Compensation
Compensation
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Air Canada stock gained the most in a week after the carrier reached an agreement with the Canadian federal government to extend a cap on pension funding by seven years, vividly demonstrating the impact of pension obligations and the price of publicly traded sponsors common stock shares.
March 14 -
A new nationwide public opinion research report produced by the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) finds overwhelming support for Congressional action to provide all Americans with access to a new type of privately run pension plan.
March 14 -
Last week the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached record highs. Many expect the Standard & Poor's 500, a broader market index, to follow the Dow's lead soon. Is this a time to consider committing significantly to U.S. equities, or a time to take profits?
March 14 -
The increased accounts and balances were expected in a recent EBRI/MGA survey, but other analysts predictions are being confounded. For example, no real correlation was found between account balance and healthy behaviors.
March 13 -
Plan fiduciaries are more vulnerable than ever on a lot of legal and regulatory fronts, including the financial statements included with their 5500 filings. In an era when 5500 forms and their attachments quickly enter the public domain online via E-fast 2, available to anyone -- including an enlarged army of DOL inspectors hunting for anomalies, fiduciaries need to be on the top of their game, warns Dave Dacey, CPA, a partner with the WithumSmith+Brown and leader of the firms Employee Benefit & Pension Plans Group.
March 13 -
New Jerseys public pension deficit swelled 13% to $47.2 billion in fiscal 2012 as the state continued to make partial contributions to its retirement plans.
March 13 -
The number of employers offering a sponsored retirement plan slightly increased in 2012 from four years prior, while matches and employer contributions remained near constant, according to a survey released today by WorldatWork and the American Benefits Institute.
March 13 -
The new Roth in-plan conversions are getting a lot of press. Heres what you will need to be ready for the questions heading your way.
March 12 -
The insurance industry is not very prepared for climate change, according to Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey: 2012 Findings & recommendations, from the Ceres Coalition.
March 12 -
Two employers shared how theyve gotten creative with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at Thursdays National Business Group on Health conference in Washington. One chose to move to a new consumer-driven health plan and the other chose a private exchange through Aon Hewitt.
March 12 -
Western European nations, backed by strong health care and retiree social programs, dominated the top of the list, snagging the first 10 slots in an index based on data from sources including the World Bank and the United Nations.
March 12 -
Health care consultants from Mercer, Aon Hewitt and Towers Watson offered advice at a recent National Business Group on Health event in Washington, D.C.
March 12 -
Employment attorney Jonathan Segal told attendees at yesterdays SHRM legislative event that benefits pros need to show employees their softer, more human side. Dont treat employees as plaintiffs waiting to happen, he said.
March 12 -
Advisers are familiar with the general challenge of getting people to take advantage of sound financial advice and do more to achieve retirement goals. A recent survey by PNC Financial Services Group quantifies that challenge, and points to some ways to overcome it.
March 12 -
Illinois became the second state to settle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over charges it misled investors about a growing shortfall in its employee pension funds as it sold $2.2 billion in bonds.
March 12 -
The Principal Financials Aaron Friedman says we are seeing 403(b) plan sponsors interested in reviewing their plan designs as they look to further clean up initial steps that were taken just a few years ago. This additional work is based on their own experience with compliance under the final regulations, as well as the administrative lessons theyve learned.
March 12 -
Defined contribution plan sponsors who have yet to get on board with auto-enrollment -- a trend that began more than a decade ago -- are now in the minority. One study published last week in Science magazine found that 56% auto-enroll participants -- up sharply from 19% back in 2005. The study by behavioral economists Shlomo Benartzi and Richard Thayler also found that a slim majority (51%) of sponsors has embraced auto-escalation of deferral amounts.
March 12 -
Nearly half of all health plan members in the group and individual markets nationwide say they are interested in using a state exchange to purchase health insurance, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates.
March 11 -
While experts once predicted savings of as much as $81 billion a year from electronic records, U.S. health care spending has continued to increase, partly because of systems that dont share information, they say.
March 11 -
Were starting your week with three important facts, developments or conversations from recent and upcoming events. This week, well look at why uninsured Americans hospital bills are so high, more official steps forward by HHS on public exchanges and HHS goals for tech improvements in 2013.
March 11