Personal Finance Daily: 401(k) plans add lifetime-income options

Personal Finance Daily DECEMBER 07, 2011 401(k) plans add lifetime-income options By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: 401(k) plans add lifetime-income options Companies trim investment choices in 401(k)s 5 trading strategies if you have less than $3,000 Those bullish corporate insiders Companies' 401(k) options are changing, as financial advisers seek ways to help investors make smarter decisions, Andrea Coombes reports today in our Retirement Adviser report. While the trend over the past decade has been for companies to increase the number of investment options in their 401(k)s, some companies are switching gears and reducing the number of options, or at least streamlining and simplifying their investment menus, Coombes writes. Other trends in 401(k)s, including new regulations on fee disclosure and new options for "lifetime-income" or annuity-like products are included in the report. Be sure to watch the videos, in which Robert Powell, our columnist and the editor of Retirement Weekly, interviews some of the nation's top experts in the field of retirement benefits and investing. See the full special report here. — Anne Stanley , Managing Editor, Personal Finance RETIREMENT Companies trim investment choices in 401(k)s Some companies are moving to streamline and simplify the investment lineups they offer in their 401(k) plans. At a recent Retirement Adviser event, hosted by MarketWatch's Robert Powell, three retirement-plan experts discuss what the changes in investment lineups mean for savers. Read more: Companies trim investment choices in 401(k)s. 401(k) plans add lifetime-income options Some companies are now letting workers invest in annuities, so that their 401(k) savings will eventually yield an income stream, but there are advantages and pitfalls to this new retirement option. Read more: 401(k) plans add lifetime-income options. Fees for 401(k)s will be revealed in 2012 Beginning in April, workers with 401(k) plans will receive information about plan investment fees — a move designed to help retirement savers make better decisions about their plans. Read more: Fees for 401(k)s will be revealed in 2012. INVESTING 5 trading strategies if you have less than $3,000 If you have less than $3,000 to invest or trade, it's possible to participate in the financial markets, says Michael Sincere. Learning about the market is a lifelong pursuit, so this initial investment is your "tuition." Here are five strategies, ranked by risk level, to consider: Read more 5 trading strategies if you have less than $3,000. J.C. Penney ties its fortunes to Martha Stewart Department store operator J.C. Penney and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia are combining forces to see if a collaboration can lift the fortunes of the two companies, writes Angela Moore. Read more: J.C. Penney ties fortunes to Martha Stewart. How to be a rogue trader Becoming a rogue trader is easier than you think, and now there's a handy little ebook to show you how to cost your employer billions of dollars, Al Lewis reports. Read more: How to be a rogue trader. How to invest in Germany's 'fiskalunion' Plans to save the euro are a bit like very cheap Christmas toys — easily broken — writes Matthew Lynn. Here are four trends to watch for when investing in Europe. Read more: How to invest in Germany's 'fiskalunion'. Those bullish corporate insiders How can we be sure that another market break is not just around the corner, the insiders' bullishness notwithstanding? Read more: Those bullish corporate insiders. Raise your stock-picking game: Watch the Yankees From Yankee Stadium to your home network, you'll find Taiwanese-made goods almost everywhere, maybe even in your portfolio, says Ben Weiss. Read more: Raise your stock-picking game: Watch the Yankees. ECONOMY AND POLITICS Blago latest Illinois politician headed for prison The sentencing of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on federal corruption charges Wednesday is just one more chapter in a long, bipartisan history of corruption that has seen roughly 20%, or one in five, of the state's chief executives indicted or convicted of felonies in the past 100 years. Read more: Blago latest Illinois politician headed for prison. No payroll tax cut deal in sight in Congress A deal over how to pay for an extension of the payroll tax cut continued to elude Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, with the clock quickly ticking toward its expiration at the end of the year. Read more: No payroll tax cut deal in sight in Congress Regulators propose bank capital, analysis rules Federal regulators seek to require the biggest banks to use three alternatives to credit ratings that will hike the amount they'll need in their trading books to offset risks with investments in securitizations and debt. Read more: Regulators propose bank capital, analysis rules Tied to euro zone, Eastern Europe eyes summit Heavily dependent on the euro zone, many of the European Union's Eastern members are heading to Brussels this week with fairly solid public finances and a desire to see the debt crisis resolved. Read more: Tied to euro zone, Eastern Europe eyes summit Australia economy surges on mining boom Australia's economy surges in the third quarter, spurred on by a boom in mining investment, carrying implications for the nation's monetary policy. Read more: Australia economy surges on mining boom Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2011 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. MarketWatch, the MarketWatch logo, and BigCharts are registered trademarks of MarketWatch, Inc. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 6/26/07). MarketWatch - Attn: Customer Service, 201 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111