SURVEY SAYS: What Will be the Biggest News for Employers in 2012?

Last week, I asked readers what they thought would be the biggest news for employers in 2012.

The biggest proportion (43.9%) chose the Supreme Court ruling on the Pension Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This was followed by 24.6% who said it would be fee disclosure to plan participants.  

Nearly 9% chose the new definition of fiduciary, while 5.3% each chose retirement income solutions in defined contribution plans and plan sponsors changing investment lineups.   

Three and one-half percent each chose other health care issues and pension funding issues, and 1.8% each chose fee disclosure to plan sponsors, revenue sharing or excessive fee lawsuits and changes to target-date funds.   

Two respondents chose other indicating the biggest news for employers would be the “anticipated death of the small business DC plan if deficit reduction includes a significant reduction in DC 415 limits” and “tax policy debate on the tax status of retirement plan contributions and employer paid health insurance premiums.”

Verbatims  

The following are verbatim comments on the biggest retirement plan- or health care plan-related news for employer sin 2012:  

“Union poster requirement”  

“The employers will have to deail with the backlash of participants who have always thought they are paying no fees. Now they will see what they are really paying....”  

“Fee disclosure to participants will be the biggest waste of time in 2012. Our participants do not read the information they currently get. Why does the government think they will this additional information?”  

“At least temporarily settling the status of PPACA will by the biggest new by far no matter which way the ruling goes.”  

“huge debate on tax policy that will go nowhere in an election year.”
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