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3/24/2013 - Pension Funds Wary as Bankrupt City Goes to Trial (New York Times)

Wall Street is taking America’s biggest pension fund to court this week, for a long-awaited battle over who takes the losses when a city goes bust — workers and retirees, municipal bondholders, or both. Stockton, Calif., declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy last year after suffering one of the country’s sharpest riches-to-rags swings when the mortgage bubble… Read more 3/24/2013 - Pension Funds Wary as Bankrupt City Goes to Trial (New York Times)

3/18/2013 - More 'sandwich' boomers aiding adult kids (MarketWatch)

Last week, a study by the Urban Institute offered new details about how the Great Recession has torpedoed younger workers’ efforts to start their careers and build their savings. But as Encore contributor Glenn Ruffenach reminds us this week in the Wall Street Journal, when younger adults take an economic hit, their boomer-age parents often… Read more 3/18/2013 - More 'sandwich' boomers aiding adult kids (MarketWatch)

3/15/2013 - In Spite of Recovery, More Workers Are Borrowing From 401(k)s (Bloomberg Businessweek)

One statistic about U.S. household finances is so startling that it deserves its own post: Nearly one in three employees say they took a hardship loan or distribution from their 401(k) retirement accounts last year, up from one in four in 2011. Considering that hardship loans and distributions can trigger penalties or other costs, this… Read more 3/15/2013 - In Spite of Recovery, More Workers Are Borrowing From 401(k)s (Bloomberg Businessweek)

3/10/2013 - Research ties economic inequality to gap in life expectancy (Washington Post)

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — This prosperous community is the picture of the good and ever longer life — just what policymakers have in mind when they say that raising the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare is a fair way to rein in the nation’s troublesome debt. The county’s plentiful and well-tended golf… Read more 3/10/2013 - Research ties economic inequality to gap in life expectancy (Washington Post)

3/10/2013 - Cheaper Annuities with 'Benefits' (Wall Street Journal)

With markets volatile and corporations scaling back defined-benefit pension plans, those in or near retirement are paying high fees to transform plain old variable annuities into a source of guaranteed income for life. But now, a handful of companies are rolling out lower-cost versions of these investments for those willing to give up some benefits,… Read more 3/10/2013 - Cheaper Annuities with 'Benefits' (Wall Street Journal)

3/3/2013 - Recovery in U.S. is Lifting Profits, but Not Adding Jobs

With the Dow Jones industrial average flirting with a record high, the split between American workers and the companies that employ them is widening and could worsen in the next few months as federal budget cuts take hold. That gulf helps explain why stock markets are thriving even as the economy is barely growing and… Read more 3/3/2013 - Recovery in U.S. is Lifting Profits, but Not Adding Jobs

3/1/2013 -- Earlier is better when learning about money (Chicago Tribune)

Financial literacy is important for making smart decisions about money. But increasingly, research shows the earlier you start learning the topic — preferably before you graduate high school — the better. A paper from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, recently revised and submitted to an academic journal, found that even when it… Read more 3/1/2013 -- Earlier is better when learning about money (Chicago Tribune)

2/25/13 - Capping Top Earners' 401(k) Benefits Seen as Cost Cutter (Bloomberg)

Pressure is growing to change incentives for retirement savings as U.S. lawmakers look for revenue, and top earners may pay the price. The budget challenges confronting the federal government are leading to scrutiny of tax-advantaged savings accounts such as 401(k)s because they’re among the costliest tax breaks. A Brookings Institution report scheduled for release tomorrow… Read more 2/25/13 - Capping Top Earners' 401(k) Benefits Seen as Cost Cutter (Bloomberg)

2/24/13 - Monthly retirement assays gain ground (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

To help workers get a better idea of whether they are saving enough for retirement, more employers are going beyond the one number that workers with 401(k) plans focus on: how much money is in their account at the end of the latest quarter. A growing number of employers are using the account balance to… Read more 2/24/13 - Monthly retirement assays gain ground (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

2/22/13 - Social Media a Financial Education Source for Many (Plansponsor)

One-quarter (26%) of U.S. adults use social media for personal finance and investing purposes, according to Cogent research. This rises to 34% for affluent investors. While most investors continue to rely on a variety of resources for investment information, nearly 70% have reallocated investments, or began or altered relationships with investment providers, based on content… Read more 2/22/13 - Social Media a Financial Education Source for Many (Plansponsor)