The Wall Street Journal recently published a list of five ways to fix their 401(k). Easy at that, huh? Read it, and then comment on what tips would be on your list.
Here, I'll start: Create a family budget. This is pretty basic, but has helped my family tremendously. I suspect that many families -- like mine until recently -- don't really know where all of their money is going. Seeing it all in black and white helped us see where we could trim the fat to put toward saving.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Yay or Nay: Does Daschle withdrawal hurt the chances for health care reform?
Wow, what a difference a news cycle makes. In yesterday's EBN inBrief e-newsletter, we featured an item about how optimistic Congressional Democrats were about health care reform.
Barely hours later, former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his name from consideration to lead the Health and Human Services Department, the lastest among a string of Obama cabinet nominees to be outed with "tax issues."
After the shock of the announcement had rippled from the White House and beyond, out came the handicappers to assess the damage to President Obama's health care agenda.
You all are the best pundits I know on all things benefits-related, so what say you? Does Daschle's withdrawal hurt the chances for health care reform? Yay or Nay?
Barely hours later, former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his name from consideration to lead the Health and Human Services Department, the lastest among a string of Obama cabinet nominees to be outed with "tax issues."
After the shock of the announcement had rippled from the White House and beyond, out came the handicappers to assess the damage to President Obama's health care agenda.
You all are the best pundits I know on all things benefits-related, so what say you? Does Daschle's withdrawal hurt the chances for health care reform? Yay or Nay?
News You Can Use: Target-date funds falter
Is any retirement vehicle safe? I keep looking, but all I see are returns that are the financial equivalent of auto crash tests where the dummy's body snaps all around then slumps over the wheel. Know what I mean?
Although target-date funds were supposed be set it and forgettable savings vehicles for employee-investors -- pick your dream retirement date and let the fund do the rest -- a recent Wall Street Journal report cites data from Morningstar that show that some 2010 funds have lost as much as 20%. Among other funds, Morningstar examined 275 of them, and found 50 posted more than 38.5% drops in 2008, including the Oppenheimer 2010 fund, that lost 41.3%.
Yikes.
Mark your calendar to check out an EBN report on 2010 funds in our March issue.
What has been your experience with target-date funds? Comment below.
Although target-date funds were supposed be set it and forgettable savings vehicles for employee-investors -- pick your dream retirement date and let the fund do the rest -- a recent Wall Street Journal report cites data from Morningstar that show that some 2010 funds have lost as much as 20%. Among other funds, Morningstar examined 275 of them, and found 50 posted more than 38.5% drops in 2008, including the Oppenheimer 2010 fund, that lost 41.3%.
Yikes.
Mark your calendar to check out an EBN report on 2010 funds in our March issue.
What has been your experience with target-date funds? Comment below.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tip of the Day: Make your EAP more than just three letters
An alternately sad and scary article in USA Today shows that even for Americans who are working, the affects of the recession are far-reaching and can't be compartmentalized into separate "work" and "life" boxes.
The newspaper reports increased demand for therapists to help stressed out families with anxiety, depression and physical abuse. For employees, a workplace employee assistance program can provide much-needed help. Most employers now have one, but communication still lags.
A new "Five Minutes With ..." podcast with clinical psychologist Edward Trieber spoke with EBN Managing Editor Leah Shepherd about how employers can best communicate their EAPs and other benefits to help alleviate employee stress. Click here to download the audio.
What programs/policies are in place at your company to help employees with stress? Have you seen an uptick in demand for/requests about these services? Comment below.
More from EBN: Finances running low, stress running high: Employee stress levels rising as economy declines
The newspaper reports increased demand for therapists to help stressed out families with anxiety, depression and physical abuse. For employees, a workplace employee assistance program can provide much-needed help. Most employers now have one, but communication still lags.
A new "Five Minutes With ..." podcast with clinical psychologist Edward Trieber spoke with EBN Managing Editor Leah Shepherd about how employers can best communicate their EAPs and other benefits to help alleviate employee stress. Click here to download the audio.
What programs/policies are in place at your company to help employees with stress? Have you seen an uptick in demand for/requests about these services? Comment below.
More from EBN: Finances running low, stress running high: Employee stress levels rising as economy declines
News You Can Use: E-Verify on hold
E-Verify, a system rule that would require employers to screen workers to ensure their employment eligibility (read: immigration status), has been tabled until May 21 to give new Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano time to review it.
I suspect Secretary Napolitano can take all the time she wants/needs, if employers could have their way, as previous EBN reports on E-Verify quotes sources that cites the system's "reliability issues," and even going so far as to call it "unworkable."
E-Verify has drawn resistance -- to put it lightly -- from employers, and last December, the Chamber of Commerce and Society for Human Resource Management filed a lawsuit to block it. So I don't blame Secretary Napolitano for wanting to take some extra time (the rule was set to become effective in just a few weeks, on Feb. 20) to decide the system's fate.
What are your thoughts on E-Verify (like I need to ask)? Comment below.
I suspect Secretary Napolitano can take all the time she wants/needs, if employers could have their way, as previous EBN reports on E-Verify quotes sources that cites the system's "reliability issues," and even going so far as to call it "unworkable."
E-Verify has drawn resistance -- to put it lightly -- from employers, and last December, the Chamber of Commerce and Society for Human Resource Management filed a lawsuit to block it. So I don't blame Secretary Napolitano for wanting to take some extra time (the rule was set to become effective in just a few weeks, on Feb. 20) to decide the system's fate.
What are your thoughts on E-Verify (like I need to ask)? Comment below.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Tip of the Day: Follow seven steps to merger success
Among February's "Five Minutes With ..." podcasts is Managing Editor Leah Shepherd’s interview with Len Gray, the head of the America’s M&A consulting business at Mercer. After you read our report on merger musts in this month's EBN, listen to Gray as he offers further tips for handling benefits during a merger or acquisition.
Overheard @: Ackley advises how to take the bite out of bad news
This month, EBN spent "Five Minutes With ..." Dennis Ackley, president of Missouri-based Ackley Associates. HR/benefit managers are the unfortunate staffers called upon to deliver the news workers never want to hear. To help companies design communication strategies for delivering bad benefits news, Ackley spoke with Associate Editor Lydell Bridgeford to offer several tips for employers to bear in mind. Click here to listen to the FMW podcast and read the accompanying article, “Softening the blow of bad benefits news,” in the February EBN.
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