Fidelity 401(k) Accounts Back to September 2008 Levels Fidelity Investments said Thursday that the average balance for its customers’ 401(k) retirement accounts has returned to September 2008 levels. Source: New York Times

Is Your 401(k) a Dog or a Darling? There’s a lot of debate about whether 401(k) plans are failing American workers. Publications ranging from CBS MoneyWatch to Time Magazine have reported on their relative failings, as well as on some of the success stories. But there’s no doubt that some plans are dogs–failing every employee forced to deal with them. Source: CBS Money Watch

Grab Your Reinstated 401(k) Match Post-Haste Many employers who eliminated 401(k) matching funds during the recession have reinstated them or plan to do so in the year ahead. Source: CBS Money Watch

Labor Department Kills Bush Investment-Advice Rule The Labor Department has killed a Bush administration rule that would have cleared the way for mutual fund companies to offer direct one-on-one investment advice through their affiliates to defined contribution plan participants. Source: Pensions & Investments

Fiduciary Liabilities: Are You Covered? With lawsuits piling up against pension plan sponsors, individual fiduciary would do well to protect themselves against financial risks, experts say. Source: CFO.com

2009 End of Year Plan Sponsor "To Do" Lists Seven "to do" lists that may require you to take action before the end of 2009 or in early 2010. Many of the action items are a result of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and may require plan amendments. Source: Snell & Wilmer LLP

QDIA Notice Rules The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) created the Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA). Final QDIA regulations were issued October 24, 2007. The QDIA provides employers a safe harbor from fiduciary risk when selecting an investment for a participant or beneficiary who fails to elect his or her own investment. Source: McKay Hockman

Savvy Self-Employed and the Solo 401k The Solo 401k is designed for the self-employed and offers powerful features not found in traditional 401k or IRA retirement plans and offers unique tax benefits to those who open an account before the New Year. Source: 401khelpcenter.com

401k Plans Need to Reach Out to Minorities In a recent Webinar, Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, said 401k plan sponsors should pay attention to the savings differences among minorities. SourcePlanadviser.com

2010 Regulatory Limits Poster and Compliance Calendar This poster, compliments of Vanguard Strategic Retirement Consulting (SRC), is a convenient way to remind you of important regulatory limits and dates for retirement plans. SRC also has created a calendar that lists recurring compliance and notice requirements for qualified defined contribution plans. Source: Vanguard Strategic Retirement Consulting.

Keys to Effective Financial Education Do financial education programs work? Plenty of well-informed people — from industry leaders to policymakers — are convinced you cannot turn a nation of consumers into a nation of intentional savers. But there is ample evidence for the opposite view. Source: Financial-Planning.com

401k Uptake Linked to Employer-Sponsored Education What motivates employees to participate in and contribute to voluntary savings plans? According to a new study in Economic Inquiry, the answer lies in how regularly their company holds retirement seminars. Source: 401khelpcenter.com

Trends and Experience in 401k Plans 2009 The 2009 Trends and Experience in 401k Plans survey results reveal emerging trends in 401k plan design and administration. Information on key aspects of 401k design, investments, education, communication, plan expenses, and plan success was collected from a cross-section of plan sponsors. Source: Hewitt Associates

DOL Retirement-Advice Rules Moving Forward The U.S. Department of Labor is moving ahead with new rules concerning invest. advice for retirement-plan participants, as it scuttles controversial regulations issued under the Bush administration. The department's Employee Benefits Security Administration has submitted a proposal to the Office of Management and Budget and expects it to be published in the Federal Register soon, with a public comment period to follow. Source: Wall Street Journal.

EBSA Further Delays Invest. Advice Rule The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced Monday that it is giving itself until May 17, 2010, to develop a new version of its final invest. advice rule. Source: Planadviser.com

Plan Action Required: IRS Issues Updated Safe Harbor Rollover Notices The IRS recently issued (in IRS Notice 2009-68) two updated model rollover notices for use by plan administrators. The new notices update the previously issued "safe harbor" notices to reflect changes in the law and are written in a more reader-friendly manner to make it easier for recipients to understand. Source: Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

Relief on Contribution Changes Proposed for Safe Harbor 401k Plans The Internal Revenue Service recently issued proposed regulations that may provide relief to plan sponsors that have been forced to look for ways to reduce costs by considering reducing or suspending employer contributions to their 401k plans. Source: Employee Benefit Adviser