The Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act of 2009 has been reintroduced in Congress. Supporters are seeking to have the bill language included in a larger health reform bill sometime this year. The bill, first introduced in 2007, would provide tax parity to non-spouse/non-dependent individuals who qualify for and receive employer-provided health plan benefits.
The slumping economy is holding back retirements among state and local government employees, according to a new survey of government managers sponsored by the Center for State and Local Government Excellence.
ICMA recently published a new article entitled, "How Will Public Sector Retirement Withstand the Current Recession," principally authored by Gregory Dyson, SVP, Chief Operations & Marketing Officer, in its 2009 Municipal Year Book.
Center for State and Local Government Excellence Executive Director Beth Kellar interviewed on WAMU 88.5 FM's "Marketplace" program to discuss public pension funding in the current market environment.
House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) has introduced the Fair Disclosure for Retirement Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 1984) that would require 401(k) plans to more clearly state all fees to help investors choose the most appropriate retirement options.
The U.S. Treasury Dept. has extended its emergency program guaranteeing money market funds through September 18, 2009. The program had been set to end April 30 but was extended on March 31, 2009, "to support ongoing stability in financial markets,” the Treasury Dept. said in a statement.
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) has introduced The Savings for American Families’ Future Act of 2009 to expand the current Saver’s Credit law. This legislation largely tracks the Saver’s Credit expansion proposal contained in the FY2010 budget recently approved by Congress.
Since 1991, ICMA-RC's VantageTrust PLUS Fund has provided retirement plan participants access to a stable value fund with competitive current income consistent with preserving capital and meeting the liquidity needs of participants. The current VantageTrust PLUS Fund Overview contains updated information on the fund, its investment strategy, portfolio and risks.
ICMA-RC’s Keith Sendall, senior vice president, field sales, recently described a Saver’s Initiative and research in a TV interview for the National League of Cities TV. The Saver’s Initiative and the It Pays to Save campaign, aimed at encouraging greater retirement savings among public employees, is being unveiled this spring.
The chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging has expressed continuing concern over disclosure of asset allocations in popular target date mutual funds in correspondence with the new chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the new Secretary of Labor. Both letters were dated February 24, 2009.
ICMA-RC Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Wayne Wicker recently appeared in a segment on the News Channel 8 Washington Business Tonight program, a nightly round-up of business, financial, and economic news.
The House Education and Labor Committee, on Tuesday, held the first of a series of hearings designed to examine how 401(k) and other retirement plans are faring in light of the current economic crisis. The Committee does not have jurisdiction over public retirement plans. If they produce legislation it is likely that the House Ways and Means Committee, with jurisdiction over 457 plans, would at least hold hearings on it.
Over the past few months we have experienced significant volatility in the financial markets and the months ahead may hold more challenges for the economy. Whether through our Investor Services team, our Retirement Plans Specialists or our Web site, we have tools and resources for you.
With President Bush's signature on December 23, 2008, The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (H.R. 7327) became law. The legislation makes technical corrections to the Pension Protection Act that narrowly addresses beneficiaries for Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA). It also waives the 2009 Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) on employer-sponsored defined contribution plans and on IRAs.
ICMA-RC today announced it is now offering a Roth 401(k) feature to its existing 401(k) clients. The Roth 401(k) feature is a retirement savings option designed to provide employees with an opportunity to invest additional after-tax dollars with the potential for tax-free withdrawals.
ICMA-RC has been informed by the Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America) that it will no longer be able to support the VantageTrust Certificate of Deposit Accounts (CD Accounts) program as it is currently structured. The current CD Accounts program will be terminated effective January 30, 2009.
President Bush has signed The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act (H.R. 7327) that suspends the need to take required minimum distribution (RMD) payments from defined contribution retirement plans and IRAs for the 2009 tax year. The President signed the measure on December 23, 2008, following unanimous approval in Congress earlier in the month.