Western States Pension Assistance Project Helps Retiree Receive Earned Benefits
Henrietta, an older adult living in California, worked at a telecommunications company for ten years and left the company with a vested retirement benefit. However, when Henrietta applied for retirement at age 65, she was told by the plan administrator that they would not distribute her benefit because of an IRS levy letter. Even though […]
Don’t Look Now, But Financial Scammers Are Targeting You
By David Brandolph Last July, The Independent (UK) reported a story in which a Florida woman, Sharon Brigthwell, got a call from a number that appeared to be from her daughter. When Brightwell answered, a frantic voice identical to her daughter’s said that she had been arrested after hitting a pregnant woman with her car […]
PRC Executive Director Karen Friedman’s Speech at the Pension Action Center’s 2025 Fall Fundraising Event
PRC Executive Director Karen Friedman recently gave the keynote speech at the Pension Action Center‘s fall fundraising event, “Making an ImPACt: Advocacy and Education in Action.” The Pension Action Center, part of the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Gerontology Institute, provides free legal counseling for workers and retirees who live or worked in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, […]
Pension Frights on Halloween
By David Brandolph On October 31, ghosts, goblins and vampires run amok. But on this Halloween, what scares the Pension Rights Center is the altogether frightening prospect that millions of people won’t be able to retire with adequate income. What we see in PRC’s magic “mirror-mirror on the wall” (that always tells the hard truth) […]
It’s Time to Celebrate Social Security’s Birthday
By David Brandolph Let’s all raise a glass in honor of Social Security, the nation’s most successful social insurance program, as it celebrates its 90th anniversary. On August 14, 1935, America was mired in the Great Depression with roughly one-half of our nation’s elderly living in poverty. On that day, precisely 90 years ago, President […]
Next Avenue: Surviving Survivor Benefits
Are you sure your legal documents and financial accounts reflect the wishes of you and your spouse in terms of benefits and who inherits what?
Vanguard’s Rosy 401k Study Doesn’t Reflect Reality for Most Americans
By David Brandolph A recent study from Vanguard found that the employees participating in the 401k plans that the large financial institution serves as recordkeeper increased their contributions to record levels in 2023, and automatic plan enrollment is boosting participation for younger and lower income workers. According to Vanguard, from 2014 to 2023, contribution rates for […]
Labor Day: Time to Honor Workers and Strive for Their Secure Retirement
By David Brandolph On this Labor Day, the Pension Rights Center rededicates itself to preserving and enhancing the retirement income security of American workers who, through their toil and perseverance, built our country and keep it running. Today, we’re also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the landmark federal private pension law, the Employee Retirement Income […]
Forbes: One Easy Way To Boost Your 401(k) Account, Starting Now
“Participants who withdraw plan funds to cover non-retirement expenses,” notes the Pension Rights Center, “no matter how justified, are shortchanging their future. Every dollar withdrawn will no longer be in the account where it can grow tax deferred. That lost principle, combined with the loss of potential interest and investment gains over what could be […]
Our 2024 Resolutions Reflect our Commitment to Retirement Security for All
By Karen Friedman The New Year is always a great time to take stock and resolve to do better. I’m already making headway on my personal goals of hitting the gym, eating healthier (mostly), and generally getting in better shape. Our resolutions at the Pension Rights Center, however, are a bit more ambitious. We’re working […]
Uptick in Withdrawals Exposes the Inadequacy of Do-It-Yourself Retirement
By David Brandolph For decades, employers have been steadily ridding themselves of the responsibility of funding and making payments to traditional defined benefit pensions in favor of 401(k)-type defined contribution plans. But are these individual account retirement savings plans providing sufficient retirement income for most Americans? For millions of workers, that answer is “No.” A […]
Speech by Karen Friedman at the ARA Retiree Security Symposium
Karen Friedman, Executive Director of the PRC, gave a speech to attendees at the 2023 ARA Retiree Security Symposium in Washington, D.C. on October 17th. You can read her comments here.
