However stout a client's tax defenses, there's almost no avoiding the levy against retirement plans for the year they reach 70 1/2, when they must start withdrawing cash from IRAs and 401(k) plans and paying ordinary income tax on it, writes Robert Hershey in the New York Times.

Prudential Retirement today announced its first longevity reinsurance transaction of 2012. Under the terms of the deal, Prudential Retirement will provide reinsurance of longevity risk to the U.K.'s Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Several hundred firefighters have broken through police lines and hosed down the prime minister's office to protest the government's tougher retirement plans.

Principal Financial Group Inc. said its fourth-quarter net income dipped 18 percent as its retirement business continued to face challenges amid the slow economic recovery.

PBGC director Josh Gotbaum addressed the agency's $26 billion coverage gap, asking for changes to set premiums based on the risk of the insured.

Company executives will meet Wednesday with employees to detail concessions, which unions expect to include either a freeze or an end to American's pension plans.

As the DOL's fee disclosure regulations take effect early this year, it's becoming increasingly important that 401(k) managers understand where their fees rank and if they're reasonable.

UPS says a charge related to a new method of accounting for pensions and retirement plans will significantly reduce its reported earnings for the fourth-quarter and full year of 2011.