mbeals

2/20/2013 - Reforms Needed to Reduce IRA Fees (Plan Sponsor)

A research paper contends that additional reform is needed to protect participants who roll over retirement plan assets into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) from high investment fees. Read the full article at Plan Sponsor.

2/13/2013 - Obama's Call For Higher Minimum Wage Could Have Ripple Effect (NPR)

After more than five years of recession and painfully slow recovery, President Obama has sent a powerful signal that he thinks the U.S. economy is now in much better shape — good enough, at least, to provide workers with raises. Read the full article at NPR.

2/12/2013 - Rising 401(k) Balances Helping Retirements Recover (U.S. News & World Report)

Balances in 401(k) accounts are much, much larger among those who have been regular retirement-plan participants in recent years, continuing the recovery from the stock market plunge of 2007. Read the full article at  U.S. News & World Report.

2/11/2013 - Why the White House took the Medicare age off the table (Washington Post)

In 2011 and 2012, the White House was open to raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67. They were open to this for two main reasons. First, they figured that the Affordable Care Act would protect most of the neediest seniors and that employer coverage would protect many of the others, and so… Read more 2/11/2013 - Why the White House took the Medicare age off the table (Washington Post)

2/6/2013 - For Women, Reduced Access to Long-Term Care Insurance (NY Times)

“This was a very, very good business for a short time, with people buying long-term care insurance like it was candy in a candy store,’’ said Michael Perry, a vice president at the Opus Advisory Group, a strategic financial planning firm in Purchase, N.Y. No more. Mr. Perry has sold only one long-term care policy… Read more 2/6/2013 - For Women, Reduced Access to Long-Term Care Insurance (NY Times)

2/5/2013 - More Than 75 Percent Of Americans Delayed Their Retirement To Avoid Losing Health Benefits (ThinkProgress)

Tying health insurance benefits directly to employment is forcing most Americans to work longer than they would have otherwise, a new study from the Employee Benefits Research Institute finds. Read the full article at Think Progress.

2/4/2013 - Can I Get An Encore? 7 Tips for Older Entrepreneurs (Forbes)

Half of Americans ages 50 to 70 want jobs that contribute to the greater good, now and in retirement. Marci Alboher (@heymarci), vice president of Encore.org (formerly Civic Ventures), offers advice to baby boomers who want to earn income and give back as a part of a workforce for change. Read the full article at Forbes.

1/31/2013 - Americans want to raise payroll taxes and Social Security benefits (Washington Post)

Seventy-three years ago today, the first Social Security checks went out to beneficiaries. The anniversary comes at a difficult time for the program. It narrowly escaped a cut floated by the Obama administration in the fiscal cliff negotiations that would have reduced cost-of-living increases going forward. While it’s not in danger anytime soon, it does… Read more 1/31/2013 - Americans want to raise payroll taxes and Social Security benefits (Washington Post)

1/30/2013 - The Health Care Law and Retirement Savings (New York Times)

Because of its definition of affordability, beginning next year the Affordable Care Act may affect retirement savings. Read the full article at The New York Times.

1/29/2013 - Sandwich generation takes a hit supporting adult children and aging parents (Washington Post)

More parents are providing significant financial support for their adult children even as they cope with the needs of their own aging parents, according to a new survey of the middle-aged “sandwich generation.” Read the full article at The Washington Post.