John Iekel

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is poised to become the next to adopt a measure creating a state-run retirement program that provides coverage for private-sector employees whose employers do not. The state Senate approved the bill that would do so on May 11, and the House had done so 10 days earlier; the... READ MORE

The Vermont House of Representatives has passed legislation that would create VTSaves, bringing the state one step closer to becoming the latest to establish a state-run retirement program to provide coverage to private-sector employees whose employers do not. The state Senate had passed S.135 on... READ MORE

A bill that would establish a state-run retirement plan to provide coverage for employees whose private-sector employers do not is working its way through the Pennsylvania legislature.  The Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives on May 3 voted in favor of HB 577 in a 12-8, party-line... READ MORE

The California Retirement Savings Board has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for consulting services for CalSavers, the state-run retirement plan that provides coverage for private-sector employees whose employers do not.  The Board seeks a contractor to provide technical and administrative... READ MORE

The Minnesota House of Representatives on May 1 passed a bill that would create the Minnesota Secure Choice Retirement Program, a state-run retirement plan for private-sector employees whose employers do not provide one.  HF 782, introduced by Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL-Roseville) on Jan. 25,... READ MORE

Automatic features served retirement plans — and participants — well in 2022, according to a recent report.  In its 2023 Reference Point Annual Benchmarking Report, which concerns developments related to 401(k) plan design and participant behavior in 2022, T. Rowe Price reports that plan features... READ MORE

The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) on April 25 issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the annual funding notice requirements for multiemployer pension plans that received special financial assistance (SFA) funds under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act... READ MORE

A bill is before the Maine legislature that would amend the Maine Retirement Savings Program in a variety of ways.  Background. Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed the Act To Promote Individual Retirement Savings through a Public-Private Partnership (LD 1622) into law June 24, 2022. The legislation had... READ MORE

Warnings that Social Security’s long-term solvency is questionable are not new. But how about a little good news? A recent analysis suggests that maybe all is not lost.  The glass is half full, argue Kathleen Romig, Director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and... READ MORE