U.S. Chamber, DOL, SBA, Merrill Lynch Announce Retirement Planning Web Site

WASHINGTON, DC—The United States Chamber of Commerce today joined with the U.S. Department of Labor, Small Business Administration and Merrill Lynch to announce an interactive, educational Web site for small businesses – http://www.selectaretirementplan.org/. The site, to be officially launched in August, will provide small business owners with comprehensive information on how to choose a retirement plan for their employees.

"Small business owners today need easy access to timely information to help them choose the best retirement plan for their employees," said Thomas J. Donohue, U.S. Chamber president and CEO. "This new Web site will help them make an informed decision about an increasingly complex issue."

In today's tight labor market, recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce is a critical business issue. The SelectARetirementPlan.org site will give employers information on a variety of retirement plans and identify the many benefits associated with offering a retirement plan. To help minimize confusion in the selection process, the site includes an interactive retirement calculator that allows small business owners to tailor a plan to meet the needs of their business and their employees.

The public education initiative is made possible through a pooling of government, non-profit and private-sector knowledge and resources. "This project represents a unique partnership that combines the leadership and innovative strengths of each participating organization," said Greg Lebedev, Chamber executive vice president and COO. "Merrill Lynch, in particular, has provided critical expertise on retirement plan benefits and related issues, such as plan administration, tax advantages, employee communication and plan benefit education."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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