Compliance April 3, 2009

Pomeroy Proposes Updates to Saver’s Credit

U.S. Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-North Dakota) has introduced legislation that would make changes to the Saver’s Credit.
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According to a Pomeroy press release, The Savings for American Families’ Future Act would change the current Saver’s Credit, created by Congress in 2002, to make it refundable and require that the credit be paid only into the taxpayer’s retirement accounts. The bill would also expand the number of families and individuals that would be able to use the full Saver’s Credit by more than doubling the existing income limits for the full credit.

The new limits would be set at adjusted gross incomes (AGI) of $32,500 for individuals and $65,000 for couples. A phase-out range gradually lowers the credit until AGI reaches $42,500 for individuals and $85,000 for couples, at which time taxpayers are no longer eligible, the announcement said. The bill would establish the maximum amount of an employee’s contribution that is eligible for the Saver’s Credit at $500 for an individual and $1,000 for a couple, with the limits to increase by $100 and $200, respectively, each year until 2020, and after that time, to increase with inflation.

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“In the current economic climate, many employers are no longer able to match their employees’ retirement savings contributions, leaving already stretched employees to make up the difference. The Savings for American Families’ Future Act will update the Saver’s Credit to help workers continue to put aside money for their retirement years,” Pomeroy said in the announcement.

Compliance April 3, 2009

Judge Approves Adviser Deferred Comp Settlement

A federal judge in New Jersey has approved a $1 million settlement in a long-standing legal battle waged by a group of former Prudential Financial advisers over whether they had been denied deferred compensation benefits.
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U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, in an order approving the deal, noted that an out-of-court disposition of the case was best because it would avoid meeting a potentially unsympathetic jury angry at Wall Street over the nation’s financial downturn.

“[M]any of the Class Members are high income individuals in the financial services sector for whom a jury may have little sympathy given the current economic crisis facing our country,” Falk wrote. “Therefore, plaintiffs could face the prospect that a jury would not sympathize with their case and thus either find no liability or severely limit any damages awarded to the class.”

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Falk also asserted that the deal is fair and reasonable, and the fact that only two members of the class action suit objected means the settlement had widespread support among the plaintiffs.

According to the ruling, the MasterShare Plan was introduced by Prudential in 1999. It was a deferred compensation program allowing Prudential employees to invest pre-tax earnings through payroll deductions in shares of the Prudential Stock Index Fund at a 25% discount of the purchase price of Prudential securities, the court said.

The shares of Prudential stock were deposited into a customer account established for each employee and the stock would vest three years after purchase. Prudential also offered enhanced premium shares in the Prudential Stock Index Fund, which were contributions made by Prudential that considered the employee’s and the company’s performance, the court said.

Moving to Wachovia Securities

The plaintiffs were Prudential financial advisers who were transferred to Wachovia Securities on June 30, 2003, as part of a deal between the two companies.

According to Falk, each plaintiff ended employment with Wachovia Securities in 2004, and they now allege they were constructively terminated by Wachovia Securities due to “deplorable” and “impossible” working conditions. They claim they were not paid all benefits they were owed under the MasterShare Plan.

Under the terms of the settlement, financial advisers who contributed in the MasterShare Plan will receive 4% of their wage contributions. Financial advisers who contributed to the Wachovia plan will receive 3% of their wage contributions. The settlement further provides that if the $1 million is not sufficient to make the 4% and 3% payments to the advisers, all class members will receive a pro rata reduction of the funds they would have received.

The ruling in Serio v. Wachovia Securities LLC, D.N.J., No. 06-4681 is available here.

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