By Money Management Executive
July 2, 2009
Advisors to 401(k) plans recently have revisited the wisdom of offering annuities, in light of last year’s severe market downturn. But group annuities are being criticized for subjecting investors to lockup periods of five years or longer and a variety of additional fees.
Continue reading “Group Annuities May Be Inappropriate for 401(k)s” »
By Sandra Block, USA TODAY
Your employer has canceled bagel Mondays, and the lavender hand lotion in the bathroom has disappeared.
When you report a computer problem to IT, someone shows up at your desk with a roll of duct tape.
Given the severity of the downturn, employees have learned to live with a certain amount of corporate belt-tightening. But cutbacks in matching contributions to your 401(k) plan are much harder to stomach.
More than a quarter of large companies have suspended matching contributions to their employees’ 401(k) plans or plan to do so in the near future, according to a survey by CFO Research Services and Charles Schwab.
Continue reading “401(k) has advantages even if employer cuts match” »
What’s Your Number?
By Jeff Brown
New York Times
The question came the other day from an old friend with a one-man business: “What’s your number?” It’s the latest way of asking, “how much money do I need to retire?”
I’ve been asked this many, many times in my years as a personal-finance columnist. I used to take a deep breath, then begin a discourse on pensions, Social Security, life expectancy, plans to pass assets to children, business succession, expected rates of return, inflation … Then, finding that people really wanted a simple, easy answer, I came up with one: “three million dollars.” That’s what you need to retire. No matter who you are, where you live, what your expectations. Trust me.
Continue reading “What’s Your Number? By Jeff Brown” »
Fred Schneyer – 06/08/2009
As small-business owners fret about their ability to offer a 401(k) match, investment professionals can help.
Planadviser.com
Continue reading “Small-Business Owners Worry about Keeping 401(k) Match” »
Pension & Benefits Daily: All Issues > 2009 > June > 06/03/2009 > Analysis & Perspective
To save jobs, some private and government employers have instituted voluntary and involuntary unpaid leave programs for current employees to deal with decreased profits and budget deficits. Reduced hours or unpaid leave can have an unexpected negative effect on employees’ benefits, including eligibility in pension plans, matching contributions, and health coverage.
Continue reading “Economy Driven Furloughs May Impact Pension, Health, Fringe Benefits” »
<a rel=”attachment wp-att-20″ href=”http://ccrs.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/the-value-of-having-an-advisor-on-your-company-retirement-plan/advisor-benefit-2/”>advisor benefit</a>
Attached is a paper on the atvantages of having a qualified “Corporate Retirement Plan’s Consultant” Work with you on your firms retirement plan rather that going it alone or letting your recordkeeper do it all.
<span style=”font-size:x-small;”>Thanks </span><a href=”http://ccrs.wordpress.com/wp-admin/www.ccrs.biz”><span style=”text-decoration:underline;”><span style=”font-size:x-small;color:#0000ff;”><span style=”font-size:x-small;color:#0000ff;”>www.ccrs.biz</span></span></span></a>
IS YOUR FIRM GETTING THE MOST FROM ITS RETIREMENT PLAN?
f the answer were no then we at COMPASS CORPORATE RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS would like to talk to you. Our job is to act as an independent ERISA and investment consultant providing unique solutions to meet your firm’s retirement plan needs.