More Resources Now Available for Finding Lost Retirement Plan Benefits
By Jane Smith There is a new resource for the many people who are entitled to retirement plan benefits but can’t locate their former employer to claim those benefits. Those searching for benefits can start by checking out the “Find Unclaimed Retirement Benefits” search tool on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s (PBGC) website. This tool […]
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.
PRC applauds passage of priority consumer protections in new retirement law
By Karen Friedman The Pension Rights Center (PRC) applauds the recent inclusion of several key consumer provisions in the Setting Every Community up for Retirement Enhancement Act (better known as SECURE 2.0), a retirement legislative package that was passed as part of the Omnibus spending legislation, which President Biden signed into law on December 29th. […]
PRC Recommendations to IRS on Agenda Items for the 2022-2023 IRS Priority Guidance Plan
The Pension Rights Center submitted comments to the IRS requesting the agency to include in its Priority Guidance Plan several items to better protect consumers, including: (a) directing plans to provide former employees who leave before retirement with a single complete statement of their earned benefits ; (b) asking the agency to rethink its position on allowing plans […]
How to Find an Old 401(k) Account
During the frenzy of leaving behind an old job and getting acclimated to a new position, rolling over your 401(k) plan isn’t always your first priority. Some people even lose track of a 401(k) plan at a former employer. Here’s what to do if you’re trying to find funds held in a previous employer’s 401(k) […]
Commentary: Money maze, as retirees become detectives to find ‘lost’ pensions
When Sam Semilia toted up his retirement finances, he was pretty sure that he was due a pension from his time working as a steam engineer for the Diamond Crystal salt company four decades before.
PRC letter to the Committee on Ways and Means in support of specific provisions of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022
PRC sent a letter to Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady of the House Ways and Means Committee in support of specific provisions of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022, including those related to recoupment and the Retirement Savings Lost and Found.
Congress gets closer to addressing the issue of lost retirement plans
By Emily Gilbert Here at PRC, we often hear from people who worked for a company that has since moved, been bought, or gone out of business, and they cannot find their retirement plan. The good news is that Congress seems to be getting closer to addressing this issue. In May of 2021, Senators Elizabeth […]
The Savings Game: Congress needs to help pensioners find their money
For years, members of Congress have been trying to pass legislation that will allow the federal government to establish a centralized database to help retirees locate their pension and 401(k) plans.
Senators revisit bill to create retirement account lost-and-found
A bipartisan bill to create a national online lost-and-found database for retirement accounts has been reintroduced in the Senate.
Retirement Plan Literacy—Answers to Common Questions: Part II
By David Brandolph In this, the second part of our April financial literacy month series, we answer two more of the top five questions that the Pension Rights Center commonly gets from people about their retirement benefits (Part I can be found here). Unless stated otherwise, answers relate to company or union sponsored private-sector retirement plans. Being […]
Welcome Labor Department Guidance on Missing Participants
By Jane Smith Recently issued Department of Labor guidance is an important step toward resolving the “missing participants” problem. Following several years of investigating how plans do, or do not, stay in touch with former employees who are due benefits, in January 2021, the Labor Department published a best practices guide for pension and retirement […]
