PFP News

RETIREMENT PLANS REBOUND AT SMALL BUSINESSES

Boston -- Balances in small-business retirement plans have increased an average of 20 percent between 2007 and 2012, according to a new analysis by Fidelity Investments. Fidelity examined more than 200,000 small-business accounts over a six-year period that used SEPs or SIMPLE plans. The findings show that average balances in these retirement savings plans increased 20 percent since 2007, and jumped an average of 64 percent over 2008, when balances were generally at their lowest point. The analysis also indicates that small-business owners and their employees continued to increase contribution rates as the economy emerged from the financial crisis five years ago.

 

U.S. TAXPAYERS INCREASE FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Washington, D.C. -- The Internal Revenue Service has published 2010 statistics on foreign trusts indicating an increasing interest in foreign investment by U.S. taxpayers, and the impact of changes made in 1996 to information reporting requirements. The number of Form 3520 returns reporting foreign trust transactions and certain foreign gifts increased from 7,956 in 2006 to 16,242 in 2010, while the number of Form 3520-A foreign "grantor" trust returns rose from 3,819 to 7,051. U.S. "persons" transferred nearly $1.5 billion in assets to foreign trusts in 2010.

 

MEN AND WOMEN SHARE RETIREMENT EXPECTATIONS

Washington, D.C. -- A new survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that men and women are equally likely to say that they or their spouse have saved for retirement and to say they are currently saving for retirement. EBRI's 2013 Retirement Confidence Survey also found that women are as statistically likely as men to report that they are offered (45 percent vs. 48 percent) and contribute to (36 percent vs. 40 percent) a workplace retirement savings plan. In addition, women (45 percent) are statistically just as likely as men (47 percent) to indicate they have tried to calculate how much they will need to have saved by the time they retire.

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