Darla Mercado

Darla Mercado writes about retirement issues and products, including taxes, annuities and 401(k) plans. She welcomes feedback and tips from readers on interesting topics. Outside of the newsroom, Darla spends her time inline skating, biking, running and swimming. She Tweets at: @Darla_Mercado

Darla Mercado
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RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 27, 2012
Sen. Harkin proposes retirement plan revamp, Social Security fix

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, on Friday proposed a way to bolster retirement savings at work, plus a series of improvements to Social Security.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 27, 2012
Pension plans keep more retirees out of poverty, reduce reliance on public assistance

Retirees aren't the only ones who benefit from receiving a defined-benefit pension; the plans help curtail government spending.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 27, 2012
Self-directed accounts in peril

Advisers warn that plan sponsors could stop offering self-directed accounts over concerns that they will have more fiduciary responsibility for investments.

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 26, 2012
Life insurance agent accused of scamming Lincoln, N.Y. Life

Allegedly raked in big commissions by selling policies that greatly exaggerated applicants' net worth; faces 30 years in prison, forfeiture of Escalade

INVESTING MUTUAL FUNDS JUL 24, 2012
Reported probe into stable value fund could upend advisers

DOL said to be investigating JPMorgan stable-value fund; 'Who is looking under the hood?'

New deadline looms for retirement plan fee disclosure
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 24, 2012
New deadline looms for retirement plan fee disclosure

Now that a new federal rule took effect requiring plan providers to disclose certain 401(k) fees, sponsors have until the end of next month to pass the word to participants

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 22, 2012
Advisers prefer leaving alts in VAs to others

RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 22, 2012
Life insurance guidelines could tie captive agents' hands

When it comes to alts in VAs, advisers not DIYers: Jackson National
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JUL 20, 2012
When it comes to alts in VAs, advisers not DIYers: Jackson National

Some 40% of new flows are going in Guidance Portfolios, a packaged strategy; 'counter-correlated sleeve'

RETIREMENT LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES JUL 20, 2012
Advisers, B-Ds retreat from Hartford