COMMENTARY: Reluctant Retirement Savers May be Scared Straight by Data - Summary: What's the best way to motivate Americans to save, invest and prepare for retirement? Some behavioral finance experts suggest using the carrot. Others suggest using the stick. And still others suggest using a combination of carrot and stick. Located at: Marketwatch.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Pre-Screening of 401k Rules Gets Bad Reviews - Summary: Federal officials proposed rules earlier this month to ensure better disclosure of the fees levied to administer 401k retirement accounts, but critics have blasted the measures as inadequate. Located at: NJ Star-Ledger, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Rush to 401k Auto Enrollment Takes Firm by Surprise - Summary: Officials at New York Life Retirement Plan Services saw significant growth in the adoption of automatic enrollment among 401k plan clients in the nine short months after the Pension Protection Act of 2006 was signed into law and were surprised at how fast plan executives acted. Located at: Pensions & Investments, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Disclosure May Cut Revenue-Sharing Payments - Summary: Defined contribution plan consultants who pocket revenue-sharing payments from mutual fund companies ultimately might see their fees slashed under a new Department of Labor proposed regulation, experts said. Located at: Pensions & Investments, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Issues Proposed Regulations on Fee and Conflict of Interest Disclosures by Service Providers - Summary: Although the proposed regulations focus on service provider disclosures, plan fiduciaries are not off the hook. The proposed regulations only require service providers to disclose fee-related information. Once that information is made available, the focus will be on whether the plan fiduciaries have actually read, understood, and made prudent decisions in light of that information. Located at: Miller Chevalier , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

The New QDIA Regulations: More than Meets the Eye - Summary: Plan sponsors are given flexibility by the regulation to use a variety of investments and services to match the needs of employees for qualified default investment alternatives. However, to maximize that opportunity, an in-depth understanding of the regulation is required. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

The Retirement Savings Tax Credit - Updated Fact Sheet - Summary: The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-280) made the retirement savings tax credit permanent. Beginning in 2007, the eligible income brackets were indexed to inflation. The eligible income limits for 2008 are described in fact sheet prepared by the Congressional Research Service. Located at: Benefitslink.com , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

IRS Notice 2008-07: Guidance on Diversification Rules under Code Section 401(a)(35) - Summary: This notice extends the transitional guidance and transitional relief provided to certain defined contribution plans holding publicly traded employer securities under Notice 2006-107, 2006-51 I.R.B. 1114, until the regulations being issued under § 401(a)(35) of the Internal Revenue Code become effective. Located at: American Benefits Council , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

How the Big 401k Funds Are Faring - Summary: Not so great. All stock categories lost value in November, as did their major benchmarks. Bond funds, however, were split, with 10 of 16 gaining ground. Located at: FinancialWeek, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Adviser's Help Can Enrich 401k - Summary: Many 401k retirement plans offer investors access to online or over-the-phone chats with someone who can answer investment questions, and it appears that those who don't ask for help can end up with less money in their portfolios. Located at: Cherry Hill Courier Post, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

OPINION: What Do You Think of QDIA Regs? - Summary: The ink was barely dry on the final qualified default investment alternative (QDIA) regulations when PLANSPONSR asked its readers in late October for their take on the final result. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

REISH: What is a Prudent Process? - Summary: An outlined the steps required for a prudent process based on his experience and observations. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

The Most Successful Retirement Plan Advisers - Summary: There is nothing like tumultuous times to highlight the value of, and reinforce the need for, expert help for plan fiduciaries and, yes, it surely plays to the advantage of a profession dedicated to helping plan sponsors construct the right programs, and participants make the best of them. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Up-Selling To Plan Participants - Summary: There is an emerging issue surrounding the efforts by plan advisers to sell additional products to plan participants, sometimes referred to as "up-selling." This opportunity also raises potential liability issues for which there is, as yet, no clear-cut answer. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Ann Combs and Olena Berg Lacy on the Automatic 401k Revolution - Summary: In this article for Pensions & Investments, Vanguard's Ann Combs and Financial Engines' Olena Berg Lacy discuss how automatic solutions and new rules for default funds can help plan sponsors increase the odds that their participants will achieve retirement security. Located at: The Vanguard Group , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Proposed Regulations On Automatic Contribution Arrangements - Summary: The regulations provide guidance for two types of ACAs, the Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA) and the Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement (EACA). Summarized in this article are the characteristics of a QACA and an EACA. Located at: Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Input on Technical Issues Concerning QDIA - Summary: The Investment Company Institute provides input on the DOLs planned guidance concerning a recently adopted regulation on the topic of qualified default investment alternatives in retirement plans. Located at: Investment Company Institute, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: 401k Participation Is Vital for Retirement Security - Summary: The Investment Company Institute issued this statement on the release of the Government Accountability Office's report, Low Defined Contribution Plan Savings May Pose Challenges to Retirement Security, Especially for Many Low-Income Workers. Located at: Investment Company Institute, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Labor Department to Fine DC Plans - Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor plans to start fining defined contribution plan administrators up to $1,000 a day if they fail to disclose certain documents to participants. Located at: Investmentnews.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Proposes Civil Penalty Rules Under the PPA - Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposed regulation for assessing civil penalties against plan administrators who fail to disclose certain documents to participants, beneficiaries and others. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

SEP vs. Solo 401k - Summary: The best choice for you depends on your self-employment income for the year. It's easier to set up a SEP, but you may be able to contribute more money by opening a solo 401k. Located at: Kiplinger, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Plan Participation: Geographic Differences and Trends - Summary: This "brief" closely examines the level of participation by workers in public- and private-sector employment-based pension or retirement plans, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's March 2007 Current Population Survey (CPS), the most recent data currently available. Located at: Employee Benefit Research Institute , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Enhancing 401k Value and Participation - Summary: Study to help employers better understand recent trends in 401k design and the pros and cons of automating 401k participation. Located at: National Center for Policy Analysis, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Proposes Retirement Plan Fee Disclosure Rule - Summary: Department of Labor says the new rule will give more insight into service providers' fees and any potential conflicts of interest that could influence providers. Located at: Workforce Management (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

401ks Not Enough for Young Workers - Summary: Young workers just entering the workforce will only save enough money in their 401ks to replace 22 percent of their pre-retirement income, according to a new government report. Located at: Workforce Management (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Tighter Rules on 401k Fee Disclosure - Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor released a new rule on the disclosure of 401k fees that sets out to help fiduciaries get the information they need to determine the reasonableness of such fees. Located at: Financial-Planning.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

WEBCAST: Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities - An Update on PPA - Summary: This is the first of a series of webcasts put on by the Department of Labor addressing the new statutory exemptions on investment advice, service providers and corrected transactions, pension benefit statements and regulations on default investments. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Defined Contribution Fee Disclosure Act of 2007 - Summary: Text of bill introduced by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) that, according to the sponsors, would require complete transparency of 401k fees to both employers and participants. Located at: American Benefits Council , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

PSCA Takes Issue With GAO Report - Summary: The results of the new Government Accountability Office report on the adequacy of the private sector defined contribution system needs to be considered in light of other studies showing different results, according to the Profit Sharing/401k Council of America. Located at: 401khelpcenter.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

The U.S. Retirement Market, Second Quarter 2007 - Summary: A summary of key findings including the continued rapid growth in the use of life style funds and that total U.S. retirement assets climbed to $17.4 trillion, up from $16.7 trillion. Located at: Investment Company Institute , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Final Revised Form 5500 -- New Fee Reporting Rules - Summary: The Department of Labor published final revisions to Form 5500 for 2009, part one of a three-part DOL project on defined contribution plan fees. This article reviews new reporting requirements for Schedule C, with respect to DC plans. Located at: JP Morgan, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Proposes New ERISA Disclosure Requirements - Summary: In the proposed amendment to the regulations underlying ERISA section on "necessary plan services," the DOL would impose new requirements on certain types of service providers and not others. This is an overview of those requirements. Located at: Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

New Disclosures of Adviser Compensation Required on Form 5500 - Summary: The government has significantly changed the reporting requirements for large plans concerning service provider compensation. Beginning with the 2009 plan year, both direct and indirect compensation paid to service providers, including advisers, must be reported on Schedule C to the Form 5500. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Advisor Do's and Don'ts - Summary: This column focuses on fees and a proper characterization of the advisors role in relationship to the plan and plan sponsor. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

ERISA Spending Accounts - Summary: More and more revenue sharing deposits or credits by recordkeepers are being put into ERISA spending accounts. Here is an overview on how to handle these accounts. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

What to Do With Prior Default Contributions? - Summary: In advising plan sponsors about the QDIA regulation, you may be asked what to do with the participant accounts invested in the prior default investment. Answering that question involves determining whether it is eligible to be a QDIA. Located at: Reish Luftman Reicher & Cohen, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Providers of 401ks Would Disclose Fees - Summary: The Labor Department's proposed regulation is meant to "foster fair, competitive and transparent prices for services as well as combat excessive or hidden plan fees," said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. Located at: Google News, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Rules Would Force Disclosure of 401k Fees - Summary: Federal officials proposed rules to ensure better disclosure of the fees levied to administer 401k retirement accounts, but critics immediately blasted the measures as inadequate. Located at: Los Angeles Times (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Provider Consolidation Troublesome for Advisors & Sponsors - Summary: The author suggests that while industry experts sit back and try to predict which recordkeeper will be the next to sell, the result of what many predict will be massive consolidation will not be good for anyone in the 401k market other than the surviving providers. Located at: 401kexchange.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DOL Wants More Transparency - Summary: The Department of Labor released a proposed regulation that requires certain service providers to disclose all compensation and fees to their plan fiduciary regarding services rendered to the plan. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Proposed DOL Fee Disclosure Rule - Summary: This document contains the proposed regulation under ERISA that, upon adoption, would require that contracts and arrangements between employee benefit plans and certain providers of services include provisions that will ensure the disclosure of information to assist plan fiduciaries in assessing the reasonableness of the compensation or fees paid for services that are rendered to the plan and the potential for conflicts of interest that may affect a service provider's performance of services. Located at: U.S. Department of Labor , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

VIDEO: New Trustee - Summary: Attorney Bill Ecklund provides a brief overview of a trustee's fiduciary responsibilities, including an eye-opening account of one trustee's experience. Located at: International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Establish an Investment Committee - Summary: Author explains how plan sponsors and plan fiduciaries can limit liability by forming an investment committee with a clearly defined process. Located at: fi360.com , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

2008 Sample Compliance Calendar - Summary: This calendar provides general key retirement plan compliance requirements common to most calendar year plans. This material is for the sole purpose of providing general information. Located at: ERISADiagnostics.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Small Employers Serving Up SEP-IRAs - Summary: To avoid bank-breaking administrative costs and help employees save for retirement, some small employers are turning to SEP-IRAs, a crossbreed of a 401k and a profit-sharing plan. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

More Employers Are Automating 401k Plans - Summary: Despite employers' increased adoption of automated 401k plan features like automatic enrollment, employees continue to struggle with proactively saving and investing for retirement. Located at: CCH, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Low DC Plan Savings May Pose Challenges - Summary: This GAO report addresses the following questions: (1) What percentage of workers participate in DC plans, and how much have they saved in them? (2) How much are workers likely to have saved in DC plans by the time they reach retirement and to what degree do certain key individual decisions and plan features affect plan saving? (3) What options have been recently proposed to increase DC plan coverage, participation, and savings? Located at: American Benefits Council , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Those 401k Management Fees Really Add Up - Summary: Labor Department, which has authority under federal pension law to oversee 401k plan fees, lacks information for effective oversight, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office. Located at: New York Times (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Lawmakers Urge Ending 401k Waiting Periods - Summary: Congress should seriously consider changing retirement savings plan law to eliminate waiting periods so employees can enroll immediately in 401k and other defined-contribution plans, two House members say. Located at: Workforce Management (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

401k Study Has Bad News for Young Workers - Summary: Younger workers can count on 401k plans to replace only 22% of their income when they retire in the middle of this century, according to a new study that highlights the need for changes in the nation's pension system, members of Congress said today. Located at: Los Angeles Times (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Why Are Companies Freezing Their Pensions? - Summary: In an attempt to identify factors that led specific companies to freeze their plans, this paper explores the relationship between the probability that a plan was frozen and characteristics of the plan, the firm, and the industry. Located at: Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

2007 Plan Year: Year-End Compliance Reminders - Summary: Every year, plan sponsors must make sure their plans meet certain compliance requirements, including those listed in this article. This article also identifies materials that need to review and will help plan sponsors prepare for year-end. Located at: Prudential Retirement , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Proposed Rules and Sample Notice Regarding Automatic Enrollment Arrangements - Summary: An overview of these increasingly popular arrangements, as they helped employers increase participation in 401k plans and other programs, and provided a way to encourage employees to save for their retirement. Located at: Dechert LLP , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Excessive Fee Suit Gets Class Action Approval - Summary: A 401k participant excessive fee lawsuit against a Connecticut-based manufacturer has been certified as a class action, moving it one step further through the legal process. Located at: Planadviser.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

To Roth or Not To Roth? - Summary: Many plan sponsors continue to be confused and concerned about whether their plans should offer a Roth 401k feature. Fred Reish explores the issue in this article. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Another Look at ETFs - Summary: It has become well established that 401k participants do not have the time, skill, or inclination to manage their 401k accounts. EFTs might be the solution and this article explores the issues. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

PPA Opens the Way to Better Plan Participation - Summary: Currently, less than 50% of Quiksilver Inc.'s eligible employees participate in the company's 401k. That, however, should change on January 1, 2008, when employees will begin to be automatically enrolled in the plan. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

2007 Defined Contribution Survey - Summary: 24,259 survey questionnaires were sent to defined contribution plan sponsors from the PLANSPONSOR magazine database, as well as client lists supplied by DC providers: 5,490 total usable responses were received by the close of the survey on September 10, 2007. Published here are the results of this 11th annual survey. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

2007 PLANSPONSOR DC Survey Results - Summary: Cover story reviewing the findings of the 2007 PLANSPONSOR annual defined contribution plan survey. Located at: Plansponsor.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Retirement Plans Comparison Chart for Small Businesses - Summary: Good four page overview and features comparison of retirement plans available to small businesses. Located at: Appleby Retirement Consulting , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

A Supreme Case for Saving Your 401k - Summary: A Supreme Court case underway shows that administrative snafus can undermine your best efforts. Here's how to guard against that. Located at: CNN Money, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: Window of "Opportunity" - Summary: Author suggests that what advisers see as opportunity, plan sponsors see as work. Located at: Plansponsor Institute Blog, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: PPA Supports New Adviser Business Models - Summary: Investment advisers can thank the 2006 Pension Protection Act for giving them a new opportunity. Advisers can now create business models aimed at the $17 trillion that baby boomers will manage over the next two decades as they work toward retirement. Located at: Investmentnews.com (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Employee Benefit Trends and Predictions - Summary: Employee Benefit Adviser took a look at the benefit trends of 2007 and spoke with experts about predictions for 2008. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Target Date Funds: The Future is Very Bright - Summary: Now that target date funds have been selected as a QDIA, industry observers predict the number of target date funds will mushroom. Located at: Investmentadvisor.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

The Spark Institute Asks DOL to Clarify QDIA Regulations - Summary: The SPARK Institute has submitted a formal request to the U.S. Department of Labor asking for clarification of several aspects of the agency's recently issued final qualified default investment alternatives regulations. Located at: 401khelpcenter.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

DC Sponsor Considerations For The New Year - Summary: This is a summary list of key provisions, both optional and mandatory, from the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and other laws affecting defined contribution plans. Located at: Chang, Ruthenberg & Long PC, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

COMMENTARY: The Case for Life Cycle Investing - Summary: The author writes, "investors seeking to finance a given retirement liability stream have three levers at their disposal: savings rates, portfolio allocations, and the date of retirement. Although attention continues to focus on age-based life cycle programs, it remains the case that two of these levers-saving rates and the timing of retirement-are just as critical for retirement security, if not more so, than the choice of a fixed or age-based exposure to equities." Located at: OnWallStreet.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Redrawing the Route to Retirement With "Super 401ks" - Summary: These new "super 401ks" are starting to look more like a traditional pension plan, in which the company makes decisions about funding and investments. Located at: BusinessWeek Online, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Court Case Should Worry Plan Sponsors - Summary: The Supreme Court's consideration of LaRue v. DeWolff is likely to send shivers down the spines of retirement plan sponsors from coast to coast. At issue is whether an individual can sue to recover investment losses resulting from an administrative mistake and whether plans would have to pay real money to correct such mistakes. Located at: Employee Benefit News (free registration may be required), December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Use of Advice Results in Higher Returns for Plan Participants - Summary: Charles Schwab released data showing that 401k participants who receive some type of assistance with choosing their investment line-up, whether through advice services, target-date retirement funds, or plan-sponsored asset allocation models, receive a significantly greater rate of return than those who choose to go it alone. Located at: Charles Schwab , December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

Companies Reconsidering Their Plan Investment Offerings - Summary: Gone are the days when designing a 401k plan meant little more than offering every kind of fund under the sun and letting employees choose among them. Today, companies realize that the investment behavior of many 401k participants ranges from the discouraging to the downright frightening. Located at: CFO.com, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

OPINION: Better Savings Plans - Summary: According to this Time's editorial, the next big 401k challenge is improving employees' investment returns. Full disclosure of fees is the logical place to start. Located at: New York Times, December 2007. Click on headline for full article.

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