NEW YORK, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --J.P. Morgan Asset Management today launched Retirement Link, a comprehensive retirement offering with alliance partner FASCore, LLC to provide recordkeeping solutions to the small-to mid-sized retirement plan market.

Retirement Link combines the best of J.P. Morgan's innovative plan design, outcome-driven investment solutions, superior client service and leading retirement thought leadership with cost-effective operations and servicing. The offering will leverage FASCore's extensive experience to deliver bundled recordkeeping solutions for small-to mid-sized retirement plans with assets up to $40 million. J.P. Morgan will migrate a portion of its existing small-to mid-sized business to Retirement Link over the coming months. J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services also continues to serve its core to- mega clients through its industry-leading proprietary platform.

"The small-to mid-sized plan market is central to the continued growth of our retirement business. Our partnership with FASCore in launching Retirement Link was the result of a thorough evaluation and due diligence process to ensure that we can offer our clients outstanding service and competitive value," said Julia Bates, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Small-to Mid- Market Retirement Plan business. "FASCore's long-term commitment to the retirement plan market, their industry leadership, high quality employees and processes, and our experience with the company, were primary factors that influenced our selection and the development of Retirement Link."

Charlie Nelson, president of FASCore, said, "We're excited to expand our partnership with J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Their broad distribution, asset management and retirement solution expertise make them an attractive partner. We also applaud their focus on plan sponsor solutions and participant retirement readiness. Both of these initiatives are consistent with our priorities as well."

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management RetirementJ.P. Morgan Asset Management is a leading comprehensive retirement solutions provider dedicated to improving individual retirement outcomes. J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services provides bundled defined contribution services available to plans of all sizes, including more than 650 clients and 1.8 million plan-level participants representing more than $125 billion in retirement plan assets as of March 31, 2012. J.P. Morgan Defined Contribution Investment Solutions manages more than $61 billion in defined contribution assets as of March 31, 2012.

About J.P. Morgan Asset ManagementJ.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under supervision of approximately $2.0 trillion and assets under management of $1.4 trillion (as of March 31, 2012), is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management's clients include institutions, retail investors and high-net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), the parent company of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, is a leading global asset management firm with assets of approximately $2.1 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at http://www.jpmorganchase.com.

About FASCore, LLC FASCore, a wholly owned subsidiary of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, is a leading provider of recordkeeping and administrative services for the defined contribution and deferred compensation market. For more than 40 years, FASCore has provided retirement plan recordkeeping services for 401(k), 403(b), 457 and non-qualified plans of all sizes. It has grown recently by partnering with banks, insurance companies, brokerage firms, money management companies, and other financial institutions to offer private-label recordkeeping services to their plan clients. At March 31, 2012, FASCore record kept 4.5 million participant accounts(1).

About Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance CompanyGreat-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, headquartered in metro Denver, serves its customers through a range of group retirement savings products and services, individual retirement accounts, life insurance and annuities, and business-owned life insurance. It is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco Inc. and "A Member of the Power Financial Corporation Group of Companies" .

"A Member of the Power Financial Corporation Group of Companies" is the registered mark of Power Corporation of Canada. Great-West Retirement Services and the Partnership logo are the registered trademarks of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company.

(1) Recordkeeping numbers reflect all FASCore customers: those of institutional clients, third-party administrator clients and Great-West Retirement Services.

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J.P. Morgan Asset Management Announces Launch of Retirement Link(SM) to serve Small-to Mid-Market Retirement Plans

LaDainian Tomlinson announced his retirement Monday in San Diego, and there was no debate about his place in Chargers' history. "Few players, if any, have meant more to this franchise than LT. He was the heart and soul of this team through one of the most successful decades in our history," said team president Dean Spanos. "I couldn't wait to watch him play because I knew I would see something special every week. And that's what he gave all of us: special memories we'll carry with us forever. And being here with him on the day he came into this league and the day retired is extra special." Tomlinson is the NFL's fifth all-time leading rusher with 13,684 career yards. He retires after two seasons with the Jets and had 162 career touchdowns, including 145 rushing touchdowns, which is the second-most all-time to Emmitt Smith. "I was fortunate to be with L.T. his rookie year," said Chargers coach Norv Turner, who also coached Smith in Dallas. "It was very evident that he was going to be a great player, a complete player with good fortune. He was going to have the career he had. There have been very few players in the NFL who have meant as much to their team than LT did during his career here. In particular, his MVP season in 2006. It would be hard to find a back that led the league in rushing and caught over 100 balls in separate seasons. It speaks volumes for his abilities and what he was capable of doing." Tomlinson can be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2017. Tomlinson was the fifth overall pick in 2001 and made an immediate impact for the Chargers. He played nine seasons in San Diego (2001-09) and owns or is tied for a total of 28 team records, including marks for career rushing yards, rushing touchdowns in a season and total touchdowns. Three players ahead of Tomlinson on the NFL's all-time rushing list -- Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders -- are enshrined in Canton.

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Chargers' great Tomlinson announces retirement

It was just a few years ago that Wanderlei Silva was on top of the world.

The Brazilian was wreaking havoc in Japan on an incredible 20-fight win streak while fighting under the Pride banner, and sitting as the best light heavyweight in the sport.

As times change and careers progress, Silva eventually moved back over to the UFC, the promotion he had fought for early in his MMA career, but didn't find the same type of success.

Call it age, call it competition catching up with him, but through six fights under his new UFC deal Silva was sitting with a 2-4 record and questions of retirement started to swirl.

UFC president Dana White seemed to encourage the idea because of Silva's long journey in the world of MMA, and some violent encounters with past opponents that either left him or the other guy laying in the center of the Octagon, unconscious.

It just wasn't in Wanderlei Silva to walk away, however; so he dusted himself off, picked himself up, got back in the gym and earned another shot in the UFC, and it paid off.

Silva put on a Fight of the Night performance with a victory over former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le, and earned a spot coaching the first ever Ultimate Fighter in his native country of Brazil.

While he coached the entire season against Vitor Belfort, an injury forced Belfort out of the fight, so Silva will instead face Rich Franklin on June 23 in Brazil as the headline fight at UFC 147. One win doesn't erase the past, but Silva knows that one loss will absolutely bring up the questions again.

Is it time to retire? Is it time to walk away?

I have a lot of pressure in all the fights. Right now, all the fights I need to prove I can still fight. All the time I need to prove, and I'm going to prove it again that I'm still a really good fighter and can put on a really good show, Silva told MMAWeekly Radio.

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Retirement? There's Still a Lot of Fight Left in Wanderlei Silva

Holding debt isn't stopping Canadians from contributing to their retirement - but it does impact how much they can save

TORONTO, June 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadians holding debt are actively contributing to their retirement savings - but the more debt products they hold, the less they are able to put away for the future each month, according to a new CIBC (CM.TO) (CM) poll conducted by Harris/Decima.

Key Poll Findings:

"These poll results clearly illustrate the connection between good debt management and your ability to save for your long term financial goals," said Christina Kramer, Executive Vice President, Retail Distribution and Channel Strategy, CIBC. "Planning for a successful retirement involves more than just having a regular savings plan. It also requires a strategy to pay down debt, reduce interest costs, and redirect those funds towards long term savings."

Past CIBC research has shown the likelihood of holding debt peaks at age 45, and then declines. As Canadians pay down their debt they have an opportunity to direct more of those funds towards retirement. Ms. Kramer notes there is an opportunity for Canadians to look at their finances holistically to accelerate this curve.

"A positive finding from this poll is that Canadians appear to be very aware of the importance of putting away money for the long term, however balancing that against the immediate need to repay debt can be a challenge," added Ms. Kramer. "The message is not that holding any debt will negatively affect your future, it's that debt repayment needs to be managed appropriately to open up opportunities to accelerate retirement savings for the future."

Advice on Managing Debt:

For Canadians focused on paying down debt, Ms. Kramer offered debt management tips to take charge of their finances and reduce debt as part of their long term financial plan.

"There is a clear benefit to sitting down with an advisor and working through your plans on both the savings and debt management side of your finances to help you achieve what matters to you in the long term," added Ms. Kramer.

To learn more tips and try various debt repayment tools and calculators, visit the CIBC Advice Centre.

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CIBC Poll: Debt Drags Retirement Savings Down

Each facility - Montereau, Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center and Baptist Village of Owasso - will argue before the board that it should be exempt from paying property taxes because it is a nonprofit continuum-of-care facility, according to protests filed with the Tulsa County Clerk's Office.

State law defines a continuum-of-care facility as a home, establishment or institution providing nursing facility services. These include services at assisted living centers and adult day care centers.

A hearing before the equalization board is the second step in the formal appeals process available to all taxpayers. The first step is an informal hearing at the Assessor's Office.

Montereau, Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center and Baptist Village of Owasso each participated in the informal hearing process, and the original assessments were reduced.

Before filing their protest with the Board of Equalization, Montereau and Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center each took the unusual step of filing petitions in Tulsa County District Court, asking the court to order Assessor Ken Yazel to classify their properties as tax-exempt, as the Assessor's Office has done in years past.

At a court hearing last week, Tulsa County District Judge Mary Fitzgerald denied Montereau's request, saying the court did not have jurisdiction to take such action.

"The Legislature is clear ... in saying that proceedings before the county assessor and the boards of equalization and appeals therefrom shall be the sole method by which assessments or equalizations shall be corrected or taxes abated," Fitzgerald said, adding that "it is not up to this court to circumvent the administrative processes that are set out."

Immediately after Fitzgerald's ruling, Tulsa Jewish Retirement and Health Care Center filed its protest with the Board of Equalization and dropped its suit against the Assessor's Office.

The Board of Equalization on Wednesday will be asked to address two issues: whether all of the property at the continuum-of-care facilities should be exempt from paying property taxes and, if not, how much the assessment should be on the properties.

The equalization board is made up of three members: Ted Kachel, Warren Morris and Ruth Gaines. The Tulsa County commissioners, the Oklahoma Tax Commission and a district judge or a majority of the Tulsa County district judges each appoint one member.

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Retirement communities take tax dispute to Board of Equalization

Buying a vineyard, riding a motorcycle cross-country, and brewing truly fantastic coffee were among the many in-retirement splurges Morningstar.com readers cited in a recent thread in the Investing During Retirement forum of Morningstar.com's Discuss boards. In addition to asking posters to cite their biggest in-retirement splurge, I also asked them to note how they had planned for the additional expense and whether it had been worth their while.

Perhaps not surprisingly, given that there's a robust contingent of frugal types on our website, some readers noted that they were more inclined to spend extra cash on must-haves rather than nice-to-haves. But others readily shared tales of deploying cash toward indulgences big and small and noted that they'd happily do it all over again if they could. Still others waxed philosophical, urging their fellow retirees to splurge before it's too late and to consider nonfinancial splurges as well as those that require a large cash outlay.

To read the complete thread--an especially rollicking one complete with mentions of llamas, pro baseball players, and hot rods--or to chime in with your own in-retirement splurge, click here (http://socialize.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/forums/p/306023/3256725.aspx#3256725).

'A Sit-Down Mexican Restaurant Instead of Taco Bell'At least a few posters weren't at all down with the notion of splurging, period. Truthteller's post hinted at the very difficult market environment that has confronted today's retirees. "Splurge? Are you kidding me? I retired in Spring 2008. Fixed-income yield was stolen by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department later that same year. It hasn't come back, and won't for a long time. I'm living on less than half of what I expected to live on. Splurge? Yeah, it's called buying groceries."

Cats22 wrote simply, "We're not big 'splurgers': never have been and never will be."

FidlStix, in what I'm pretty sure is a tongue-in-cheek post, wrote, "Our biggest splurge is occasionally going to a sit-down Mexican restaurant instead of Taco Bell when we eat out."

Paulbrown noted that not splurging can provide its own gift: peace of mind. "I can't really find anything I splurged on. I just have a frugal wife who keeps me in line. Nice being comfortable at ages 76 and 78."

For other posters, what splurges they have made have been strictly utilitarian. LuckyDogwrote, "I guess that this sounds very practical, but our 'big splurge' last year was that we stopped heating the house with wood, bought a new furnace, new house windows, and a concrete floor for the barn. Life is good."

Rescarr, meanwhile, "tore up and changed out two bathrooms. The work was done by myself with the assistance of another craftsman. And the money came out of a home equity loan which was paid off rather quickly with no effect on my retirement pensions or my portfolio."

'Moral: Make Hay While the Sun Shines!'Other posters defined "splurge" more conventionally. Travel, either snowbirding or visiting exotic locales overseas, topped many posters' lists of their biggest in-retirement splurges.

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What Have You Splurged on in Retirement

GRAND FORKS, ND--(Marketwire -06/14/12)- Alerus Retirement Solutions, a division of Alerus Financial, N.A., introduces a mobile app, available for both iPhone and Android devices. With the Alerus Retirement Solutions mobile application, retirement plan participants receive fast and secure inquiry access to their account information. The app allows Alerus Retirement Solutions to build a closer relationship with the participants on a day to day basis. Participants can view account activity, current balance by investment and source, rate of return, and recent contribution information. "We are excited to offer this on-the-go solution for our growing population of mobile plan participants," said Brian Overby, president of Alerus Retirement Solutions.

The app gives participants an easy way to see their retirement account at-a-glance where they live, work, and play. They will also receive important personalized alerts about account events regarding contributions, loans, and market changes. The app positions Alerus Retirement Solutions as an industry leader, as Smartphones continue to be the fastest growing channel in the retirement business. Trent Richardson, president of PlanServe Data Systems added, "The mobile app is not only enabling recordkeepers to deliver a more focused account view to their participants, but it is also driving a deeper, personal relationship. Regardless of where the participant is, the ease of access with a simple click will quickly make the mobile app one of the most used channels."

Within the app, participant data is protected by the latest security encryption. The unique approach allows the participant to register and manage their mobile device through their Alerus Retirement Solutions online account. The exclusive free app is available to Alerus plan participants on the App Store and through the Android Market.

To view a demo of the app, visit http://www.alerusretirementsolutions.com/appdemo/

About Alerus Retirement SolutionsAlerus Retirement Solutions is a division of Alerus Financial, N.A., a nationally chartered bank headquartered in North Dakota. Alerus Financial is a multi-billion financial services company serving in the best interest of individuals, families, and businesses since 1933. We offer a broad array of banking and wealth management products, cutting-edge technology, knowledgeable staff, and a customer-focused philosophy.

With over 65 years of experience in the retirement plan industry, Alerus Retirement Solutions currently services over 2,350 retirement plans with nearly 180,000 retirement plan participants in all 50 states. It ranks in the top 40 nationally in assets under administration, annual revenue, retirement plan sponsors, and retirement plan participants.

About PlanServe Data SystemsPlanServe Data Systems is a Birmingham, AL based company that provides products and services for the financial, retirement and healthcare services market. PlanServe's ownership team has 30 plus years experience in developing and supporting software and internet services for the recordkeeping, financial and e-business services market. All PlanServe products are developed on a scalable, e-business framework and are available as a local licensed installation or as Software as a Service (SaaS).

Link:
Alerus Retirement Solutions Launches Mobile App for Retirement Plan Participants

I hear a lot about the 4% rule for withdrawing money from your retirement savings, but nothing about the "unexpecteds" that can create havoc with that plan. Can you explain some of the things that can go wrong if you follow the 4% rule - and suggest ways retirees can protect themselves? -- Cecilia K. Blue Ash, Ohio

The 4% rule is often sometimes presented as a near fail-safe strategy. Just withdraw 4% of your nest egg the first year of retirement, increase that dollar amount each year by the rate of inflation to maintain your purchasing power, and you have 90% assurance that your savings will last at least 30 years.

It all seems so simple and so certain. And it would be, if life unfolded with the predictability of a spreadsheet. Alas, that's not the case. As you note, there are many "unexpecteds" that can cause even the best-laid retirement income plans to go awry.

Let's start with subpar investment returns. The high probability that your savings will last 30 or more years if you stick to the 4% rule hinges on your investments earning a decent rate of return.

Assuming you invest in a diversified portfolio with a reasonable balance of stocks and bonds -- say, 50-50 -- history shows you've got a good shot at getting the returns you'll need. But the stock market can take some frightening dives that may lead to decade-long periods of mediocre returns or worse. And recent research shows downturns may be more common than we used to think.

If you're unlucky enough to experience a large loss or period of paltry gains, especially early in retirement, the odds of your nest egg surviving three decades can easily drop from 90% to 60% or lower.

Related: 'What's a realistic retirement age?'

Paradoxically enough, following the 4% rule could also be problematic if the financial markets thrive. If your investments earn outsize returns and you limit increases in your withdrawals to the inflation rate, you could end up with a big pile of cash late in life.

That might not seem like much of a drawback, particularly for your heirs. But think of it this way: If you're still sitting on a huge nest egg in your dotage, it could mean you lived a lot more more frugally than you actually had to earlier in retirement.

There are plenty of other potential hitches. You may periodically find yourself forced to spend more than the 4% rule dictates in order to meet unforeseen or higher-than-anticipated expenses -- health-care costs only partially covered by Medicare, the roof that had to be replaced after a freak storm, the money you shelled out to help a relative through a financial crisis.

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Retirement savings withdrawal: The 4% rule

England's blustery Dorset coast seems an unlikely setting for retirement planning lessons, but actually it's perfect. That's where this summer's Olympic sailboat races will take place, and viewers new to sailing will learn a surprising fact: You can sail into the wind. You need to tack in ways that aren't necessary when the wind is behind you, but do it right and you'll move bracingly fast.

That's retirement planning today. You're feeling virtually all the financial winds right in your face. Strapped governments at every level will be giving you fewer services and taking more from you in taxes and fees. Inflation may be creeping up. Employers will continue the long-term trend of whittling retirement security by freezing or abolishing the few remaining defined-benefit pension plans and reducing company contributions to 401(k) plans. As for your investment portfolio -- forget those reassuring historical stock market returns of around 11% annually and note that recent years have been far grimmer: The S&P 500 (SPX) is right where it was more than 12 years ago, in January 1999. Warren Buffett assumes Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKA) pension plan will earn a modest 7.1% a year.

[Related: Dreams of the Ideal Retirement Home]

One more fact: You'll probably live longer than you expect, a wonderful thing in every way except financially. New research from the Society of Actuaries finds that 57% of pre-retirees underestimate life expectancy from their current age, while only 28% overestimate. Your nest egg may have to last much longer than you thought.

Those are formidable headwinds. Yet as the Olympic sailors will remind us, you're not condemned to being blown backward. The right tactics will propel you ahead even now. Think of your practical next steps in three categories. Save smarter

In today's low-yield environment, most of us must salt away more. Easy to say, hard to do. If your employer hasn't adopted the Save More Tomorrow program, urge it to do so; and if it won't, then follow the program on your own. Developed by UCLA business professor Schlomo Benartzi and behavioral economist Richard Thaler, it lets employees pre-commit to saving more every time they get a pay raise. It works -- participants save much more than nonparticipants.

In choosing your saving rate, face the new reality of inflation. Experts debate whether years of monetary loosening in the U.S. and other major economies will push up prices significantly, but ignoring the risk would be foolish. Suppose you'd like your portfolio to pay you $100,000 a year (in constant dollars) for 30 years. With an after-tax return of 6% and inflation at 2%, a nest egg of $1.82 million will do the job. But if inflation turns out to be just one point higher than you assumed, at 3%, you'll need another quarter million dollars.

Invest smarter

Back when we all thought we'd get 11% long-term annual returns, we could maybe afford to ignore fees and expenses. No more. It's time to get tough on the "helpers," Buffett's sarcastic term for the intermediaries who take bits and pieces of our investment returns. As he and Vanguard founder John Bogle constantly preach: Over decades, tenths of a point matter. Some helpers, such as the best fee-only advisers, are emphatically worth their cost. But in today's environment, investors must know exactly how much they're paying and for what.

[Related: Best Places to Retire]

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3 Ways to Take Control of Your Retirement

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --DST Retirement Solutions, a leading provider of flexible retirement plan outsourcing solutions to financial services organizations, today announced that Andy Jordan, former COO of Makibie Corporation, has joined the firm to lead its digital strategies, which includes web and mobile development teams.

Mr. Jordan's focus will include executing DST Retirement Solutions' strategy for evolving existing platforms to be more outcome driven and action-oriented and developing new web and mobile strategies along with the firm's product organization.

He will report directly to Frank LoMedico, Chief Information Officer for DST Retirement Solutions.

"Andy brings a wealth of knowledge and broad experiences to his position that will help us determine and manage our Web solutions for DST's clients," says Mr. LoMedico. "I'm excited he is joining our team and look forward to his contributions to strengthening our business relationships."

In his previous role as CEO for Makibie Corporation, a leading interactive services firm, Mr. Jordan worked extensively with DST Retirement Solutions in the redesign of its plan sponsor and participant websites.

"We're excited about Andy's expertise in the Web space," says Mr. LoMedico, "His skills will be invaluable in helping our clients keep pace with the ever-evolving technologies.

DST Retirement Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DST Systems, Inc., offers one of the industry's broadest arrays of high value retirement plan servicing options for financial organizations distributing and serving their customers' retirement needs.

About DST Retirement Solutions, LLC

DST Retirement Solutions offers one of the broadest arrays of high-value retirement outsourcing solutions for financial organizations distributing retirement investment products and serving their customers' retirement needs. Financial service companies, such as mutual funds, banks, insurance companies and third-party administrators, benefit from our flexible service model that utilizes an end-to-end technology solution and provides support for financial intermediaries. Servicing 4.5 million participants, DST Retirement Solutions supports any plan size and investment vehicle. DST Retirement Solutions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DST Systems, Inc.

The information and comments in this press release may include forward-looking statements respecting DST and its businesses. Such information and comments are based on DST's views as of today, and actual actions or results could differ. There could be a number of factors, risks, uncertainties or contingencies that could affect future actions or results, including but not limited to those set forth in DST's periodic reports (Forms 10-K or 10-Q) filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such factors should be considered in evaluating any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect future events. Brand, service or product names or marks in this press release are trademarks or service marks, registered or otherwise, of DST Systems, Inc., DST subsidiaries or affiliates, or third parties.

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DST Retirement Solutions Hires Top Industry Executive To Develop Web Solutions