[Guidance Overview]
Change in Earned Income Computation
"The effect of the IRS interpretation is that practitioners can completely disregard SEHI in computing earned income for retirement plan purposes. This means that the 164(f) deduction for 50% of SE Tax may be greater than the deduction actually shown on the return. The practitioner must recompute the deduction without regard to SEHI." (SunGard Relius)

The ERISA Outline Book, 2011 Edition Available Now! (advert.)

Industry bestseller! Valued by every practitioner. The ERISA Outline Book by Sal L. Tripodi, J.D., LL.M. provides everything you need to know affecting retirement plans. Subscribe online and get automatic updates!

[Guidance Overview]
Webinar: New ERISA Participant Disclosure Regulations: Implications for Mutual Funds
"The webinar was designed for operations and compliance professionals and lawyers, including those at mutual fund firms that are largely or exclusively 'investment-only' in 401(k) plans." (Investment Company Institute)

[Guidance Overview]
Benefits Denial OK Where Union Ratified Workers' Transfer to Less-Generous Pension Plan
"A pension plan administrator did not violate ERISA when it refused to calculate the pension benefits of union workers based on the terms of a prior plan . . . ." (Wolters Kluwer)

[Guidance Overview]
Tips for Avoiding Problems When Restoring an Employer Match
"[J]ust as U.S. rules dictate how to suspend contributions, technical qualification requirements need to be satisfied when contributions are restored. Following the rules now can avoid future audit problems or the need to file under a voluntary correction program." (Pensions & Benefits Law)

[Guidance Overview]
Guidelines for Keeping It Simple Under 408(b)(2)
"Long pages of disclosure are not necessary or warranted. There are certain keys to making it work, and making the disclosure simple. Keep a few things in mind . . . ." (Business of Benefits)

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]
Employer in Stock Drop Suit Awarded $50K in Costs
"In the latest ruling, [the judge] turned away arguments by [the plaintiff] that he shouldn't be hit with litigation costs because of an ERISA provision that generally allows such expenses only if the loser's position was not 'substantially justified.' [The judge] asserted that the prior cases interpreting the ERISA provision have dealt with attorneys' fees and not other litigation costs." (PLANSPONSOR)

[Guidance Overview]
Puerto Rico Waives Tax Withholding for Some 2011 Retirement Plan Distributions
"The Puerto Rico Treasury Department has waived income tax withholding for certain annuities and installments paid in 2011 from Puerto Rico-qualified defined contribution and defined benefit plans. The exemption applies to the first $23,500 received on separation from service by participants age 60 or older (the first $19,500 for younger participants)." (Mercer LLC)

The Best Way for Retirees to Leave the Workforce
"[A]s nest eggs begin to recover, many of us will begin thinking again about when and how to walk away from work. As such, phased retirement is likely to enjoy a resurgence." (SmartMoney)

Working in Retirement: What Are the Questions?
"[T]he idea of continuing to work raises all sorts of questions: What kind of work should I do? How will my income affect my Social Security benefits? What's the best way to manage my income from work, Social Security and my investments?" (The Wall Street Journal)

The Great Recession and 401(k) Plan Participant Behavior
"New research . . . reveals that, despite the severe market downturn of 2008-2009, defined contribution plan savings continued to grow for most participants from 2005 through 2010." (The Vanguard Group, Inc.)

SunTrust Served with 401(k) Suit over Investment Plans
"A retiree has sued SunTrust Banks, alleging that it favored investment plans operated by SunTrust or its subsidiaries that performed poorly and charged higher fees than plans offered by independent investment companies." (PLANSPONSOR)

401(k) Plans Revolutionized Retirement for U.S. Workers; Now, Key Fixes Are Needed
"The biggest problem with the 401(k) itself is how it evolved, with all the responsibility borne by workers. Companies embraced the 401(k) as part of an overall campaign to rein in benefit costs." (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

Burr-Coburn Bill Would Alter Federal Pensions
"A pair of US senators has introduced legislation that would change the pension mix for new federal employees -- including members of Congress." (PLANSPONSOR)

Firms Omitting Annuities in New Retirement Income Products
"To provide income, [Dimensional Fund Advisors LP] will craft individualized investment portfolios based on a plan participant's responses to questions about their assets (including their defined-contribution plan balance), any applicable DB plan benefits and Social Security income. With that information, the firm will calculate a retirement income requirement and manage the employee's assets accordingly." (Investment News; free registration required)

Flaw Found in Proposed Ohio Public Pension Shift
"Gov. John Kasich's plan to dock public employees another 2 percent for their pensions could upset the fiscal health of the state's pension systems and force at least some of them into noncompliance with Ohio law." (The Columbus Dispatch)

FASB Mulls Feedback on Proposed Disclosures About Employers' Participation in Multiemployer Plans
"While commentators generally supported increased transparency, most found the proposed disclosures too expansive. They raised concerns about the cost and volume of required information and questioned whether certain disclosures (notably, withdrawal liability) achieved FASB's objectives." (Mercer LLC)

Maine Governor Exempts Own Pension from Budget Cutbacks
"While public employees and teachers face this increase, as well as a raise in the retirement age, a freeze on cost-of-living adjustments for current retirees and a 2 percent cap on future cost of living increases, LePage's personal contribution rate to the retirement system will remain the same, which means he'll be paying $21,420 over four years." (Kennebec Journal)

[Opinion]
Lessons Learned at Recent 401k 'Summits'
"[A] challenge is that plan sponsors don't really want more participants to max out the company match, making the plan more expensive. So we need to create some tools and processes to improve plan outcomes, while restructuring the company's contribution in such a way that the overall cost to the plan sponsor is insignificant." (RetireMap)

[Opinion]
Economic Theorists Disagree About Whether Public Pension Funds Should Be Fully Funded, or Even Funded at All
"The trouble with the debate over what to do about our strained public pension systems is that so much of it is veiled in abstract, financial terms. The best solution might be the old-fashioned one: sharing, with some adjustments in our modern defined-benefits system. Yes, making the transition would not be easy. We would have to respect promises that have been made to today's retirees." (The New York Times; free registration required)

[Opinion]
Maine's State Retirement System 'Crisis' a Figment of Alarmist Imagination
"First, Maine does not have a pension funding 'crisis.' Second, it is not necessary to substantially reduce participant and retiree benefits to address the problem that does exist." (Maine Sunday Telegram)

Preliminary Analysis of the President's Budget for 2012
"[CBO], with contributions from the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, has analyzed the President's budget submission for fiscal year 2012. This report by CBO presents a preliminary analysis of those proposals." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)

'An Assessment of San Francisco's Unfunded Pension and Retiree Health Care Liabilities' Shows Underfunding
"Even if the pension fund grows by an optimistic 7.75 percent every year, there's only a one-third chance the city will be able to pay the promised pension benefits. The city also owes $4.364 bil.lion in health care benefits and has hardly saved anything for it." (San Francisco Chronicle)

House Budget Committee Hearing: Fulfilling the Mission of Health and Retirement Security
March 17, 2011. Chairman Paul Ryan from Opening Remarks As Prepared for Delivery. "The principal aim of this hearing is to make clear that trying to 'protect' the government's major entitlement programs by maintaining the status quo is, in fact, the surest way to destroy them." (U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget)

Impact on Employees As Benefits Education and Communications Diminish
"Despite the differences expressed by different gender and ethnic groups, only 21% of plan sponsors think that tailoring benefits communications to their various employee segments is 'important' to their benefits strategies . . . ." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)

PBGC Negotiates $2.5 Mil.lion Additional Pension Funding For Workers At Stahl USA Inc. (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC))

US Labor Department to sponsor free webcasts March 23 and 24 to help employers, retirement plan fiduciaries, service providers comply with law (U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA))

Executive Director in NY for Segal on behalf of Taft-Hartley client

Onsite Participant Counselor in VA for Diversified Investment Advisors, Inc.

Pension Administrator in NM for Chambers Benefit Group, APC

DB/DC Administrator in CA for NICHOLAS & HICKS, INC.

Relationship Manager in IA for Prudential

401(k) Plan Recordkeeping Account Analyst in MI for Freedom One Financial Group

401(k) Administration Account Analyst in MI for Freedom One Financial Group

Retirement Consultant in MI for Freedom One Financial Group

Client Relationship Manager in PA for Rapidly Growing Financial Services Company

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"401(k) Plan Current Issues Workshop" - Atlanta in Georgia on April 27, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"401(k) Plan Current Issues Workshop" - Charlotte in North Carolina on April 29, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"401(k) Plan Current Issues Workshop" - Des Moines in Iowa on April 29, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"401(k) Plan Current Issues Workshop" - Syracuse in New York on April 27, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"Form 5500/EFAST 2 Workshop" - Atlanta in Georgia on April 26, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"Form 5500/EFAST 2 Workshop" - Charlotte in North Carolina on April 28, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"Form 5500/EFAST 2 Workshop" - Des Moines in Iowa on April 28, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

"Form 5500/EFAST 2 Workshop" - Syracuse in New York on April 26, 2011 presented by SunGard Relius

ACOPA Advanced Actuarial Conference in California on June 6, 2011 presented by ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA)

Audit Topics and Q&A with the Auditor in Georgia on April 21, 2011 presented by WEB (Worldwide Employee Benefit Network) Atlanta Chapter

Benefits Conference of the South in Georgia on May 12, 2011 presented by ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)

ERPA Conference in California on June 2, 2011 presented by AIRE, LLC (American Institute of Retirement Education)

Great Lakes Benefits Conference in Illinois on June 23, 2011 presented by ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)

Mercer's Innovation Conversations: The Future of Retirement Nationwide on April 14, 2011 presented by Mercer

Northeast Area Benefits Conference - Boston in Massachusetts on July 11, 2011 presented by ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)

Northeast Area Benefits Conference - New York in New York on July 12, 2011 presented by ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)

NTSAA 403(b) Compliance Resolution Summit in Texas on May 9, 2011 presented by National Tax Sheltered Accounts Association

Western Benefits Conference in Nevada on July 24, 2011 presented by ASPPA and WP&BC

Women Business Leaders Forum in Colorado on May 24, 2011 presented by ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)