Mercer Releases 2012 Social Security and Medicare Resources

January 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Changes to both Social Security and Medicare took effect on January 1, and updated information is available in Mercer’s 2012 Guide to Social Security and 2012 Medicare booklet.

The resources give explanations of the programs, recent changes and cost and benefit amounts for 2012, and includes real-life examples.  

Topics in the 2012 Guide to Social Security include: 

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  • Major changes for 2012; 
  • Retirement benefits – early, late and delayed retirement information, with examples; 
  • Disability benefits; 
  • Survivor benefits; 
  • Who receives benefits; 
  • Easy-reference monthly benefit tables; 
  • Medicare benefits overview – eligibility and enrollment 
  • “To Do” section; and 
  • Answers to frequently asked questions about Social Security. 

Mercer’s 2012 Medicare booklet includes: 

  • Major Medicare changes for 2012, 
  • What is covered and not covered, 
  • Enrollment and eligibility, 
  • Part A (Hospital Insurance), 
  • Part B (Medical Insurance), 
  • Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans), and 
  • Part D (Outpatient Prescription Drug Plan). 

For more information or to purchase Mercer’s 2012 Guide to Social Security or 2012 Medicare booklet, visit www.imercer.com/socialsecurity or call 800-333-3070. The minimum order for the Guide is 25 copies at $7.10 each (quantity discounts are available, e.g., 100 copies at $5.85 each). The minimum order for the Medicare booklet is 100 copies at $3.40 each (quantity discounts are available, e.g., 500 copies at $2.95 each).  

AFSCME Plan Files Shareholder Proposals

January 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) Employees Pension Plan has filed 21 shareholder proposals.

The plan proposals are designed to protect and enhance the economic value of its long-term investments. They would require greater director accountability, independent corporate board leadership and greater transparency in the companies in which the plan invests.  

The AFSCME Plan—with more than $850 million in assets—submitted the 21 shareholder proxy proposals for consideration at annual company meetings this spring. The proposals are designed to increase corporate management’s accountability and transparency and better align the interests of management with those of shareowners. The changes sought through these proposals would reduce risks to the companies’ future performance and protect and improve the value of these companies’ shares.   

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The AFSCME Plan has filed proposals seeking independent board chairs, annual director elections and reports on the risks to shareholders of corporate lobbying expenditures and aggressive corporate tax strategies.

“These 21 proposals will bring greater transparency and accountability when boards of directors fail to properly represent shareholders’ best interests. Additionally, as shareowners, we will review Say on Pay at all companies and voice disapproval for unwarranted CEO pay,” said AFSCME President Gerals W. McEntee.  

 Proposals have been filed at: Abbott Laboratories; Amazon; American Express; Anadarko Petroleum; AT&T; Bank of America; Boeing; Chevron; Coca-Cola; Dean Foods; Emerson Electric; Goldman Sachs; Janus Capital; Johnson & Johnson; JPMorgan Chase; Kraft Foods; Lockheed Martin; Northern Trust; Pfizer; Union Pacific and Verizon.

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