mbeals

9/4/2013 - 401(k) income projections are a good idea (WSJ MarketWatch)

Earlier this year, the Department of Labor issued for comment an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking that would encourage the sponsors of 401(k) plans to project how much income a participant’s 401(k) balances would provide at retirement.  Shifting the focus from stocks (401(k) balances) to flows (monthly income) will provide participants with a much better sense… Read more 9/4/2013 - 401(k) income projections are a good idea (WSJ MarketWatch)

8/28/2013 - Retirement plans rebound, post-recession (WSJ)

During the worst of the Great Recession, some companies stopped offering retirement plans to their employees; at the same time, many savers who had such plans stopped contributing to them, as they struggled with financial pressures like a spouse’s unemployment. But a new study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a non-partisan think tank, suggests… Read more 8/28/2013 - Retirement plans rebound, post-recession (WSJ)

8/27/2013 - EBRI study: Workplace retirement plan participation has risen since crisis (Pensions&Investments)

More workers have access to workplace retirement plans, and participation rates in plans are rising, too, according to a new report by the non-partisan Employee Benefit Research Institute. Read the full article at Pensions & Investments.

8/21/2013 - Gen Y and Boomers, Suffering the Most (NY Times)

As my colleague Robert Pear reports, a new study from Sentier Research finds that four years after the start of the economic recovery, the median American household income is still down 4.4 percent. Incomes have risen a little since their recent trough in August 2011, but not enough to make up for the losses sustained… Read more 8/21/2013 - Gen Y and Boomers, Suffering the Most (NY Times)

8/22/2013 - Social Security is crucial to the middle class (Wall Street Journal)

The trustees’ report that details the financial health of Social Security gets published each and every year with much fanfare and analysis. But there’s another publication that the Social Security Administration puts out each year that deserves just as much fanfare—a sort of FAQ for Social Security. Read the full article at The Wall Street… Read more 8/22/2013 - Social Security is crucial to the middle class (Wall Street Journal)

8/21/2013 - 10 tips for a green retirement (CBS MoneyWatch)

Playing with my 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter recently, it occurred to me there’s a very good chance she’ll be alive for another 90 or 100 years. As a result, she’ll most likely live through the potential long-term consequences of the dire headlines we read about now, such as global warming, pollution, overcrowding and excessive government debt.… Read more 8/21/2013 - 10 tips for a green retirement (CBS MoneyWatch)

8/14/2013 - How an aging nation affects job numbers (Wall Street Journal)

A recent Goldman Sachs study focused attention on the impact of population aging on labor force participation.  The authors had a much more ambitious goal than the simple point that I would like to emphasize.  They were trying to determine whether the sharp decline in the labor-force participation rate (the percentage of the working population… Read more 8/14/2013 - How an aging nation affects job numbers (Wall Street Journal)

8/14/2013 - This is Retirement's Increasingly Prevalent Challenge (Main St)

It’s no wonder baby boomers worry about outliving their retirement savings. One out of four 65-year-olds today can expect to live past 90, and if they’re married, one of every four will live even longer. With 10,000 boomers turning 65 every day, it’s a big worry for 26% of the U.S. population. Read the full… Read more 8/14/2013 - This is Retirement's Increasingly Prevalent Challenge (Main St)

8/13/2013 - Warning Clients On 401(k) Loans (Wall Street Journal)

Within the past few weeks, adviser Marc Shaffer has heard from two clients looking to tap their 401(k) plans, one for a family emergency and another to purchase land on which to build a home. As the economy makes a painfully slow recovery, financial advisers like Mr. Shaffer continue to hear from cash-strapped clients who… Read more 8/13/2013 - Warning Clients On 401(k) Loans (Wall Street Journal)

7/31/2013 - Federal-employee union wants broader eligibility for phased-retirement program (Washington Post)

One of the nation’s largest federal-worker unions wants to expand a program that will allow federal employees to work part-time after the age of retirement while receiving partial annuities and continuing to pay toward their benefits. The National Treasury Employees Union said in a statement on Tuesday that more federal workers should be able to… Read more 7/31/2013 - Federal-employee union wants broader eligibility for phased-retirement program (Washington Post)