Industry News

Pension Risk Transfer Affordability Unchanged May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Dietrich Pension Risk Transfer Index, which tracks the relative attractiveness of annuitizing pension liabilities, was nearly unchanged from its prior month’s level of 89.44. PLANSPONSOR staff editors@plansponsor.com

More Employers to Shift Health Care Costs to Employees May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Cost-shifting to employees will continue, and companies will ramp up efforts to encourage employees to adopt healthy habits and save for health care costs in retirement, Fidelity Investments says. PLANSPONSOR staff edi

Catholic Bishops Still Object to Contraception Coverage Rules May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says the exemptions put into the new health law’s contraception coverage rules are not enough. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Religious employ

Adams to Lead American Savings Education Council May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Nevin Adams has been named director of the American Savings Education Council. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com The council is a program of the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Nevin

Rowe Joins DCAdvisors' Leadership Team May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - DCAdvisors has appointed John Rowe to its client consulting group and leadership team.   PLANSPONSOR staff editors@plansponsor.com Rowe, who has worked in the industry for 30 years, is an expert on the use of lifetime incom

Group Offers Guidelines for Public Pension Disclosure Obligations May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – The National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL) has published guidelines for state and local government disclosure obligations when offering bonds to the market. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com

Bill Would Close Michigan Teachers' Pension May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Legislation that would close the teachers’ pension plan to new public school employees and put them into a 401(k)-style retirement plan passed the Michigan Senate. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com The bill woul

DOL Notes a Change to Recent Fee Disclosure Guidance May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration made a technical correction to recently released Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2012-02. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com The guidance

Fiduciary Liability Continues After Company Closing May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Some retirement plan sponsors mistakenly believe their fiduciary liability ended when the company doors closed. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com An article from Lockton Retirement Services explains that

Protecting Retirement Investments from Risk a Top Concern May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Protecting retirement assets from risk is the most important concern for Americans of every age, according to Charles Schwab’s quarterly Retirement Pulse Survey.    PLANSPONSOR staff editors@plansponsor.com

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Makes Retirement Benefits Suggestions May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a white paper offering guidelines on initiatives and reforms that will bolster the voluntary employment-based retirement benefits system and retirement security for workers.

Auto Escalation Proposed for Federal Plan May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) introduced a bill to build on efforts to incorporate private sector best practices into the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for federal employees. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com T

Lockton Lists Audit Concerns for 403(b)s May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Lockton Retirement Services has published an article describing common audit issues uncovered during the most recent 403(b) plan audits. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com The article, in Lockton’s The Key quarter

S.C. Senate Passes Gentler Version of Pension Reform May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The South Carolina Senate approved a pension reform plan with fewer changes than the state House proposal. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com The Senate bill allows current employees to continue factorin

ERP Actuaries Hires Director May 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - ERP Actuaries & Consultants hired Bill Radonavitch as director of new business development. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Radonavitch's role is to develop new business in the 401(k) marketplace.     With more than

VALIC Endorsed by Georgia Independent College Association May 18, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - VALIC has been selected as the exclusive retirement plan provider for the Georgia Independent College Association (GICA). Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com In addition, GICA will recommend VALIC’s

Workers Change Expectations of Retirement May 16, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - American workers realize they are behind in saving for retirement, and are adjusting their expectations accordingly. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Sixty-nine percent of workers agreed they could save until age

Great-West Adds Midwest Sales Director to 401(k) Team May 16, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Great-West Retirement Services has appointed Matthew Orozco as a regional sales director for the Midwest market . Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Orozco will work with brokers, financial advis

Plan Administrator Steals Retirement Funds to Purchase Resort May 16, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a complaint in a federal court in Idaho regarding a violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Th

Institutional Investors Find New Uses for ETFs May 16, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Institutional investors are finding increasingly strategic uses for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to a study from Greenwich Associates. Rebecca Moore editors@plansponsor.com Institutions start using ETF