Posted on 09/05/2009 10:35:11 PM PDT by Cindy
Note: The following text is a quote:
THE BRIEFING ROOM
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary ___________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release September 5, 2009
WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Announces New Initiatives for Retirement Savings
WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama will announce new steps to make it easier for American families to save for retirement. These new initiatives will complement the president’s major legislative proposals to boost participation in IRAs and match retirement savings.
The new initiatives will:
Expand opportunities for automatic enrollment in 401(k) and other retirement savings plans, Make it easier for more than 100 million families to save a portion or all of their tax refunds, Enable workers to convert their unused vacation or other similar leave into additional retirement savings, and Help workers and their employers better understand the available options for tax-favored retirement saving through clear, easy-to-understand language.
Together, these steps will expand the range of choices for workers who want to save and will make saving easier for millions of Americans.
Attached is a fact sheet that outlines the new initiatives for retirement savings. The fact sheet will be live on the website at 6AM tomorrow morning.
The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.
Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, September 5, 2009
As we spend time with family and friends this Labor Day weekend, many of us will also be thinking about the state of working America. Yesterday, we received a report showing that job losses have slowed dramatically compared to just a few months ago. Earlier in the week, we learned that the manufacturing sector has posted its first gains in eighteen months, and that many of the banks that borrowed money at the height of the financial crisis are now returning it to taxpayers with interest.
These are only the most recent signs that the economy is turning around, though these signs are little comfort to those who’ve experienced the pain of losing a job in the previous month, or in the previous two years of this recession. That’s why it is so important that we remain focused on speeding our economic recovery. Throughout America today, tens of thousands of recovery projects are underway, repairing our nation’s roads, bridges, ports and waterways; renovating schools; and developing renewable energy. We’re putting Americans back to work doing to the work America needs done – and mostly in private sector jobs.
But even as we take aggressive steps to put people back to work, it is also important that we keep faith with men and women looking back on a lifetime of labor; hard-working Americans who deserve to know that their efforts have resulted in a secure future, including a secure retirement. For this recession has not only led to the loss of jobs, but also the loss of savings. The drop in home values, for example, has also meant a drop in the value of the largest single investment most families have. And the decline in the financial markets has led to a decline in the value of 401(k)s and other sources of savings and retirement security. As a result, over the past two years, the American people have lost about $2 trillion in retirement savings.
This carries a painful toll. I’ve heard from so many who’ve had to put off retirement, or come out of retirement, to make ends meet. I’ve heard from seniors who worked hard their whole lives but now, in their golden years, are unsure of where to turn to pay the bills, afford the prescriptions, or keep the home in which they raised a family. And having too little in savings not only leaves people financially ill-prepared for retirement, but also for whatever challenges life brings. It places in jeopardy so many dreams, from owning a home to attending college.
The fact is, even before this recession hit, the savings rate was essentially zero, while borrowing had risen and credit card debt had increased. Many were simply struggling to stay afloat as incomes were stagnant – or falling – and jobs were scarce; that’s important to remember. But there were also those who spent beyond their means. And more broadly, tens of millions of families have been, for a variety of reasons, unable to put away enough money for a secure retirement. Half of America’s workforce doesn’t have access to a retirement plan at work. And fewer than 10 percent of those without workplace retirement plans have one of their own.
We cannot continue on this course. And we certainly cannot go back to an economy based on inflated profits and maxed-out credit cards; the cycles of speculative booms and painful busts; a system that put the interests of the short-term ahead of the needs of long-term. We have to revive this economy and rebuild it stronger than before. And making sure that folks have the opportunity and incentive to save – for a home or college, for retirement or a rainy day – is essential to that effort. If you work hard and meet your responsibilities, this country is going to honor our collective responsibility to you: to ensure that you can save and secure your retirement. That is why we are announcing several common-sense changes that will help families put away money for the future.
First, we’re going to make it easier for small businesses to do what large businesses do: allow workers to automatically enroll in a 401(k) or an individual retirement account. We know that automatic enrollment has made a big difference in participation rates by making it simpler for workers to save – and that’s why we’re going to expand it to more people.
Second, we’ll make it easier for people to save their federal tax refunds, which 100 million families receive. Today, if you have a retirement account, you can have your refund deposited directly into your account. With this change, we’ll make it easier for those without retirement plans to save their refunds as well. You’ll be able to check a box on your tax return to receive your refund as a savings bond.
Third, we’ll make it possible for employees to put payments for unused vacation and sick days into their retirement plan if they wish. Right now, most workers don’t have that option.
And fourth, the IRS and the Treasury Department are creating a plain-English, easy-to-follow guide, as well as a website, to help folks navigate what are often very complicated waters, especially for workers changing jobs who often are unsure how best to continue saving for retirement. Because the rules ought to be written to encourage people to save – instead of discouraging them.
We’ll also build on these steps by working with Congress. As part of my budget, I’ve proposed ensuring that nearly every American has access to a retirement savings account through his or her job. This plan would make it possible for workers to automatically enroll in IRAs through payroll contributions. And the budget simplifies and expands a tax credit for millions of families, matching half of a family’s savings up to $1,000 per year and depositing the tax credit directly into a retirement account.
This is a difficult time for our country. But I am confident that we can meet the challenges we face and leave behind something better; that we are ready to take responsibility for our future once again – as individuals and as a nation. I hope that all of you have the chance to enjoy this Labor Day weekend with family and friends. But my larger hope and expectation is that next Labor Day, the economic storms we’re weathering now will have given way to brighter and more prosperous times.
Thank you.
Thank you! The awful, black joke of the day: now that Obummer has our economy comatose and on life support, he’s creating ways for us to invest in it. Gee, thanks, Barry!
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2333227/posts
Obama promotes saving as recession hits nest eggs
breitbart ^ | 9/5/09 | CHARLES BABINGTON
Posted on September 5, 2009 11:07:11 PM PDT by Nachum
WASHINGTON (AP) - The recession has eaten into people’s nest eggs so the government is promoting ways to make it easier to save for retirement.
One initiative that President Barack Obama outlined in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday will allow people to have their federal tax refunds sent as savings bonds. Others are meant to require workers to take action to stay out of an employer-run savings program rather than having to take action to join it.
“We know that automatic enrollment has made a big difference in participation rates by making it simpler for workers to save,” Obama said. “That’s why we’re going to expand it to more people.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Bottom line, he is looking for ways to let him use your tax refunds for his socialist agenda. Then when the money is gone, you’re SOL.
They should also make interest earned on savings accounts exempt up to at least $400.00 like it was in the past. Actually, to adjust for inflation, it should be higher than $400.00.
More unicorn farts.
If they want people to save just stop holding interest rates artificially low.
Contrary to Obamaknowledge, most people who earn their own money are smart enough to figure out that savings accounts paying interest rates below the rate of inflation costs them money.
It’s a scam.
He’s boxed in, having promised to deliver the moon to the poor, and unable to borrow a red cent from China anymore.
He has no choice but to fail or seize yet another great store of wealth and this time he has drawn a bead on our retirement savings.
The legislation will be another 1400 page bill no-one is allowed to read before they vote on it, and when the dust settles, the government will own your entire retirement account.
Rational argument will not change his course of action.
How bad do YOU want to keep YOUR money?
What income tax returns???? They can cook the books on the unemployment numbers now but it’s going to show up somewhere. Wait until next April 15th.
>>Third, we’ll make it possible for employees to put payments for unused vacation and sick days into their retirement plan if they wish. Right now, most workers don’t have that option.
That’s hilarious! My company already did that—until the IRS swooped in a few months ago and said that we had to stop it because it was an “option”. Apparently, it is OK if it’s mandatory for all employees to put excess leave into the retirement account, but it it’s optional, then the employees that DON’T do it must pay TAXES on unused leave at the end of the year. So we had to end the practice.
The company has been doing it for 20 years without any problems, but now that Black Jesus is in the WH, it’s got to stop. Now we see why. He plans to take away something we already had...and then give it back as a gift.
I recall our Congress back in the 1980s convinced everbody that Social Security taxes needed to be reaised in order to prepare for the Baby Boomers retirement.
What did the govt do with this money? Did they save it for us(I retire next year). Hell no. the spent it.
They lied once, they will lie again.
and the GOP is as complicit as the Dems.
Out of it all, this excerpt is the scariest
More than 100 million families receive federal income tax refunds each year. Averaging more than $2,000, tax refunds present a unique opportunity for families to save. Taxpayers can already instruct the IRS to directly deposit their refunds and dedicate a portion to an IRA or other savings vehicle. Today, the Treasury and IRS announced that taxpayers will have another savings option beginning in early 2010 — the ability to use their refunds to purchase U.S. savings bonds simply by checking a box on their tax return, without having to open an account at Treasury or take any other action, and even if the taxpayer doesn’t have a bank account. The savings bonds would be mailed to the taxpayer. Taxpayers will be able to purchase bonds in their own names beginning in 2010 and to add co-owners such as children or grandchildren beginning in 2011.
So many problems with this. First, 100 million Americans are currently allowing their money to be used interest free by the government. Collectively, we are floating a $200 billion dollar interest free loan to the treasury (if the figures given are to be believed). That’s a bad thing. Freepers, please, review your tax situation. If you are getting a “refund” that’s a very bad thing. You are giving the government an interest free loan. And you risk not getting that money back. Ask your friends from California about this. Everyone should check their tax situation, and claim your deductions and exemptions so that your withholding is as close as possible to your actual tax bill. Try hard to make you April 15 “annual settlement” with the tax man an amount less than $100.
Then, the “savings bond” for your “tax refund” is just a voluntary (for now) way to get people used to the idea of getting their money back in the for of an IOU. How long before the US treasury issues IOU's to everyone, like California. How long until the check box on the form is automatically filled in for you.
Much better to endorse your “refund check” and deposit it in your personal IRA. Better still, divide your typical “refund” amount by 12, and set up an automatic monthly transfer into your IRA for that amount, and adjust your withholding to put that much back into your paycheck. You'll get interest or dividends from your IRA for the entire year for the money you would have given interest free to the government.
And I’m very skeptical about the “automatic” stuff _resident Obama speaks of in this plan. Where does the Congress (article 1) or the Executive (article 2) get the power to open any savings account, IRA or whatever on my behalf?
The fact that the _resident is suggesting the savings bond for your tax refund makes me wonder how long before refunds will be held up in limbo because the money isn't there to return.
Is this yet another UNION bailout? I do not trust these liar and thieves when they start sticking their greedy fingers into Americans retirement accounts.
Right! Current CDs are 1 year at 1% Stagnant money growth. Fed Reserve bank discount rate is close to zero. Banks will mortgage you for 4.75 but will NOT pay you 4.75 if YOU loan them money by putting it in their bank. No sense to this.
Earlier post is right- The ALARM should go out on the “streamlined” automatic 401K/IRAs. If, by this legislation the Feds are trying to tap into private savings plans by changing the rules to make them “public”, in order to raid them for “general revenue” funds (like they have done every year since LBJ with Social Security) then we need to STOP this NOW! Find out now. If it is this raid then a run on the accounts needs to occur- but where to put it since it is all paper. Imagine the theivery of a govt. that causes money to be withheld from pay, gets that money monthly and then, having overtaxed us, offers to “refund” our overpaid taxes back to us in the form of “conversion” to a savings bond. This costs them nothing- except interest payments for the bonds. Already loaned them the money for a year at no interest. Thanks, I’ll keep the cash upfront.
If China wont buy our T-bills maybe we can soak the regular tax payer by making their private accounts public and raiding them. Bastards. We must stop this NOW!
Read the text.
He claims he going to things that are already being done.
He is so stupid it makes me sick.
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