Unused Vacation? It May Pay

From the article:

“Taking vacation pays dividends — especially if your company allows you to put unused vacation or sick-leave days into your 401(k) or profit-sharing plan.

To encourage savings, the Obama administration recently blessed such transfers. While companies may have to amend their benefit plans to allow it, the administration hopes firms will do so. “We tried to build in as much flexibility as possible to make it attractive,” says Mark Iwry, a senior Treasury official.”

(story at right).

Retirement? Good luck with that

From the MarketWatch article:

“Financial crisis reveals U.S. retirement-system’s holes with painful clarity”

(story at right).

The risk of ‘breaking the buck’

From the article:

“The government will no longer guarantee money market funds, but that might not mean what you think.”

(story at right).

TIAA-CREF’S Compliance Coordinator Simplifies 403(b) Plan Sponsors’ Compliance Responsibilities

From the article:

“TIAA-CREF, one of the world’s largest retirement systems, announced that 45 clients have adopted its Compliance Coordinator service. TIAA-CREF Compliance Coordinator is an easy to use, web-based tool designed to help plan sponsors with multiple investment providers ensure that all loans and hardship withdrawals are in compliance with applicable IRS regulations.”

(story at right).

Hardship rule can tame 401(k) tax

Learn what a “Hardship Distribution” is, and if you qualify for one.

(story at right).

Morningstar plans to ‘raise its game’ in mutual fund research

Target-date fund research, 529 Plan research, and more to come…

(story at right).

Your 401(k) Isn’t as Bad as You Think

From the article:

“But while many people tend to blame the limited investment options that 401(k) plans offer for their bad performance, the study found that 94% of plans had enough choices to let investors create efficient portfolios. Instead of blaming the plans, therefore, the researchers concluded that workers themselves weren’t doing the best they could with the choices they were given.”

(story at right).

Investors Seek Inflation Haven in TIPS Funds

From the WSJ.com article:

Tips on Buying TIPS

Treasury inflation-protected securities—government bonds whose principal rises in value with inflation—are growing in popularity. Here are three ways investors can invest in them:

Individual TIPS: The bonds can be bought from a bank or broker, which may charge a transaction fee. Investors who buy bonds directly from the government via TreasuryDirect.gov avoid paying fees. One downside: Gains to the principal aren’t distributed until maturity, although taxes are due annually.

TIPS mutual funds: Actively managed TIPS funds give investors diversification, since the portfolios often hold bonds with various maturities. As with all mutual funds, they charge management fees, although many are low. Gains are distributed to investors’ accounts regularly, instead of at maturity.

TIPS exchange-traded funds: ETFs are index funds that can be easily and quickly traded on an exchange, a key advantage over traditional mutual funds, which take longer to get in and out of. ETFs typically offer the same advantages as mutual funds, and their fees may be lower.

Source: WSJ research

(story at right).

What happens to your 401(k) account if you lose your job?

From the article:

“Take a deep breath. There are a few steps involved, but this isn’t rocket science.”

(story at right).

Employer Retirement Plans Made Easy

Some basic information for business owners looking to start a 401(k) or other retirement plan for their employees.

(story at right).