RJ and Makay

A positive development regarding employer matching contributions to employee retirement plans: According to a new survey, 30% of plan sponsors will reinstate previously eliminated or reduced matches in 2011.

That's great news for employees who lost some or all of their match during the recession. Americans need all the help they can get in saving for a secure retirement.

If the Labor Department's proposed definition of "fiduciary" is adopted, the outcome could be higher costs for employer-sponsored retirement plans, cautions the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a free-market think tank.

Under the proposed definition, the fiduciary standard would be expanded to include firms that advise retirement plan sponsors about which investments to offer. The intent would be to prevent conflicts of interest, such as making investment recommendations simply because they result in more money for advisors.

When it comes to putting away money for retirement, women generally trail men by a wide margin, suggests a recent study by financial services research and consulting firm LIMRA.

"Women's average defined contribution (DC) plan balances are only 60% of men's," reports Cecilia Shiner, a senior analyst at LIMRA. "This is especially concerning because women live longer than men and thus need more retirement savings. In addition to a longer average lifespan, women are more likely to have work disruptions for caregiving that hinder their capacity to save. Therefore, they need to capitalize on savings opportunities while they are working."