (Towers Watson)

'Special Review' Outlines Private Placement Problems at CalPERS
"The authors of the report noted that their efforts were based on voluntary compliance with their requests for information, and that those interviewed included 'current and former members of the CalPERS Board, over 100 current and former staff members and executives, including every current member of the investment staff in the CalPERS alternative investment and real estate groups, and a number of external money managers, investment consultants, placement agents and others.'" (PLANSPONSOR)

Investigative Report Finds Past Corruption Activities at CalPERS
"Among the new report's findings: While CEO of the system between 2002 and 2008, Mr. Buenrostro pressed the system's investment staff to pursue particular investments without regard for their financial merits." (Pensions & Investments; free registration required)

Residents Question Huntington Beach, California, Tax for Employee Pensions
"Some property owners are up in arms over a fee on their property tax bills that requires residents to pay some public safety employee pensions. But the tax that some are so incensed about has not only been on their bills for 45 years, residents are the ones who put it there." (The Orange County Register)

[Opinion]
Having 'an Adult Conversation' About Retirement Planning
"[L]ast year a study by Hewitt Associates (now Aon Hewitt) said that the average U.S. employee would need 15.7 times their final pay in retirement resources to maintain their current standard of living during retirement." (PLANSPONSOR)

[Opinion]
Council Position on Advice upon Participant Rollovers from Qualified Retirement Plans (PDF)
"To help larger numbers reach successful retirement outcomes, the Council urges regulators to review applicable regulations with the ultimate goal to exempt from prohibited transaction status the provision of advice to participants by that plan's advisor(s) at the time of a distributable event." (DC Plan Investment Council)

[Opinion]
Your Company's 401(k) Plan -- Is It Just a Savings Plan, Not a Retirement Plan?
Here is Fred Reish's list of the key characteristics of a 401(k) retirement plan as opposed to just a savings plan. (PLANSPONSOR)

New Survey for Plan Sponsors Benchmarks Non-Qualified Plans
"The results of the [first Profit Sharing/401k Council of America] survey will assist plan sponsors who participate by providing them with a complimentary report that will provide nonqualified plan benchmarking data." (David Wray's Blog)

San Francisco Has Large Health Care and Pension Liabilities
"San Francisco now owes $4.476 bil.lion in pensions to its employees but only has the money to pay roughly three-quarters of that cost. Every family in the city would have to pay $35,000 apiece to make up the difference." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Aspiring M.B.A. Candidates Find Tuition Programs at Work
"A September 2010 survey of 1,084 U.S. companies from Business and Legal Reports . . . showed a large increase in the percentage of companies that had a tuition-funding program, to 85 percent, up from 52 percent in 2007." (The New York Times; free registration required)

Employee Ownership Update for March 15, 2011
NCEO Executive Director Corey Rosen discusses the following: The top five executives of the 1,500 largest corporations in the U.S. averaged $25 to $30 bil.lion per year in non-salary compensation between 2001 and 2007, according to a new report. The DOL held hearings on its proposed fiduciary regulations, which, among other things, would define ESOP appraisers as fiduciaries. The FED's 'Creating Wealth by Sharing Wealth' nationwide university essay contest winners have been announced. (National Center for Employee Ownership)

PBGC to Pay Pension Benefits at Erving Industries (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))

The Platinum 401k Announces Multiple Employer Plan Prospecting Program For Advisors (American Pension Services, Inc.)

American Pension Services Launches Advisor Prospecting Program (American Pension Services, Inc.)

2011 Retirement Confidence Survey: Workers' Pessimism About Retirement Deepens, Reflecting 'the New Normal' (Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI))

Less Than One-Third Think Secure Middle Class Retirement is Possible (COUNTRY Financial)

Companies Saving Millions on Healthcare Benefits Traced to WellNet's Proprietary Software (WellNet)

85 Percent of U.S. Businesses Now Offer Flexible Working (Regus)

Capital BlueCross One of Four Companies Nationally Selected for Employer Worksite Best Practice Wellness Pilot Program (Capital BlueCross)

Regional HR Manager with Benefits Expertise in FL for Aviation Services Company

Sr. Marketing Communications Manager-DCIO in MA for John Hancock

Marketing Position in TX for Loren D. Stark Company, Inc.

Operations Manager in CA for Keenan & Associates

Operation Associate in MA for Sentinel Benefits and Financial Group

Manager, Account Management- Small Market, IRC26544 in IN for Lincoln Financial Group

Actuarial Consultant in OH for Summit Retirement Plan Services

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401(k) Rekon Advisor Symposium - Cleveland in Ohio on April 14, 2011 presented by 401(k) Rekon