Stop the Retirement Rip-off

A detailed guide for avoiding the pitfalls of retirement funding

In Stop the Retirement Rip-Off, author David Loeper provides the necessary tools for investors to take action and make the most of their retirement plans. It offers a road map for employees to understand the fees and costs associated with their plans; document the excesses in a presentation to management; then organize themselves to protest and, if necessary, bring the documentation to the Labor Department in a complaint.

Written in a straightforward and accessible style, this book is filled with sensible strategies for making the most of retirement funds and putting future retirees back on the right financial track.

• Filled with strategies that can help employees stand up and secure their financial future
• Addresses how to make the most of your money, and your life, after fixing your retirement plan
• Outlines a practical approach to understanding your organization's retirement plan and overcoming its potential inefficiencies

This important book contains the much-needed information that employees need to plan for retirement and ensure a secure financial future.

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction Make the Most of Your Life! 1

Chapter 1 Why Fees Matter—The Coming "Retirement Plan Sticker Shock" 11

Chapter 2 Types of Expenses Dragging Down Your Retirement Funds 25

Chapter 3 The Price to Your Lifestyle of Needless Expenses 39

Chapter 4 Complaining Without Sounding Like a Complainer 55

Chapter 5 Rallying Your Troops—Just One Coworker Can Help 63

Chapter 6 What Happens If My Employer Ignores Us? 69

Chapter 7 Now That My Retirement Plan Is Fixed, How Can I Make the Most of My Life? 79

Chapter 8 Resources, Investment Selection, Asset Allocation, Tools, and Advice 91

Chapter 9 How Much is That Guarantee in the Window? 121

Chapter 10 Hidden Expenses in Government Union and Some 403(b) Plans 131

Chapter 11 Summary 137

Appendix A Lifestyle Prices of Excessive Retirement Plan Expenses 139

Appendix B ABC Plan-401(k) Plan Fee Disclosure Form 205

About the Author 217

Index 219

David B. Loeper is the CEO of Financeware, Inc. Prior to founding Financeware in 1999, Loeper was managing director of strategic planning for the retail brokerage division of Wheat First Union and served on the Investment Advisory Committee of the almost $30 billion Virginia Retirement System. Loeper has been active in several industry associations, including the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA). He has also been a featured speaker at numerous industry events and often contributes to industry publications, as well as appearing on CNBC, Bloomberg TV, Fox Business, CNN, and Yahoo! FinanceVision. Storp The Retirement Rip-off

The detailed guide to avoiding the pitfalls of retirement funding

Saving for retirement is never easy, but in today's volatile economic climate it's moredifficult than ever. Whether you know it or not, if you're investing in a 401(k) plan, you and your fellow investors are being defrauded to the tune of billions of dollars in fees every year. While both plan sponsors and employers are legally bound to look out for you best interests, the fact is that you're on your own. Investment management expert David Loeper is here to help, and this second edition of his bestselling Stop the Retirement Rip-off is designed to give you the knowledge and tools you need to take control of your retirement future.

Fully updated to address the all-new challenges of retiring in the twenty-first century, the book provides a road map that will help you navigate the fees and costs associated with retirement plans, in order to get the most out of them. In addition, the book outlines the steps for bringing a case to the Department of Labor if your employer continues to disregard your rights to a bountiful retirement. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, Stop the Retirement Rip-off is filled with sensible strategies for making the most of retirement funds and putting your retirement plan back on the right financial track.

The book also goes one step further, with a discussion of how to make the most of your money,and your life, after fixing your retirement savings plans. Addressing the most up-to-date distribution rules and regulations on IRAs and other pension plans, this new edition is the only book you need to prepare for the retirement you deserve.