Retirement

The number of lawsuits, combined with regulatory complexity, the growing cost of benefits and the volatility of investments, has motivated some U.S. companies to beef up the governance of their retirement plans, say experts. But relatively few are proactively addressing governance risks.

Government work ain't what it used to be. Working in the public sector once offered a secure job with plush benefits. No longer.

Is the retirement crisis over?

When workers read company material about their employee benefits, they take for granted that it's reliable.

Solving today's unique talent-management problems with phased retirement can be dicey for companies with defined-benefit plans, but there are some ways it can work.

This article accompanies Phasing Out.

Retiree-medical programs could see big changes in the next few years -- the result of company-plan restructuring in response to healthcare reform, according to a study by Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Aon Hewitt.

According to Aon Hewitt, about 28 percent of active participants in defined-contribution retirement plans had an outstanding 401(k) loan in 2010 -- a record high, according to the firm.

Principal
Aon Hewitt EnnisKnupp, Chicago

A Better State of Affairs

In the wake of the Bernie Madoff scandal, the recession and sweeping changes in state capitols around the country, the care and custody of state retirement funds has been very much in the spotlight.

Actuarial Consultant, Principal, and Manager
Aon Hewitt, Lincolnshire, Ill.

Taking Apart and Rebuilding the Pieces

The classic song "Roadhouse Blues" advises, "keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel," and that was exactly what Ornt did when a large client asked her to undo a good portion of the work she had done over the previous few years.

This article accompanies Facing the Future: Announcing The 2011 Top Employee Benefits Consultant winners.

Principal
Aon Hewitt, Chicago

A 360-Degree Solution

Benefit plans are usually lumped in with risk management, but are not always handled with an emphasis on the art of risk management.

Principal
Mercer, Washington

Rising to the Occasion for Multinational Client

Muriel Knapp stepped into a real-life scenario that was more like a training exercise, with problems coming at her faster than they could possibly be solved.

Client Relationship Manager
TrueNorth Inc., Denver

Multi-Faceted Approach Yields Benefits

Participation is the key driver of any benefits plan.

Even though the Supreme Court rejected an argument that employees were due benefits based on inaccurate information in a summary-plan description, HR leaders should make sure their SPDs provide a truthful rendition of benefits and provisions.

Whether companies do a little cost shifting, dramatically lower retiree-health benefits or just hang tight, they're surely weighing their retiree-medical-plan options in light of health reform.