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RETIREMENT
FUND CHOICES
Sexy
Hedge Funds Make Their Way Into Retirement Plans
A number of mutual fund companies have launched hedge-like mutual funds, sparking employers' interest in adding the investments to their 401(k) plans. But employers need to do their homework first, experts say.
 Read more about hedge funds as retirement investment options.
Also:
PENSIONS & RETIREMENT
5 Things to Consider Before Adding a Hedge Fund Product
Done right, hedge-like products can be viewed by employees as a great perk. But experts say there are a lot of factors to weigh when deciding if this is right for a company's plan.
Read more about what to consider when adding hedge funds
as an investment option. |
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BENEFIT DESIGN
The End of One-Size-Fits-All Co-Pays
The goal of "value-based insurance design" is to get more value out of a company's health care dollars by making sure people get the drugs they need by lowering or eliminating co-pays. Meanwhile, those for whom a drug is of minimal medical benefit would pay higher co-pays to get it.
Read more about value-based insurance design. |
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Special
Message from TransitChek:
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Get Free Report. |
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HEALTH CARE BENEFITS
Commentary: HRAs as an Answer to Rising Premiums
In the face of rising health care costs, there are things employers can do short of dropping coverage altogether. In fact, in the health reimbursement arrangement, employers have a ready-made vehicle for switching to a defined-contribution approach to health care.
Read more of Greg Scandlen's commentary. |
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NEWS AND EVENTS
Quick Takes
Health Care Cost Trends: Since 2002, the rate at which health costs have increased has gradually slowed, from a high of 14.7 percent five years ago to 8 percent last year. But that trend is not expected to continue, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide and the National Business Group on Health.
Click here to read more.
Improving Quality, Lowering Costs: Employers looking to use their purchasing power to improve health care and lower its costs have released a guide intended to help employers become better consumers.
Click here to read more.
A $215,000 Price Tag: A 65-year-old couple looking
to retire without employer-sponsored health care will need
to save $215,000 to cover medical costs not covered by Medicare,
a report published by Fidelity Investments says.
Click here to read more.
No Account: Just because some employees make more money than others doesn't mean they are contributing more to their company 401(k) plans, according to a recent study by Watson Wyatt Worldwide.
Click
here to read more.
Battle of the Sexes, Retirement Round: Men received higher annual pension payouts than women in 2005, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Click
here to read more.
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DISCUSSION
Employer of Choice
Posted in the Benefits & Compensation Forum:
A member writes: "I know that there are a large range of issues
that make a company the employer of choice, but can anyone
suggest some of the more innovative employment conditions
they have used or heard of for encouraging employee confidence
in the company (e.g., paid parental leave)?"
Join the discussion. |
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METRICS
HSAs
Percentage of private-industry workers with access to health savings accounts by selected characteristics, 2005 and 2006
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2005 |
2006 |
| All
workers |
5% |
6% |
| Worker
characteristics |
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White-collar |
7 |
9 |
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Blue-collar |
3 |
4 |
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Service occupations |
1 |
2 |
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Full-time |
2 |
2 |
| Part-time |
2 |
2 |
| Union |
2 |
2 |
| Nonunion |
5 |
7 |
| Avg.
wage <$15/hr. |
3 |
5 |
| Avg.
wage $15/hr. or higher |
7 |
8 |
|
Establishment characteristics |
|
Goods-producing |
4 |
5 |
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Service-producing |
5 |
6 |
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1 to 99 workers |
3 |
3 |
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100 workers or more |
7 |
9 |
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| Source:
U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics |
Retirement Trends
Percentage of employers reporting retirement plan changes for 2007
| Defined-benefit
plans
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Will perform funding projections |
81% |
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Will review funding strategy |
73 |
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Likely to adjust asset allocation |
46 |
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Will close participation for new employees |
6 |
| Will
freeze accruals |
4 |
| Will
change design |
11 |
| Will
convert to cash balance/pension equity |
6 |
| Defined-contribution
plans
|
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Will review fund operations |
50 |
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Will review fund offerings |
48 |
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Will add Roth 401(k) |
11 |
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Will offer investment advisor |
19 |
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Will add/increase company match |
8 |
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| Note:
Study of 148 large companies. |
| Source:
Hewitt
Associates |
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