Monthly Archives: August 2009

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>