Boost Participation to Avoid the Dreaded 'Rebate' Check - Summary: Many highly compensated executives are less than thrilled when they have to take back money they have already contributed to their company's 401k retirement plan because it fails to meet non-discrimination rules. Boosting plan participation is one way to avoid the issue and this article suggests some ways to accomplish the task. Source: Planadviser.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Target-Date Fund Adoption in 2008 - Summary: The growing use of target-date funds in retirement plans continues to reshape participant investment patterns. Get the latest information on how these funds are being used in Vanguard retirement plans and the resulting impact on these plans and their participants in a new publication from the Vanguard. Source: Vanguard Center for Retirement Research , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

MassMutual Participant Report (Q1 2009) - Summary: Analysis of first quarter account activity suggests that participants continue to save for retirement and most are riding out economic uncertainty without drastic changes. In general, they are still concerned about the economy, want to talk to someone about their plan and are interested in secure investments. Source: MassMutual , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS's Online Internal Controls Questionnaire - A Helpful Tool for Monitoring Fiduciaries - Summary: The IRS has recently posted on their website an Internal Controls Questionnaire which fiduciaries might find useful as a tool in determining whether their service providers have practices and procedures in place which will ensure compliance with plan terms and the statutory provisions of ERISA. Source: Fiduciary Guidebook Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

The Case For "Distributed Custodial Accounts" From Terminated 403(b) Plans - Summary: One of the biggest disappointments arising from the issuance of the 403(b) regs has been the inability of employers to effectively terminate their plans. Source: Business of Benefits Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Plan Demographics, Participants' Saving Behavior, and Target-Date Fund Investments - Summary: This analysis explores (1) whether plan demographic characteristics would affect individual participant contribution rates and target-date fund investments and (2) equity glide paths for participants in relation to plan demographics by considering target replacement income and its success rate. Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: BrightScopes Response to the ICI - Summary: "ICI's response makes it clear that there are still several major fundamental differences between how the ICI calculates fees and how its critics calculate fees which is evidenced by the gap between the ICI's 0.72% median fee and the 3% fee number used by its critics. While the ICI's response clarified some areas of concern, it does not resolve the most important issues." Source: Brightscope.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Proposes Business Hardship Changes to 401k Rules - Summary: Proposed Internal Revenue Service rules would allow employers that make automatic 401k plan contributions under a safe harbor provision to suspend or reduce those contributions if they incur a substantial business hardship. Source: Businessinsurance.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Comments on Fiduciary Status - Summary: Fiduciary duties under ERISA are often referred to in caselaw as "the highest known to law." And yet, many individuals are not aware that they are engaged in activities which would render them to be fiduciaries under ERISA. The DOL has a couple of Interpretative Bulletins online which provide some guidance for determining who is a fiduciary under ERISA. Source: Fiduciary Guidebook Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Informed Participation: The Path to Retirement Security - Summary: The path to financial security in retirement is paved with informed decisions. Financial education helps your employees better understand the value of the 401k plan and engages them in planning their own financial future. When coupled with inertia-busting automatic plan design, employees are put on a path to financial security. Source: RetirementMadeSimpler.org , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Auditors Provide Tips and Trends on Retirement Plan Compliance - Summary: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service provides compliance trends and tips for qualified retirement plans from their Employee Plans Team Audit (EPTA) Program. Source: IFEBP.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Financial Literacy: Evidence and Implications for Financial Education - Summary: The paper discusses financial literacy in the United States in the context of retirement planning. Due to the long-term shift away from defined benefit to defined contribution pensions, it is important to examine whether workers are adequately equipped to manage the resultant increased responsibility for planning their retirement. Given that financial literacy is an important predictor of retirement planning and other important financial decisions, widespread illiteracy is a serious cause for concern. Source: TIAA-CREF Institute , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Under the Hood of 'Target Retirement Date' ETFs - Summary: The most significant advantage of target retirement date ETFs is relatively obvious: investors are able to purchase only one security that adapts over time to fit their circumstances, allowing them to "set it and forget it." There are, however, also some considerable drawbacks. Source: Seekingalpha.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Finalizes Regulations for QACA Safe Harbor - Summary: The IRS has finalized regulations addressing the nondiscrimination safe harbor for certain qualified automatic contribution arrangements (QACAs) in defined contribution plans. Source: Watson Wyatt, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

How Does Your Investment Committee Stack Up Against Others? - Summary: Whether you're a new or veteran committee member, you may wonder how your group compares with others in making investment decisions. Preliminary findings from a survey conducted by Vanguard Investment Counseling & Research show that committees do many things right, but they also fall into some behavioral patterns that can prove counterproductive. Source: Vanguard, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Employee Plans News, May 2009 Edition - Summary: Discusses the IRS' proposed regulations that would allow the reduction or suspension of safe harbor nonelective contributions. Source: IRS , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

How Well Are Employees Saving and Investing in 401k Plans - Summary: Hewitt recently released a study which analyzes the quality of participation, plan balances, investment behavior, account activity, and demographics of over 2.7 million employees. The report shows that despite the significant decline in the stock market during 2008, most participants did not change their saving and investment behavior throughout the year. Source: MJM401k.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

401k Fee Litigation May 2009 Update - Summary: Over the past several years, more than two dozen lawsuits have been filed relating to 401k plan fees and, more specifically, revenue sharing arrangements with plan service providers. This is a written update from the Groom Law Group on these lawsuits. Source: Groom Law Group , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Updated Chart of 401k Fee Litigation - Summary: More than two dozen lawsuits have been filed relating to 401k plan fees and revenue sharing arrangements with plan service providers. This is an updated chart showing the current state of each lawsuits. Source: Groom Law Group , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Second Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Excessive Fees Lawsuits - Summary: The Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of two related actions, concluding that the plaintiffs failed to state claims based on allegations that plan fiduciaries failed to diversify plan investments and invested in funds that carried excessive fees. Source: Groom Law Group , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

EBSA Again Extends Effective Date of Advice Rule - Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration said the final rule about investment advice under the Pension Protection Act will be extended to November 18. Source: Planadviser.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Workers Who Left Their Jobs Have Also Left Their 401k Behind - Summary: As unemployment continues to rise and many struggle to keep their retirement savings on track, Charles Schwab released new data showing a significant number of 401k assets held by workers who leave their jobs have been left behind in former employers' plans. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Four Ways to Destroy Your Retirement - Summary: Robert Brokamp, advisor of the Motley Fool's "Rule Your Retirement" newsletter, warns against four common mistakes that can lead to a disastrous retirement. Source: Motley Fool, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Making the Case for Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans: Fees and Expenses - Summary: This white paper examines two concerns regarding plan fees and expenses. The first relates to claims that employer-sponsored retirement plans and their investments are expensive and may erode American workers' retirement savings. The second addresses concerns that employer-sponsored retirement plans and their investment fees and expenses are not adequately understood and disclosed. Source: The Spark Institute , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Defined Contribution Plans: What Does Reform Mean to Employers? - Summary: This article focuses on DC plan design reforms rather than on distribution or investment option reform. Specifically, it reviews the growth of DC plans, describes four proposals for DC plan design reform, and poses questions to consider in assessing whether these proposals would provide a more secure and reliable retirement system. Source: Buck Consultants , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Tips to Keep Your 401k Plan on Track - Summary: Plan sponsors face many challenges in developing a well-structured DC plan to help meet the retirement requirements of their workers, while minimizing the fiduciary risk of managing the plan and its investment lineup. The significant decline in the capital markets has ramifications for recordkeepers, trustees, and investment managers. Here are ten issues to investigate. Source: Insurancenewsnet.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

401k Reform on the Horizon? Q&A with Rep. Miller - Summary: For the second year in a row, Rep. Miller is trying to get legislation through Congress to force 401k providers to reveal their fees in plain English. In this recent interview with The Associated Press, Miller explains his view on fee disclosure and the prospects of getting legislation passed this year. Source: San Francisco Chronicle, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Rules Surrounding Partial Plan Terminations - Summary: This article discusses the collateral issue of plan partial terminations following events that affect the level of overall retirement plan participation, such as a reduction in force. Source: Planadviser.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

The 403(b) Higher Education Market - Summary: For advisers, the expanding 403(b) market represents a significant business opportunity, but it would be a mistake to assume blithely that you need only redirect your 401k practice to the tax-exempt space. This article talks about what advisers need to know about the 403(b) higher education market. Source: Planadviser.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Proposes Rules on Reducing Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions - Summary: The IRS has come up with some new rules to "ease the pain" of these dire economic conditions and has issued some proposed regulations allowing employers to reduce or suspend their 401k or 403(b) safe harbor nonelective contributions mid-year in the case of a "substantial business hardship described in section 412(c) [of the Internal Revenue Code]." Source: Benefits Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Let's Rebuild Retirement's Three Legs - Summary: For decades, the U.S. retirement system was described as a three-legged stool. One leg was the Social Security system, the second was the employer-sponsored retirement plan, and the third was personal savings. Unfortunately, all three legs of this metaphorical stool have become fragile. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Memo to SEC, DOL: Regulate Target-Date Funds -- Now - Summary: With some $2.4 trillion sucked out of retirement accounts since early last year, lawmakers have predictably made the 401k system a flaming target for change, and, also predictably, their ideas are way off base—except for one. Source: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Mitigating Fiduciary Risk in a Down Market - Summary: The dramatic increase in ERISA litigation in recent years is causing plan sponsors and fiduciaries to take a fresh look at who is serving in a fiduciary capacity and whether those individuals are prudently performing their duties. Plan fiduciaries should understand their duties and accurately document their prudent execution. Here are some suggestions for what to do now. Source: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Retirement Group to Propose Changes to 401k Disclosure Bill - Summary: An industry association that represents the interests of retirement plan service providers will suggest this week modifications to proposed legislation that would require the industry to break out 401k fees on investors' statements. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Obama Administration Budget Proposals on Retirement Savings and Insurance Products - Summary: Treasury Department released details of the Administration's Fiscal Year 2010 Revenue Proposals including retirement plan changes. Proposals relating to retirement savings and insurance products are summarized in this document. Source: Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Wirehouses Warm to Fiduciary Reps Effort to Win 401k Business - Summary: As competition intensifies to capture the 401k and other retirement plan business of small and midsize companies, wirehouses increasingly are allowing representatives who specialize in the niche to act as fiduciaries. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Green Book Outlines Automatic IRA Similarity to 403(b) - Summary: The Green Book, published May 11, 2009, by the Treasury Department, contains further details on Obama's workplace pensions first described in his budget proposals. It creates a new scheme of individual pensions, much akin to the 403(b) arrangements of the past. Source: Business of Benefits, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: What Would be Different Under a "Universal" Fiduciary Standard? - Summary: Author writes, "Now that we've called for a fiduciary standard for all invest. advice (and we mean a real fiduciary standard), the next question is, 'ok, why?' or, 'how would it change things?'" Source: Fi360 Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

The New Take on 404(c): Confusion in the Federal Courts - Summary: ERISA Section 404(c) provides fiduciaries with a defense against losses incurred by participants who exercise control over their accounts. But the protection applies only to the investment decisions made by the participants and not to the selection and monitoring of the investment options offered to the participants...right? Maybe. For the present, we have an anomaly; the answer depends on where you live. Source: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Effects of Financial Crisis Shake Plan Sponsors into Action - Summary: As the financial crisis continues, it appears U.S. employers view the situation as significantly more serious than they did just six months ago. A follow-up survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans in May 2009 found that the crisis has forced both DB plan sponsors and DC plan sponsors to make changes to their retirement coverage and plan design. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Majority of Workers Continued to Fund 401k Accounts During First Quarter - Summary: Fidelity's data, based on more than 17,500 corporate defined contribution plans and 11.3 million participants, showed that 97 percent of active participants continued to make contributions in the first quarter of 2009. Additional data reported also. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Despite Historical Losses, Few Employees Changed Their 401k Habits - Summary: Despite U.S. employees sustaining record losses in their 401k savings in 2008, their 401k saving and investing habits showed very little change, according to an annual study by Hewitt Associates. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Helping Tomorrow's Retirees Better Prepare Today - Summary: If tomorrow's retirees hope to achieve the financial security enjoyed by many of their parents, more disciplined retirement savings behaviors must be adopted and more extensive and efficient use must be made of mortality-contingent products. As the cornerstone of most of today's retirement plans, employer-based defined contribution plans are the natural point of delivery for both the substantial education efforts required to change participant behaviors, as well as for innovative product solutions to help participants mitigate longevity risk. Source: String Financial , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Study Finds Longevity Risk, Participant Education as Opportunities for Service Providers - Summary: Improved participant education and products that mitigate longevity risk are two of the biggest opportunities for service providers to help employees improve retirement preparedness, according to a recent study by String Financial, LLC. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Target Date Fund Managers Response to Turbulent Times - Summary: The majority of target date fund managers are avoiding a knee-jerk reaction to the market crisis. They continue to examine the situation closely, but are being measured in their response. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

SEC, DOL To Hold Joint Hearing Examining Target Date Funds - Summary: The Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor will hold a joint one-day hearing on June 18 to explore issues relating to target date or lifecycle funds and other similar investment options. Source: Mondovisione.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

401k Auto Enrollment Not in Obama Budget - Summary: A proposal that would require automatic enrollment of participants in existing 401k plans was not included in President Barack Obama's fiscal 2010 budget. Source: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

ETF Providers Make Run for the 401k Market - Summary: In a challenge to one of mutual funds' strongholds, exchange-traded fund providers are targeting defined contribution plans. Source: Financial-planning.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Reconciling the 401k Fee Estimates of the ICI and its Critics - Summary: Author writes, "The ICI would like to claim that its critics are out in left field on fees as I'm sure the ICI's critics would like everyone to believe that the ICI is out in right field. The reality is that the two aren't that far apart. All that is needed to close the gap is a dose of reality about what the real DC plan population looks like and a little bit of nuance in understanding differences in how 401k All-In Fees are calculated." Source: Brightscope.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: The Cynicism of the ICI - Summary: In responding to recent ICI chairman's comment to the effect that 401k fee critics overstate the problem, author says, "The system is a lot like Steve Austin in the opening sequence of The Six Million Dollar Man. It's in pretty bad shape, but we have the technology. We can rebuild it. And rebuild it we must, with or without the ICI." Source: The Float Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

When Will Retirement Savings Rebound? - Summary: Depends on who you ask, but nearly four out of 10 Americans—or 39 percent—said they expect it'll take at least three years to recover the value of their retirement savings that were lost in the downturn. Source: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Final Guidance on Automatic Enrollment Plan Designs - Summary: The IRS published final regulations and addressed some of the concerns raised regarding the proposed rules. Plan sponsors that have adopted or are interested in adopting these designs should review the information provided in this publication. Source: Prudential , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

What Effect Does a Retirement Plan Adviser Have On a Plan? - Summary: Though the data are not staggering, it appears that plans with an adviser are more diligent about monitoring the plan provider and investments than plans without an adviser. Source: Plan Adviser Magazine, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

How a 'Universal' Fiduciary Standard Would Change How Financial Advisers Do Business - Summary: How will things be different if a robust fiduciary standard, grounded in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, is adopted for all advice givers? The high-level answer is that the advice would be uniformly recognized and regulated as a professional service. The era of regulating brokers under a commercial standard that treats advice as a byproduct dispensed without fiduciary accountability would end. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

401k Fee Critics Overstate Problem, ICI Chairman Says - Summary: While supporting improved retirement plan fee disclosure, the head of the Investment Company Institute said yesterday that congressional criticism of 401k plan fees has been inflated by critics. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Economic Crisis Prompts Many Companies to Suspend DC Contributions - Summary: During this severe recession, many companies are trying to trim costs where they can to stay afloat, and the cost-cutting measures include layoffs, hiring freezes, furloughs, salary freezes and even salary reductions. Employers are also looking at ways to lower retirement plan costs. Many are opting for a short-term solution — cutting company contributions to DC plans. Source: Watson Wyatt, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

More People Tap Retirement Accounts - Summary: The number of companies reporting early withdrawals for hardship from 401k and 403(b) plans rose to 44% last month from 15% in October 2008, according to a recent Watson Wyatt study that polled executives at 141 U.S.-based companies using an online questionnaire. Source: Wall Street Journal, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Women Need a Three-Legged Stool to Break the Retirement Glass Ceiling - Summary: Women remain at a higher risk for retirement insecurity as compared to men, according to a new research brief issued today by the National Institute on Retirement Security. That risk can be reduced by ensuring women have the combination of a traditional pension, supplemental 401k-type individual savings, and Social Security. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Delegation for Plan Sponsors (Part 2) - Summary: Plan sponsors that choose to delegate their responsibilities and liabilities to a professional named fiduciary can, in effect, get out of the retirement plan business and be free to concentrate fully on their business so they can stay in business during these troubled times instead of worrying about fiduciary risks they are neither prepared nor trained to manage. Source: Morningstar.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Increasing Low-Income Employee Participation in 401k Plans - Summary: Suppose you're a plan sponsor that wants to increase 401k participation among your low income employees, what do you do? Source: Retirement Plan Blog, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Changes Coming for the 401k Plan - Summary: Policy makers and some industry representatives say major changes to retirement investing and 401k plans are becoming increasingly likely under the Democratic Party's control of Congress. Source: Wall Street Journal, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Putnam CEO Calls for Sweeping Retirement Reform Agenda - Summary: Recognizing the declining role of traditional pension plans and Social Security, Reynolds calls for dramatic expansion and strengthening of 401ks and other defined-contribution savings plans to reliably deliver lifelong income to workers, including improvements in regulatory oversight, plan design and tax incentives. Source: 401khelpcenter.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Conflicted Invest. Advice Prohibition Act of 2009 - Summary: Text of bill introduced by Congressman Rob Andrews to update the invest. advice regulations to the Pension Protection Act to allow for independent invest. advice. Source: Plansponsor.com , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Rep. Rob Andrews Introduces Invest. Advice Bill - Summary: Legislation introduced by Rep. Robert Andrews, D-New Jersey, would dramatically revamp the ground rules for offering invest. advice to participants in defined-contribution pension plans. Source: Workforce.com (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Does America Need a New Retirement System? - Summary: Some says 401ks are being criticized unfairly in this unprecedented economic crisis, while others say the downturn proves that 401ks were never meant to be anyone's primary source of retirement savings. Should we be rethinking our retirement savings system? Source: MSN.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

401ks Hit by Withdrawal Freezes - Summary: Some investors in 401k retirement funds who are moving to grab their money are finding they can't. Investors cry foul as some funds close exits. Source: Wall Street Journal, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

12(b)-1 Fee Reform Still Urgent Issue - Summary: The Securities and Exchange Commission plans to re-examine the issue of 12(b)-1 fee reform, Chairman Mary Schapiro pledged today at the Mutual Fund Directors Forum Annual Policy Conference in Washington. Source: Investment News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Retirement at the Tipping Point: The Year That Changed Everything - Summary: To learn precisely how this past year has altered Americans' retirement hopes, worries, and plans, Age Wave and Harris Interactive have surveyed thousands of Americans. The results uncovered mounting fears and shifting plans, but also a renewed focus on what's important and an optimistic outlook about the possibilities for retirees' new role in American life. Source: Age Wave , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Insurance to Protect 401ks: The Trick Is to Figure Out How - Summary: If ever there were a product whose time has come, this would seem to be it: a guarantee that you won't lose the money you've amassed in your 401k as you near retirement, whatever happens with the market. And you can convert that money into a stream of paychecks that will last your entire life. Source: Wall Street Journal, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Making the Case for Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans: Coverage, Participation and Retirement Security - Summary: This white paper is the second installment in a series developed by The SPARK Institute to demonstrate that employer-sponsored retirement plans, particularly 401k plans, are the most effective, secure and viable way for American workers to save and invest to reach their retirement goals. Source: The Spark Institute , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Prototype 403(b) Plans - Summary: As expected, the IRS recently announced that it will be establishing a prototype program for 403(b) plans (IRS Announcement 2009-34). The Announcement also includes a draft Revenue Procedure setting forth the parameters of the 403(b) prototype program. Source: Sungard/Relius, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Hot Topics in Retirement 2009 - Summary: Hewitt Associates surveyed employers to learn their likely areas of focus and action in 2009 regarding the design, management, and delivery of their defined contribution, defined benefit, and retiree medical plans for their active, salaried U.S. employees. Source: Hewitt, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Auto-enrollment Alphabet Soup - Summary: Automatic enrollment has been around since the late 1990s, but it never really gained traction until the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which states auto-enrollment is permissible so long as employees are given the opportunity to elect not to contribute and provided with an initial and annual notice describing how they can revoke the automatic salary deferral. Here is a brief overview of the auto-enrollment alphabet soup. Source: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Pros and Cons of 401k Loans and Early Distributions - Summary: Retirement plans are intended to help employees save for retirement. Although fundamental, this concept has been eroded in the context of 401k plans because many employees believe that loans, hardship distributions and in-service distributions should be automatically permitted, particularly with regard to employee contributions. Source: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Not All Target-Date Portfolios Are Created Equal - Summary: As plan sponsors work to find solutions that meet their participants' needs, target-date portfolios are becoming more and more popular investment options in defined contribution plans. But there is wide variation in how target-date strategies are constructed. This white paper will help plan sponsors make informed decisions when selecting target-date portfolios for their participants. Source: Arnerich Massena , May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Audio Interview with Fred Reish - Summary: As the retirement industry faces new regulations, what will it mean for retirement plan advisers? Source: Plansponsor.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

Are Target Funds on Target? - Summary: Amid all the recent tumult in the 401k space, one area that plan sponsors may have thought was trouble-free is anything but -- target-date funds. This 'simple' investment option may be more complicated than you think. Source: CFO.com, May 2009. Click on headline for full article.

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