FAIRFIELD, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cambridge Investment Research Inc. (Cambridge), one of the nations leading independent broker-dealers, announced the selection of Fiduciary Benchmarks to provide 408(b)(2) disclosures for rep-advisors to their clients. This selection is part of the comprehensive solutions and support Cambridge has been building over the last two years in anticipation of regulatory changes impacting the retirement plan marketplace.

We understand this time of extreme change in the qualified plan market may also give rise to many advisors evaluating whether they can, or want to, continue in the market, said Amy Webber, president and COO. In contrast, given our long-time focus in this market, we have many successful Cambridge advisors across the country seizing the opportunity to work with those advisors stepping back from qualified plans. We also have Cambridge advisors ready to purchase retirement plan business from those electing to omit retirement plans from their business model.

Cambridge has continued to expand the Cambridge Retirement Center to include new marketing resources and guidance prompted by the fee disclosure requirements related to 404(a)(5) and 408(b)(2). After considering several 408(b) (2) solutions, Cambridge selected Fiduciary Benchmarks because it offers a service and technology solution that will help rep-advisors disclose fees, services, and fiduciary status in accordance with this important regulation as it goes into effect July 1, 2012. Fiduciary Benchmarks also enables independent rep-advisors to access benchmarking technology and service that allows the ability to leverage the information from these disclosures to help determine the reasonableness of fees a stated intent of the new regulation.

Cambridge recognizes many in the industry may be contemplating their position in the retirement plan marketplace, but we remain committed to supporting our rep-advisors who choose to serve their clients in the retirement plan marketplace, said Dan Sullivan, senior vice president of marketing. In addition to enabling our rep-advisors to be prepared to address the new regulatory requirements on time when July 1 rolls around we take our role as The Fee Experts1 seriously and embrace the fiduciary standard by allowing our rep-advisors to serve their retirement plan clients at the level the client and rep-advisors feel is appropriate for their plan. Cambridge continues to build upon the services and value rep-advisors may provide to retirement plan clients by offering the opportunity to serve as a fiduciary advisor under ERISA Sections 3(21) and 3(38).

About Fiduciary Benchmarks Fiduciary Benchmarks is recognized as one of the industry's leading services for independent, comprehensive, informative, and cost-effective benchmarking services for retirement plans. Started in 2007 by several industry experts, the company now has almost 1,400 respected advisors/consultants using the service. In addition, the company provides benchmarking services to respected broker-dealers, investment only managers, plan sponsors, and record keepers. For more information about Fiduciary Benchmarks, visit http://www.fiduciarybenchmarks.com.

About Cambridge Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, is an independent, privately owned broker-dealer with over 2,000 independent registered representatives and more than $45 billion assets under management. Cambridge was recognized as one of the Best of Iowa Businesses in 20102 and was also recently named among the Top Workplaces in Iowa for 20113.

The Cambridge Retirement Center provides rep-advisors with the information and resources needed to confidently service the retirement marketplace and the ever-evolving regulation. It is designed to deliver industry leading resources and expertise, integrated retirement systems, and retirement market solutions while bringing new opportunities to advisors seeking to grow their independent businesses through opportunities in the retirement marketplace.

Cambridge also provides innovative fee programs and a full menu of commission offerings to advisors across the nation. Recognized in the industry as The Fee Experts1, Cambridge has been ranked a fee leader among independent broker-dealers for 11 consecutive years4.

1 THE FEE EXPERTS is a registered trade mark of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. for its investment advisory service for investment managers. 2IA Biz magazine, Best of Iowa Businesses, 2010 3Des Moines Register, Top Workplaces 2011, September 18, 2011 4Financial Planning magazine, June FP50, Top 50 Independent Broker-Dealer Issue, 2001-2011

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Cambridge Embraces ERISA Rules and Regulations for Retirement Plans

If federal employees are forced to contribute more toward their civil service retirement benefits, many might have to cut back on their investments in the Thrift Savings Plan, employee organization officials said Monday.

Were very concerned about what the reactions are going to be if the government requires higher contributions, said Clifford Dailing, secretary-treasurer of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association. Federal employees current needs for money could win out, and I have very grave concerns theyre going to live for today and not save for retirement, he said.

NRLCA and other unions, management associations and employee groups are members of the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, which met Monday with the governing board of the TSP, the 401(k)-style retirement savings program for federal employees and retirees and uniformed services members and retirees.

Several members of the council raised concerns about pending legislation to increase required employee contributions toward annuity benefits in the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement System. Last week, a House committee approved a bill to raise those contributions by 5 percent of salary, phased in over five years starting in 2013.

That bill could come to a House floor vote soon but is not expected to advance in the Senate.

A separate plan before the House would increase contributions by 1.5 percent of salary over three years. A law enacted this year already requires a 2.3 percent increase for those hired into the government starting next year who have fewer than five years of prior federal service.

Currently, employees under FERS pay Social Security taxes usually 6.2 percent, but 4.2 percent this year plus 0.8 percent of salary toward their civil service benefit; those under CSRS pay 7 percent of their salary toward a more generous civil service benefit but dont receive a Social Security benefit.

If you increase the amount the employees contribute to their base retirement system, theyre going to reduce the amount they pay into the TSP, said Myke Reid, legislative and political department director for the American Postal Workers Union. I think theres a direct correlation. After you get to 12 percent of salary, theres very little left to invest in the TSP.

Reid noted that the FERS system, which covers about four-fifths of executive branch and postal workers, was designed as a three-part system consisting of a smaller civil service annuity, Social Security and the TSP with employer contributions. FERS employees can receive employer contributions equaling up to 5 percent of salary, but only by investing at least that much themselves.

The TSP does not determine the formula for matching investments and has no role in the level of required contributions toward civil service annuities. However, Jacqueline Simon, public policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, asked the TSP for data that could help gauge whether employees, especially those at lower salary levels, would react to higher contributions toward FERS and CSRS by cutting back on their TSP savings.

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Thrift Savings Plan: Groups ask about retirement benefits changes

DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

From the smallest to the largest, retirement plan clients give the Principal Financial Group high marks for satisfaction and loyalty in two surveyswith client service driving the strong scores.

In the 2011 Chatham Partners Client Satisfaction Survey of medium-to-large defined benefit and defined contribution plans1, The Principal outperformed the benchmark in client loyalty. Ninety-eight percent of clients said they plan to maintain or increase their relationship with The Principal.

The top ratings provided by clients of The Principal are demonstrative of its industry leadership and the consistently excellent service delivered by its client service professionals, said Joshua Dietch, Managing Director of Chatham Partners.

Overall satisfaction with The Principal continues to be strong, receiving a Best in Class ranking2 and 97 percent overall satisfaction score. The Principal exceeded the benchmark in nearly all measures of satisfaction including:

Small plans give big scores

The smallest3 retirement plan clients also gave The Principal high scores. In a similar survey conducted by the retirement market research team at The Principal, the company received a 95 percent or higher score in multiple areas, including:

Transition satisfaction

New clients, who recently transitioned their retirement plans to The Principal, also provide high marks. Across all plan sizes, satisfaction with the coordination/management of client conversion was 95 percent.

We focus on providing the highest level of service for clients of all sizes from day one. We are gratified they continue to rank us so highly, said Greg Burrows, senior vice president of retirement and investor services at The Principal. We use this valuable client feedback to enhance our products and services with the ultimate goal of helping plan sponsors, their financial professionals and participants achieve successful long-term retirement outcomes.

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Retirement Plan Clients of The Principal are Highly Satisfied and Very Loyal

This post comes fromMiranda Marquitat partner blog Bargaineering.

One of the greatretirement savings toolsis the tax-advantaged account. Accounts like 401k's and the IRAs can help you save for retirement, and reap tax advantages at the same time. Your tax-advantaged retirement account can provide you with a great way to save up money for retirement, putting your capital to work for you and building wealth. These accounts are easy to use, and they make saving up for the future fairly simple.

However, even though tax-advantaged retirement accounts are relatively easy to manage, it is possible to make mistakes with them. As you contribute to your retirement account, here arefive common retirement mistakes to avoid:

Not starting as soon as possible

The biggest mistake in any retirement savings plan is to not start as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the more time compound interest can work on your behalf. Getting started is a major part of retirement savings, and putting it off means you fall further behind. Along with this is the idea that you should max out your retirement accounts if you can. Even if you can't max out your contributions right now, you can create a plan to work up to it. (Post continues below video.)

Leaving money on the table

Another issue comes with leaving money on the table. If your employer offers a match, you should take it, up to the maximum allowed. Find out what sort of match is available, and then do what you can to contribute as much as you can in order to qualify for that matching contribution. It's free money that can go toward building your nest egg.

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5 common retirement mistakes

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Transamerica Retirement Services announced today the launch of the Transamerica Partners Sales Academy. The Transamerica Partners Sales Academy offers selected third party administrators (TPAs) the opportunity to define their firms unique value proposition in the small- and mid-sized retirement plan market. Transamericas training helps TPAs build their brand and sales skills expertise through core messaging exercises and presentation skills workshops.

The Transamerica Partners Sales Academy allows TPAs to refine key marketing skills that can help build relationships with small- and mid-sized business owners, said Deb Rubin, vice president and director, national distribution of TPA services at Transamerica Retirement Services. We are committed to helping TPAs expand their businesses. Transamerica has doubled its efforts to better serve the TPA community over the past two years, and has experienced record-breaking growth in the TPA marketplace as a result.

The inaugural Transamerica Partners Sales Academy event was held in Baltimore, Md. and concluded on April 27. Christabelle Cook, a retirement plan consultant with Trinity Pension Consultants, noted, Transamerica gave us access to experts that know how to build and reinforce our companys positive brand, which is just what we need to be more successful. This program is perfectly suited for TPAs because it focuses on giving financial professionals a competitive edge in the retirement plan market.

Phil Dabney, vice president of business development for Benetech, Inc., said, The curriculum was outstanding. Transamerica Partners Sales Academy is a brilliant idea because it offers training and knowledge that can help TPAs like us to exceed our goals.

For more information about Transamerica Partners Sales Academy, please call (877) 398-7526 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

About Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation

Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation (Transamerica or Transamerica Retirement Services), which is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, designs customized retirement plan solutions to meet the unique needs of small- to mid-sized businesses. Transamerica and its affiliates have more than 17,0001 retirement plans totaling more than $20 billion1 in assets. For more information about Transamerica, please refer to http://www.TA-Retirement.com.

1As of December 31, 2011.

TRSC 6303-0412

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Transamerica Retirement Services Announces Partners Sales Academy

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeKItIf51Y

27-04-2012 04:51 Source Links and video text for Today's Items are located at This Hyper Report is supported with physical silver by Gregory Mannarino's The Game is Rigged at The opinionatedcontent contained in the Hyper Report is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. Use the information found in these videos as a starting point for conducting your own research and before making any investing decisions. All stories sourced assume all information to be truthful and reliable; however, I cannot and do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of this information. Thank you.

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120427 - Feds Eye Retirement For Debt - Video

ORLANDO, Fla.Don Kovac inserts a key, turns the lock and steps back in time. The one-bedroom, one-bath unit built in the 1960s has low ceilings, a small kitchen, little closets and 557 square feet reflecting a generation that didnt require much space in retirement.

This is not what the baby boomers want in a retirement community. They want big kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, walk-in closets, showers instead of tubs (unless they are Jacuzzis), wall space for flat-screen televisions and wireless Internet access.

And this is why Lutheran Haven in Oviedo, Fla., is part of a national trend that finds retirement communities reinventing themselves for the next generation of retirees, the silver tsunami of Americans just now entering their 60s.

The baby boomers want fitness, dining and fellowship, said Kovac, executive director of Lutheran Haven. We have no fitness equipment. We have a horseshoe pit nobody uses and a shuffleboard court. I dont think the boomers are going to want a shuffleboard court.

Elsewhere, retirement communities are linking with universities to attract college-educated boomers interested in lifelong learning. Glen

Meadows, in Glen Arm, Md., boasts of becoming the first in the nation to offer Masterpiece Living a program that stresses social, physical, spiritual and intellectual fulfillment.

CantaMia, a retirement community in Arizona, recently won recognition for its development specifically designed for boomers, including solar-heated green homes and a 30,000- square-foot facility that offers healthy cooking classes, Zumba, an indoor lap pool and a resort-style outdoor pool.

The wave of retirees is not here yet the first boomer turned 60 in 2006 but they are coming, and the retirement industry is already preparing for their arrival.

We need to start looking at this now, Kovac said. The wave is coming, and our campus is aging.

The transformation is taking place from working-class retirement communities such as Lutheran Haven to upscale facilities such as the Mayflower in Winter Park, Fla. Lutheran Havens most expensive unit, at $133,000, is about what the Mayflower charges for its entry-level apartment. Mayflowers most expensive is $670,170, along with a monthly fee of $3,886.

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Retirement communities being restyled to suit greater demands of baby boomers

This morning, April 23rd, former Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins announced his retirement, and the end of a 16 year NFL career, on the social media site Twitter.While there had been rumors that he was considering retirement, his fans are still sad to see this future Hall of Famer leave the sport.

Dawkins tweeted, "The Lord has blessed me to play in the NFL for 16 years. I would like to thank the Eagles & the Broncos 4 believing in me. I would like 2 thank all my teammates & Coaches that I have been blessed 2 go to battle with. Along with u, the fans 4 helping make my career 1 that I have enjoyed tremendously. In other words. I am announcing my retirement from the NFL #BBTB"

Given the announcement was on Twitter, his fans were quick to begin tweeting and Dawkins was soon trending. Here is what a few of his fans had to say:

Eric de le Sprecher tweeted, "Congrats Brian Dawkins for a great career in the NFL. This definitely shakes up the Bronco's D and draft scheme." As a Broncos fan, I can definitely say that Dawkins will be missed this season. I was hoping that Dawkins could have had another chance at the Super Bowl this year with Peyton Manning leading the team.

Denver Broncos fans are not the only ones sad to see Dawkins retiring. Eagles fan @scarroll13 tweets out, "Sad day in Eagles Nation - Brian Dawkins, a true legend (& my favorite pro athlete of all-time) is retiring #20B-Dawk"

Jake Sagal showed his appreciation of Dawkins by tweeting, "Thank you Brian Dawkins for 16 amazing seasons. I'm gonna miss seeing #20 make amazing plays out of nowhere. Thank you Brian."

Many question why Dawkins decided to retire before this season and a chance to play with Manning. Lushi Dia tweeted, "Why would Brian Dawkins retire?!?!! Wait at least after this year to see what Manning has left in him.."

However, the biggest question now regarding Dawkins retirement is if it will be as a Philadelphia Eagles member once again. According to reports, the Eagles have extended an invitation to Dawkins to return and retire with the Eagles during a game this season. CSNPhilly.com beat writer Reuben Frank has reported via Twitter, "Dawk has told the Eagles he'll retire as an Eagle. He'll be honored at a game this year. Might even be in town this week to talk about it." I guess we will just need to keep an eye on Twitter for the official word from Dawkins.

As a Broncos fan, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Dawkins for his time with the Broncos. He will definitely be missed this season.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid football fan. She is a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the NFL and Olympics. She has followed the Denver Broncos since she was a child and is looking forward to a season with QB Peyton Manning. Follow her on Twitter at @fwcdeborah.

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Brian Dawkins Announces Retirement from NFL Via Twitter and Twitter Responds: Fan Perspective

It's never too late to start planning your retirement security. Here's a one-size-fits-all strategy that will help secure an adequate stream of income in your later years.

With the giant baby boom generation entering traditional retirement years largely under-saved, the issue of how to secure adequate income for these years has been thrust under a national, if not global, spotlight. Thankfully, this is a fixable problem.

In a new study, Fidelity Investments and Strategic Advisers found that 38% of current retirees do not have enough income to cover their fixed monthly costs and that working Americans can expect a 28% income drop after they retire. Thats a sizable hole to plug and its made deeper by some false illusions.

(MORE: More Americans Flunk Themselves in Personal Finance)

For example, 66% of workers plan to work past their normal retirement age in order to make ends meet. But in reality only 12% will. Joblessness is part of the issue. But so is poor health. In fact, while just 34% of todays workers expect to be in fair or poor health at retirement age, the reality is that 43% will experience significant decline, according to the study.

These findings underscore the yawning need for more retirement security, and according to Fidelity the fix is much the same for every age groupthough the earlier you start the more certain the results. In a nutshell, here are five steps to adequate retirement income, regardless of age:

How do these steps fill the gaps? Lets look at a typical Generation X worker (aged 34 to 47). On average, in retirement this worker anticipates needing $4,900 of monthly income (in todays dollars). Yet looking at this workers assets and savings rate, the study found likely monthly income would be just $3,200 (through Social Security, pensions and savings withdrawals). That leaves a gap of $1,700 a month.

This worker can close the gap through the steps above. Heres how it works:

Start with asset allocation. Most of Gen X is way too conservative with just 50% invested in stocks. At 37, exposure should be 83%. Greater growth potential over the next 30 years translates into another $350 of monthly income in retirement. Savings? The typical Gen Xer is socking away 5% of pre-tax earnings in a tax-favored account. By increasing that rate one percentage point each year until the rate reaches 10%, and then maintaining it, the worker adds $550 of monthly income.

(MORE: Inside the Presidents Club)

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Retirement Income: 5 Steps to Fill the Gaps

The average baby boomer will fall far short on their necessary retirement income.

About 44% short.

Thats the grim prediction in a new study by Fidelity Investments which looked at average amounts saved, projected Social Security benefits, home equity and other factors across three demographic groups: baby boomers, Gen-Xers, and Generation Y (aka echo boomers).

Like the massive RETIRE Project Georgia State University conducted for decades, the Fidelity study assumes that because some expenses decline once you retire, you dont need as much income to maintain your standard of living.

But thats about where the similarity ends.

While the GSU study(1) estimates that an individual earning $50,000 to $90,000 per year needs to replace 80% of that amount the first year of retirement in order to maintain their standard of living, this amount includes the taxes youll still have to pay on some of your income/ On the other hand, the Fidelity study also assumes youll need 80% of your pre-retirement income, but on an after-tax basis.(2) As a result, the before-tax income you will need will actually be 25% higher than the monthly amount cited.

Numbers Dont Lie. Humans Do

Another potential flaw in the Fidelity Retirement Savings Assessment study is that it relied on self-reported data, which can be less than accurate compared to independent sources for income and account balances. For instance, the average Gen-X worker was found to have a median age of 37 and a current income of $72,000 before taxes. The average baby boomer- age 55- reported annual earnings of $74,000- just $2,000 a year higher. It seems a bit improbable that a 55 year old would only have a $2,000 income edge over someone 20 years younger.

Finally, while the survey included roughly 3,000 individuals ages 25 to 85, it was conducted entirely online, which naturally eliminates individuals who do not have access to a computer or wish to take the time to fill out an extensive survey.

The Shocking Shortfall

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Scary Retirement Numbers--No Matter How You Calculate Them