PLANSPONSOR Magazine

COVER

Time for a New Definition of “Employee”

Microsoft Corporation has a knack for generating
controversy. The software giant did it again last fall, when
it became the subject of a headline-grabbing court decision
centering around a simple and seemingly innocuous question:
What is an employee?

Portrait of Retiree |April 1997

Bill Macfarlane

Retired trade journal editor, 74
Table of Contents |April 1997

End Of The Line

Employees who roll over their 401(k) assets when they leave or retire are creating a new hundred-billion-dollar financial services market- and a new headache for plan sponsors who...
Table of Contents |April 1997

A Lesson in Liability

Pension and benefits plans can hold service providers responsible for incompetent work under state malpractice laws, court says.
Table of Contents |April 1997

In Canada, Independent is Better

Canadian pensions prefer independent money managers. But an ownership fight at a leading firm raises doubts about the independents' future.
Table of Contents |April 1997

Slate Leaves Stronger, Healthier PBGC

A predecessor and a colleague recall the late executive director's efforts to rein in pension underfunding and promote pension reform legislation.
Table of Contents |April 1997

Angela Berkowicz

Staff accountant and benefits coordinator
Table of Contents |April 1997

When They Just Want to Stay Put

Most employers frown on plan participants' leaving assets in the company's 401(k) when they leave or retire. But some big plans see significant advantages in accommodating them.
Table of Contents |April 1997

Financial Planning

New software packages offer defined contribution plan participants everthing from retirement savings projections to advice on buying or leasing a car. Here is our guide to what they...
Table of Contents |April 1997

Kicking the Tires: A Checklist

What to ask when investigating financial planning software packages for your defined contribution plan participants.
Table of Contents |April 1997

Extra Alpha

Stung by active managers' missing benchmarks, plans look again at enhanced indexing
Table of Contents |April 1997

Risk Management Checklist

Working group spells out a checklist of standards for pension sponsors
Table of Contents |April 1997

Soft Dollar Probe

An SEC offensive targets broker-dealers, investment advisors, and mutual funds
Table of Contents |April 1997

Pension Obligation Bonds

Low rates inspire the first-ever state issue, and two record-breaking proposals
Table of Contents |April 1997

Information Sharing

Employees get investment advice from planners over the internet
Table of Contents |April 1997

Automatic Enrollment

Why most employers say no to an effective participation-boosting practice
Table of Contents |April 1997

Proactive Matching

Using asset-liability management to allocate the pension surplus more efficiently
Table of Contents |April 1997

Securing the Insecurable

Why plan sponsors cannot protect SERPs from taxation-and should not try