New adviser rules may bolster retirement plans
New rules for financial planners advising retirement plans and Health Savings Accounts could have an unexpected benefit for small businesses. The rules, from the U.S. Department of Labor, place new “fiduciary” responsibilities on financial advisers and consultants. They must pick the most economical plans – without regard to their own compensation — when advising clients. Read More →
Read More →Minimum wage hike a moral issue
By Steven Mintz California is frequently a bellwether state with respect to workplace ethics issues. Exhibit A is the recently adopted law that mandates a minimum wage of $15 by the end of 2022. Under a deal reached with state lawmakers on April 4, the state minimum wage will rise to $10.50 on Jan. 1, Read More →
Read More →Forcing workers to save may be key to retirement
Taxes and savings are much in the news these days. Baby boomers aren’t saving enough for retirement. Millennials will need $2 million portfolios in order to achieve a decent level of retirement income. Federal income taxes are too high – and don’t get us started about California. Old-fashioned pensions are largely gone from the private Read More →
Read More →America has misguided history of taxation
By David Newton Do you know the full story of the misguided history of taxation in the U.S.? My book, “The Misguided History of American Taxes,” examines: • The origin – when did each tax start? • The rationale – why was it started? • The madness – how did it ever end up so Read More →
Read More →Getting nonprofit governance right critical
By Charles Maxey and Lauren Arzu Management guru Peter Drucker once wrote that nonprofit institutions are not only central to American society but that they are its most distinguishing feature. Nonprofits provide a vast range of critical services and programming to enhance the quality of life through arts, education, environment, healthcare, animals, and human and Read More →
Read More →Tacky chamber move sets a bad example
When we launched the Pacific Coast Business Times 16 years ago, one of our core values was to respect existing business organizations. That’s why we went the extra step and joined chambers of commerce from the Conejo Valley to San Luis Obispo. We continue to support our chambers and last year we became a media Read More →
Read More →Change bankers’ incentives to get big
By Bill Watkins In popular culture, there are “good” industries and “evil” industries. Oil has held the most hated position of the evil list for generations and is likely to hold it until there is no more oil. Farming, once solidly on the good list, is moving to the evil list because its critics Read More →
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