Author: Retiree benefit cuts a rigged game

Those inclined to sympathize with Corporate America's chronic complaints about burdensome regulations and frivolous lawsuits should read Ellen E. Schultz's book, "Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers."

The Wall Street Journal reporter documents how companies take advantage of poorly worded federal law, the legal system and retirees who are ill-equipped to understand the nuances of accounting or to challenge their former employers in court. Ms. Schultz said the result has been the widespread elimination of retiree pension and health care benefits and the simultaneous increase in the pay and benefits of top executives.

While many readers will struggle to understand how the accounting rules and congressionally blessed loopholes work, Ms. Schultz makes their consequences abundantly clear. The retirement crisis was not, in fact, caused by aging workforces, retirees who are living longer and other demographic factors, she said.

The real culprits were top executives, benefits consultants, insurance companies and banks, "all of whom played a huge and hidden role in the death spiral of American pensions and benefits," Ms. Schultz writes.

Accounting rules provide an incentive for companies to cut benefits because they can book gains from their savings. The rules took effect as companies began tying more executive pay to profits. Ms. Schultz writes the rules made pension plans "cookie jars of potential earnings enhancements" for companies to tap.

"Deliberately or not, the executives who green-lighted massive retiree cuts were indirectly boosting their own pay," she writes.

Companies healthy enough to contribute to their pension funds can book gains based on what they assume their investments will earn. That also boosts incentive-based pay.

"If you put in $100 million and assume an 8 percent return, you have immediately built in an 8 percent return that contributes to earnings," she said.

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Author: Retiree benefit cuts a rigged game

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Finding books by African American Authors just got easier.

Readers and collectors of books by African American authors have a new resource. Choosebooks.com lists booksellers Specializing in African American History, African American literature and African American studies.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/02/prweb57024.htm

CHROME® Specialty Car Insurance Announces iPhone App For Car Buffs, Features Price Guide For Classic Cars, Car Show Directory, Photos, Travelogue

Classic-car enthusiasts can download the CHROME® iPhone app to access: an auto price guide with information on more than 40,000 models of vehicles (published by F+W Media), a road-trip journal, images of specialty and classic cars featured in the ANPAC® CHROME calendar, a car show directory, and other features.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/iphoneappforclassiccars/chromeiphoneapp/prweb3062474.htm

CHROME Specialty Car Insurance Offers Free iPhone App Featuring Quarter-Mile Drag Race

Classic-car enthusiasts can get into the driver’s seat of a ’66 Mustang convertible and test their skills on the drag strip with the new CHROME Quarter-Mile Challenge Drag Race iPhone app from CHROME specialty car insurance. A classic Mustang calibrated to original specifications, coupled with realistic 3-D graphics and sound, gives users an authentic and entertaining drag racing experience.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/iphoneappforclassiccars/chromedragraceiphoneapp/prweb3894664.htm

National Street Rod Association Names Vintage, Classic Car Insurance, CHROME from ANPAC, Official Product of the NSRA

Street rod fans and car buffs revving up for the 2010 car show season will notice CHROME specialty car insurance from ANPAC, official product of the National Street Rod Association, replacing the familiar logo of Sneed Insurance, formerly Sneed, Robinson & Gerber. Sneed entrusts its vintage car clients to CHROME this year after a 37-year exclusive relationship with the NSRA.


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