Description: This interview provides information on Retirement Health and Happiness, the first in a new series of publications designed to improve retirement literacy.

Description: This general discussion focused on: A. The increase on maximum limits on single premiums accepted based on investment conditions, B. Steps a smaller company might take to meet the current demand for pension plans, C. The extent to which companies have: 1. Transferred to their field or district offices functions which had previously been performed in the home office 2. Transferred to the home office or to central collection offices functions which had previously been performed in agency offices D. Steps taken to revise or supplement company retirement plan benefits to recognize higher salary scales and the possibility of still further inflation, E. The advantages and disadvantages of the Bank Loan Plan under which a policyholder purchases a limited payment life policy and borrows part of the premium from a bank, and F. Changes which have been made in War Exclusion Riders, Disability and Double Indemnity provisions.

Description: The article endorses broader use of lifetime income in DC plans. It explains why the use of DB plans will continue to decline. The article points out that plans sponsors will not willingly take on additional ERISA fiduciary exposure. The article endorses three regulatory reforms that would increase the use of lifetime income in DC plans. 1. A robust annuity issuer safe harbor that would free employers from fiduciary exposure for putting an annuity provider on the DC platform. 2. A requirement that a plan offer a lifetime income option to qualify for the 404(c) safe harbor. 3. A revision to 404(c) to allow plan sponsors to allocate part or all of the employer match to lifetime income.