Financial Experience & Behaviors Among Women - Summary: Prudential Financial's study on the Financial Experience & Behaviors Among Women polled 1,033 American women about their financial knowledge, goals, actions taken, and confidence in attaining financial goals. The survey was administered from October 17 to 25, 2007. Located at: Prudential Financial , May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

On Participant Education - Summary: With the automated-plan concept taking hold, 401k participant education is emphasizing investment-related topics less. People need to hear less about asset allocations and more about how to put together a budget. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

On Collective Trusts - Summary: Collective investment trusts, sometimes referred to as collective, or commingled, funds, are hardly a new idea. They are, however, in an environment increasingly concerned about retirement plan costs, enjoying a resurgence in interest. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

On Roth 401ks - Summary: Plans are adding the Roth 401k as a feature very aggressively, but not many employees have gone for it. Why Not? Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

On Managed Accounts - Summary: The rise of "automatic" asset-allocation solutions like target-date funds has not eliminated the need for personalized advice among 401k participants. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Plan Sponsors Focus on Investment Monitoring and Decision Making - Summary: The Pension Protection Act has changed patterns in savings and reporting, reports Grant Thornton LLP in its 2008 Plan Sponsor Retirement study. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Possible ERISA Fiduciary Duty In Cross-Selling Rollover IRAs - Summary: A federal district court in Iowa allowed class action claims to proceed against a financial services company for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 resulting from the company encouraging retirement plan participants to roll over their 401k plan assets into IRAs invested in the company's proprietary mutual funds. Located at: Goodwin Procter LLP , May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Annuities in 401k Plans Gaining Momentum - Summary: The use of annuities as an investment alternative within 401k plans will gain momentum as those approaching retirement seek to create guaranteed retirement income streams, according to a report by the Financial Research Corporation. Located at: CCH, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Investors Can Sue for Account Mismanagement - Summary: Score one for the little guy. The Supreme Court recently ruled that participants in 401k plans can sue for losses related to their accounts. David Wray, president of a nonprofit association of 401k plan sponsors, talked us through the implications of the court's decision. Located at: Smartmoney.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Fee Litigation - Summary: The plaintiffs claim that, in negotiating for and receiving revenue sharing, the service providers breached fiduciary duties and engaged in "prohibited transactions" under ERISA. Some of the lawsuits similarly challenge the use of actively managed mutual funds as investment options. This article contains an overview of the issues and a chart of the cases now pending. Located at: Groom Law Group, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Report of the Working Group on Financial Literacy of Plan Participants and the Role of the Employer - Summary: The 2007 ERISA Advisory Council formed a Working Group on Financial Literacy of Plan Participants to study numerous issues in increasing the financial decision-making skills of plan participants. This is there report. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Report of the Working Group on Fiduciary Responsibilities and Revenue Sharing Practices - Summary: The 2007 ERISA Advisory Council formed the Working Group on Fiduciary Responsibilities and Revenue Sharing Practices to study numerous issues relative to the practice of revenue sharing. This is there report. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Wal-Mart Suit Hits 401k Fees - Summary: A lawsuit argues that the plan sponsored by the country's largest private employer used retail funds rather than institutional ones, and had too many active funds. It's the most recent in a string of such cases, and benefits attorneys note that until there are definitive rulings in these cases, more large companies will likely be hit. Located at: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

SEC Staff Push for Splitting 12(b)-1 Fees - Summary: Staff members at the SEC will recommend that 12(b)-1 fees be broken into at least two parts. Located at: Investmentnews.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Morningstar Aims to Size Up Target-Date Funds - Summary: Mutual fund researcher set to roll out indexes to help measure fast-growing 401k option. Located at: Financialweek.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Employees See Sizable Shrinkage in Their 401ks in Q1 - Summary: When 401k participants open up their latest quarterly statements, many will be greeted by declines they haven't seen in more than five years. Located at: Financialweek.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

One in Four Drain Retirement Dollars - Summary: Employees continue to borrow from their retirement savings and they may not even plan to repay the loan. One-fourth of Americans have prematurely dipped into their retirement dollars according to a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Personal Finance Poll. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Saving for Retirement: Men and Women Compared - Summary: Are men and women equally likely to save for retirement? Are there differences between men and women in contributing to a work-place retirement savings plan or having an individual retirement account? Located at: Employee Benefit Research Institute , May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Clarifies QDIA Notice Requirements - Summary: More than four months after the Department of Labor's qualified default investment alternative regulations became effective, the Department has issued much needed guidance clarifying the rule's application in a number of contexts. Located at: Benefits Biz Blog, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Fees on Everyone's Lips at P&I Conference - Summary: The most attended — and most interactive — breakout sessions at the Pensions & Investments' Defined Contribution Mid-America Conference covered defined contribution plan fees, the recent spate of lawsuits against companies alleging too-high 401k fees and requirements for increased disclosure of fee information to plan participants. Located at: PIonline.com (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Tougher Retirement Road for Middle Class - Summary: Middle-class Americans will be far worse off in retirement than they expect, warns a new study from BGI. Located at: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2008*. Click on headline for full article.

Time to Convert Retirement Funds to a Roth? - Summary: If you want to convert employer plan funds directly to a Roth IRA, there are some new Internal Revenue Service rules you should be aware of. Located at: Financial-planning.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Legislative Tracking Chart -- Retirement - Summary: This chart summarizes selected federal legislation that would affect employer benefit programs. The bills included on the charts are based on judgments regarding the prominence of the issue, the likelihood of enactment, and the influence of the sponsors. Located at: Towers Perrin , May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Plan Sponsors Courting Disaster - Summary: Confusion over 401k plan fees is triggering lawsuits and congressional inquiries. What can plan sponsors do to head off trouble? Located at: CFO.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

2008 401k Providers Guide - Summary: Again this year CFO magazine has teamed with Dalbar to publish this survey of services that are provided by the major 401k vendor platforms. Located at: CFO.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Ten Techniques for Communicating About Retirement Plans - Summary: Communicating with employees about their retirement benefits can be a challenge. Varying degrees of investment knowledge, scattered workforces, limited time and busy schedules all conspire to make getting the message across very difficult. Nevertheless, the process is getting easier. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: The Night of the Living Dead Retirement Plan Participants - Summary: A highly disturbing fact is that many plan sponsors fail to discharge their ERISA section 404(a)(1)(A) duties because they don't know about--much less understand--the total economic impact that the hodgepodge of both visible costs and invisible costs can have on the account balances of the participants in the plans provided to them by the sponsors. Located at: MorningStar.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Most Investors Buy First Fund Through Retirement Plans - Summary: Employer-sponsored retirement plans are increasingly the gateway to mutual fund ownership, according to the Investment Company Institute's most recent report on fund investors. Located at: Investment Company Institute, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Alpha Fees for Beta Performance - Summary: Just as the dust is starting to settle over 401k fee scrutiny, new research shows performance fees paid by pension funds worldwide are up 50% compared to five years ago, reports Watson Wyatt. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

The Future Shock of Retirement - Summary: Reviewing some recent academic literature yields a surprising conclusion: At least superficially, Americans appear better prepared for retirement than previously believed. Located at: Barclays Global Investors , May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Proposed Regs Require Full Disclosure of 401k Fees - Summary: While Labor's efforts have been extensive, in the end, the agency has had to resort to its regulatory powers to force service providers to disclose in writing to plan sponsors all forms of compensation received from providing services to 401k plans. Located at: Charlotte Business Journal, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Labor to Host Web Cast on Form 5500 Reporting Requirements - Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration will host a free web cast May 8 to help employers and plan administrators understand and comply with the Form 5500 Series reporting requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Debate Over 401k Fee Disclosure - Summary: Make no mistake about it. A law requiring firms to disclose the fees they charge workers in 401k plans will very likely become reality sometime soon. But what the final law will look like -- there's a House and Senate version at the moment -- is still unknown. Located at: Marketwatch.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Contribution Timing and Collection Responsibility, a Q&A - Summary: When must 401k deposits be made? Who's responsible when contributions are not made? The Department of Labor is flexing its regulatory and advisory muscle to clarify any misunderstanding that may exist and at the same time is asking the benefit's community to suggest alternative solutions. Located at: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Economy Slowing Down 401k Contributions - Summary: Due to the current economic climate, 8% of investors have halted or reduced their contributions in 401k plans in recent months, according a study to be released next week. Located at: InvestmentNews (free registration may be required), May 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Who Prefers Annuities? Observations About Retirement Decisions - Summary: Many pension experts believe that life annuities are the best way for retirees to ensure that they don't run out of money. But most people do not choose annuities, and experts are wondering why. Located at: Watson Wyatt Worldwide, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

In-Service Distributions - Summary: In-service withdrawals are those taken prior to normal retirement age. This is a Q&A on some of the more common issues. Located at: McKay Hochman, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Muddying the DC Waters: A Case for Simplification - Summary: The more pernicious result will be overreaction on the part of regulators that will drive employers away from voluntarily offering benefit plans at all. Located at: Benefits Biz Blog, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Issues Technical Corrections to QDIA Regulation - Summary: The technical corrections affect three areas of the final regulation on QDIAs. These include changes clarifying the preamble example on "round-trip restrictions," expanding the scope of who can manage a QDIA to include a committee that is a named fiduciary of the plan, and correcting the "grandfather" relief for stable value funds. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor , April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-03 - Summary: Since publication of the QDIA regulation, a number of issues have been raised concerning the scope and meaning of various provisions of the QDIA regulation. This Bulletin is intended to supplement the QDIA regulation by providing guidance, in a question and answer format, on a number of the most frequently asked questions. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

ERISA Lawyers Likely to Seek More Fiduciary Breach Clarification - Summary: In the months after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling sanctioning fiduciary breach lawsuits by individual participants, lawyers are likely to turn their attention to defining the type of allowable recoverable losses and settling the issue of what are considered a participant's administrative remedies. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Reliant Wins 2nd Stock Drop Case Ruling - Summary: A federal judge was correct in dismissing a 401k participant's company stock suit because the plaintiff had not put on a strong enough case that a Houston energy firm had violated its fiduciary duties in handling the company stock fund, an appellate court has ruled. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Trust: Missing Element in Retirement Plans - Summary: Employees who don't trust 401k's, 403b's, or their employer aren't likely to take full advantage of the plan, even with automatic enrollment. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Wal-Mart Suit Hits 401k Fees - Summary: Lawsuit argues $9.5 billion plan used overpriced funds with under whelming returns at employees' expense. If any executives at large corporations think lawsuits over 401k fees are going somehow to quietly disappear anytime soon, think again. Located at: Financialweek.com (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

More Companies Offer Roth 401ks - Summary: After an initially cool reception, more corporations are beginning to offer employees the option of saving for their retirement in a Roth 401k plan. A large number of companies are still turned off by the relatively new retirement plan option, however, fearing that adding a Roth 401k feature to their benefits platform will only complicate matters for both employees and employer. Located at: Financialweek.com (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Plans Are Being Retooled to Function Like a Pension Plan - Summary: The 401k plan is getting a make over, and for the 76 million Baby Boomers just starting to wind down their careers, the change couldn't come at a better time. Located at: Wall Street Journal Online, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Loans = Retirement Insecurity - Summary: The option of borrowing against a 401k is attractive; however, potential borrowers should be wary. Even in extreme situations, it is best for workers to seek other sources of capital before tapping their 401k accounts. Located at: National Center for Policy Analysis, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Plan Sponsors Paying for Adviser Services Directly - Summary: The majority of retirement plan expenses are paid by the plan sponsor, but many plan sponsors do not review the fees paid to their adviser, a recent survey said. Located at: Planadviser.com, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Execs Profit by Querying 401k Costs, Plans Can Save Millions - Summary: A growing number of 401k plan executives are demanding to know how much in excess revenue is generated by their plans and how they can get their hands on that money to cut costs and enhance services to participants. Located at: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Participant Reaction and The Performance of Funds Offered by 401k Plans - Summary: This is the first study to examine both how well plan administrators select funds and how participants react to plan administrator decisions. They found that on average administrators select funds that outperform randomly selected funds of the same type. When administrators change offerings, they choose funds that did well in the past, but after the change deleted funds do better than added funds. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen , April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

DC Consultants Adjust Offerings to Address New Trends - Summary: The defined-contribution (DC) plan consulting business is changing to adjust to new plan trends by, among other things, offering custom target-date funds and adding inflation-protection investment vehicles to fund offerings. Located at: Planadviser.com, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Are we Professionals Ruining Defined Contribution Plans? - Summary: This commentator writes, "The fact is that most 401k plan participants neither want to nor are trained to handle their own investments. Sponsors were led to believe their own risk was lessened by transferring investment responsibility to employees. Let's face the fact that the opposite is true." Located at: Pension and Benefits Blog, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: A Higher Standard - Summary: The author writes, "Rather than seeing the responsibilities of the fiduciary as just another burden, another layer of work, you should see being a fiduciary as a positive step." Located at: Financial Advisor, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Working Hard to Ferret Out Fiduciary Breaches - Summary: It appears that the Atlanta regional office of the DOL is more active about looking for fiduciary breaches by plan sponsors than other parts of the country. Nonetheless, it is quite concerning, and plan sponsors and service providers everywhere should take notice. Located at: Ilene H. Ferenczy, LLC, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

ASPPA Comment Letter to IRS on EPCRS - Summary: On April 25, 2008, ASPPA submitted a comment letter to the IRS and Treasury discussing current methods available to plan sponsors through EPCRS to retroactively correct certain document errors, and providing additional examples to assist plan sponsor and practitioners. Located at: ASPPA , April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Updates 2007-2008 Priority Guidance Plan - Summary: The Department of the Treasury and the IRS have updated their 2007-2008 Priority Guidance Plan (for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008), which was initially released in August 2007. Significant guidance on a variety of benefits issues can be expected this year. Located at: Employee Benefits Institute of America, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Automatic Enrollment Leads 60% to Use Professionally Managed Option - Summary: Financial Engines issued data showing that when plan sponsors automatically enrolled existing retirement plan participants into a managed account program, an average of 60 percent stayed with the program. Located at: 401khelpcenter.com, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

401k Loans: Deal or No Deal? - Summary: Conventional wisdom is that 401k loans are just a part of any well-rounded plan, but unfettered access to 401k accounts is counter to the plans' purpose of providing a way for participants to save successfully for retirement. Located at: TRI-AD , April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Adjusting Retirement Goals and Saving Behavior: The Role of Financial Education - Summary: Given the low level of saving by many households, the need for enhanced financial education to improve the level of financial literacy is an important policy issue. Employer-sponsored education programs can play a major role in disseminating specific information in order to increase the knowledge related to retirement planning. Located at: TIAA-CREF Institute , April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

Retirement Plans Industry Outlook: Part II - Summary: Retirement plan providers, TPAs, retirement plan specialists, generalists and B-Ds are all facing different scenarios. Individual providers, advisor practices and retirement plans could continue to grow. Individual plan participants will also continue to benefit, but overall employer sponsored plan asset "growth" now appears to be limited. Located at: Center for Due Diligence (Word Document), April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

VIDEO: Excerpts from Hearing on HR 3185 - Summary: Chairman Miller and financial industry insiders discuss the problems caused by a lack of transparency in 401k fees. Located at: YouTube, April 2008. Click on headline for full article.

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