Opinions

Opinions | May 11th, 2011

IMHO: Out of Proportion

May 11, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Without question the retirement plan industry has prospered from the long-standing practice of relying heavily – and in some situations,...

Opinions | May 10th, 2011

PPACA and Wellness Programs

May 10, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Following PPACA, employers are even more interested in encouraging healthy behaviors and decreasing health care costs through wellness programs.

Opinions | May 10th, 2011

Form 5500 Reporting – A Review

May 10, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Before 2009, Form 5500 reporting for ERISA 403(b) plans was very limited. Beginning with the 2009 plan year that reporting expanded in several...

Opinions | May 6th, 2011

Two Sides to Every Story

May 6, 2011 – (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - Recently, I found myself at odds with myself. As a Senior Editor at PLANSPONSOR, I tend to view things from the...

Opinions | May 4th, 2011

IMHO: The Enemy of the Good?

May 4, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Over the past couple of years 401(k) evaluation service BrightScope has made quite a splash.

Opinions | May 4th, 2011

Where’s the Alpha?

May 4, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - In funding public sector defined benefit plans, the average assumed rate of return on assets held in trust to pay benefits is 8%. ...

Opinions | May 3rd, 2011

The 401(k) Myth

May 3, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Among the calls for “reform” in pension benefits for governmental employees it is fairly common to hear policy makers say, “We cannot ask...

Opinions | May 3rd, 2011

How Do You Calculate the Small Business Tax Credit Under PPACA?

May 3, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - PPACA added a new small business tax credit for employee health insurance expenses paid by certain small employers, effective beginning in 2010.

Opinions | May 2nd, 2011

Public Employee Retirement Plans and the Myth of the Risk-Free Rate

May 2, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - For a few years now, with increasing intensity over the past couple of years, there have been calls for public employee retirement systems...

Opinions | April 29th, 2011

Misconceptions about 403(b) Plan Compliance

April 29, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - In the aftermath of the IRS 403(b) regulations and Department of Labor guidance, 403(b) plans look more similar to their 401(k) counterparts.

Opinions | April 29th, 2011

Surviving the IRS’ Higher Ed 403(b) Compliance Check

April 29, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - In 2006, the IRS launched its first 403(b) Compliance Check initiative, focusing on whether public K-12 school districts were extending participation to...

Opinions | April 29th, 2011

Our Coworkers, Our Friends

April 29, 2011 - Many of us spend more time with our coworkers than with our family and other friends, and since we do have lives outside of...

Opinions | April 26th, 2011

What About Dental and Vision Benefits Under PPACA?

April 26, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - There still seems to be confusion about the applicability of the new PPACA amendments to dental and vision plans and when these plans...

Opinions | April 22nd, 2011

Hindsight is Always 20/20

April 22, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - In 1989 I didn’t know anything about retirement plans. I was hired that fall, straight out of graduate school, as a part-time...

Opinions | April 21st, 2011

IMHO: Expert Opinions

April 21, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - I learned a long time ago that when it comes to things like automobile maintenance, home repair, or gardening, I’m better off...

Opinions | April 19th, 2011

When Do PPACA Claims & Appeals Rules Apply?

April 19, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The effective dates for the new claims and appeals requirements under PPACA have changed more than once (even since we've written about this...

Opinions | April 15th, 2011

The Brave New World of the 403(b) Oversight Committee

April 15, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Three years ago, many people predicted that the 403(b) industry would change overnight as a result of new regulations that had passed.

Opinions | April 12th, 2011

What Kinds of Coverage Must be Reported on Form W-2?

April 12, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – This week we respond to questions on the types of coverage that must be reported and whether both the employer and employee-paid portions...

Opinions | April 12th, 2011

Misconceptions about 403(b) Plan Design

Even though the IRS regulations squarely place 403(b) plans into the realm of employer-sponsored retirement plans, not all retirement plans are created equal.

Opinions | April 6th, 2011

IMHO: Mixed Messages

April 7, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - We had wrapped up a very successful half-day adviser event ahead of our annual Awards for Excellence dinner last month.