Blogs & Newsletters
President Obama calls for new consumer protections
At a briefing hosted by AARP yesterday, I had the privilege of watching President Obama announce his support for a proposed rule to put a brake on conflicts of interest in investment advice for retirement accounts. The event set the stage for the release of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule to the Office […]
PBGC report highlights importance of pension counseling
We at the Pension Rights Center have long recognized the important role that U.S. Administration on Aging’s Pension Counseling and Information Program (PCIP) plays in protecting the legal rights of retirees and their families. So we were gratified to see that sentiment echoed by Constance Donovan, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s Participant and Plan Sponsor […]
High marks for retirement plans
This week, President Obama unveiled his economic fixes for the middle-class. Among them was a proposal for Automatic IRAs, which he has championed since the Administration’s early days. While the Automatic IRA is a first step in expanding coverage for those without an employer-based plan, a recent Bloomberg View article, “Experts Found the U.S. Retirement […]
Happy 40th, ERISA!
Forty years ago this week, bell-bottom jeans were still in style, the Vietnam War was coming to a close, and Watergate was still riveting the nation. Against this backdrop of social unrest, there was also a focus on broken pension promises. Back then, tens of thousands of people were losing their pensions because few laws […]
The Case of the Deleted Social Security Data: Why It is Bad for Workers and Retirees
In their 2014 report on the finances of Social Security, the trustees of the system deleted key information on the replacement rates of Social Security. What’s the harm in that, right? Isn’t this just a technical or administrative issue? According to Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and one […]
Pensions lost and (hopefully) found
Imagine earning a pension after many years of hard work with a company. Then you leave your employer before retiring and without claiming your pension. When you reach retirement age, you expect to be able to start receiving that pension but you are unable to find the employer or the plan. Your pension plan is […]
Unemployed today, no retirement savings tomorrow
Last week, I accompanied Karen Friedman to Witness Wednesday, where she spoke about the fact that too many people who have lost their jobs and whose unemployment benefits have expired have had to dip into their 401(k) savings to pay for basic needs. She said, “If people use up their 401(k) money today…what will they […]
Senator Harkin Introduces Legislation to Protect Whistleblowers
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) is leading the way in Washington when it comes to championing the rights of current and future retirees. His proposal for USA Retirement Funds has received widespread acclaim as a common-sense, innovative way of providing retirement security to millions of American workers who do not have a workplace pension or 401(k) […]
Breaking Pension Promises is No Solution at All
Complexity is to be expected when discussing an issue like pensions. So for the moment let’s make things simple: 150 to 200 multiemployer plans are severely underfunded and may run out of money in 15 to 20 years if no action is taken. There are approximately 1.5 million workers and retirees in these plans. To […]
May is Older Americans Month
May is Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate the contributions older Americans have made to society – and to focus attention on the many services available to older Americans as a part of the Older Americans Act. The services that we at the Pension Rights Center are most proud of are those provided by […]
Dancing through retirement
I was struck by a recent Wall Street Journal article about a new craze overtaking China: retirees all across the country are “getting down,” having dance parties in parks, courtyards, and other public spaces in order to have fun and stay in shape. In an ironic turn, the article says that the music and the […]
Corporate titans campaign to increase workers’ pay and pensions
April 1, 2014 – Many of the country’s highest-paid CEOs have decided to give up their exorbitant compensation packages to pay their workers better wages and higher pensions. This announcement comes as part of the “Corporations are Really Good People Campaign.” Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, whose compensation package is valued at more than $96 million, […]
