Retirement Savings Program Newsletter

Transcription

1 Retirement Savings Retirement Savings Program Newsletter Issue 4: January 2012 Get Financially Fit in 2012! Read to Find Out How Here s what you ll find inside: JPMorgan Chase Helps Energize Your Savings...2 How Can You Strengthen Your Savings?...3 Prepare Your Savings for the Long Run With Diversification...4 Firm Up Your Plans for the Future: Managing Your Beneficiaries...6 More Tips to Keep You Financially Fit... 8 Important Information About the 401(k) Savings Plan Statement...9 Ask the Experts Financial Fitness in the New Year The new year often brings resolutions to become more fit both physically and financially. Making these pledges and keeping them might seem overwhelming, but financial fitness is easier than you might think. In this issue of the Retirement Savings Program Newsletter, we will provide you with some easy tips to help you become more financially fit such as how to save more in the JPMorgan Chase 401(k) Savings Plan without blowing your monthly budget, how to take full advantage of JPMorgan Chase matching contributions, and how you can estimate what your benefits might be worth in retirement. You ll also find some important reminders about the Retirement Savings Program such as the 2012 contribution limits, 401(k) investment options that were announced last year, and a convenient way to designate your beneficiaries online. And there s much more! This newsletter is just one more tool to help our employees maximize their retirement savings benefits. Read it through to get Well On Your Way to a secure retirement. Contact Information...12 Savings Tweet: Think it s harder to save more than to get fit? Payroll deductions to the 401(k) Savings Plan make saving effortless. Think about that on the treadmill.

2 JPMorgan Chase Helps Energize Your Savings Whether it s exercising or saving, finding the motivation to get started can be the biggest hurdle to success. Like your own personal trainer, JPMorgan Chase provides the help you need. With company matching contributions, you have additional incentive to contribute to the 401(k) Savings Plan. The firm also provides an extra boost with the recently announced $500 Special Award for those who qualify, and an even bigger push with the Retirement Plan a valuable benefit that s 100% paid for by JPMorgan Chase. Company Matching Contributions For eligible employees, when you contribute to your 401(k) Savings Plan account, so does JPMorgan Chase and that can add up! JPMorgan Chase matches contributions, dollar for dollar, up to the first 5% of eligible compensation (generally base pay). Matching contributions are available to employees after they have completed one year of total service and are employed at the end of the year. (Employees whose total annual cash compensation for the plan year is $250,000 or more are not eligible for matching contrributions.) If you qualify for the match but aren t maximizing it, there s no easier or better way to step up your savings than increasing your contribution rate to 5%. Company matching contributions are credited to 401(k) Savings Plan accounts on an annual basis. Match for eligible contributions you made in 2011 will be allocated in early February Special Award In addition to matching contributions, Jamie Dimon announced at the end of last year that a $500 Special Award will be credited to eligible participant accounts in late January. This Award will be made to 401(k) Savings Plan accounts for U.S. benefits-eligible employees who have completed one year of service as of December 31, 2011 and whose 2012 total annual cash compensation is less than $60,000. For additional details of the Award, see the communications posted on the My Accounts page of the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center under Important Information. Confirmations statements will be distributed to eligible participants in late January for the Special Award, and in February for 2011 matching contributions. Don t Forget About the Retirement Plan The boost to your savings doesn t stop there. JPMorgan Chase makes monthly contributions to your Retirement Plan account on your behalf in the form of pay and interest credits if you have at least one year of service. Check out how much you received from JPMorgan Chase in 2011 online under the Retirement Plan section of My Personal Rewards Summary on My Work, or look for the annual Retirement Plan statement that will be mailed to you in February. Making it Simple As announced in the May 2011 Retirement Savings Program Newsletter, any future company match will automatically be invested in the same funds you ve elected for your future contributions. One single investment election will direct all of the contributions made to your account. 2

3 How Can You Strengthen Your Savings? If you are an experienced saver, you may be looking for ways to ramp up your savings regimen. Consider these suggestions: You Could Qualify for a Tax Credit The federal government like JPMorgan Chase knows the importance of saving for retirement, and is willing to give you a tax credit to encourage you to do so. If you qualify, you could receive a 10% to 50% tax credit, up to $1,000, when you contribute to the plan. You may be able to claim a credit of as much as $1,000 on the first $2,000 you voluntarily contribute to the 401(k) Savings Plan each year, depending on your adjusted gross income ( AGI ) and tax filing status (see the chart below). This credit comes directly off any taxes you owe for the 2012 tax year. Example: Let s say for your 2012 taxes, your filing status is head of household and your AGI is $25,000. If you contributed $2,000 or more to your 401(k) Savings Plan account, you receive a tax credit of $1,000 (50% x $2,000). That s $1,000 less in taxes you owe for To be eligible for the saver s credit, you must be 18 years or older, not a full-time student, and not claimed as a dependent on someone else s tax return. Additionally, your AGI in 2012 cannot be more than: $57,500 (filing a joint return) $43,125 (filing as head of household) $28,750 (filing single) Did You Contribute to Another Employer s 401(k) Plan in 2011? If you were hired in 2011 and participated in another employer s plan prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, it s your responsibility to ensure that your contributions to all plans don t exceed the annual legal limit for 401(k) contributions.* If you exceeded the contribution limit for 2011, you may request a refund of the excess amount no later than April 2, If you don t request a refund, these contributions will be taxed twice. *$16,500, with an additional $5,500 if you were age 50 or older in 2011 Refer to the table below to see how much you might be able to save on your 2012 taxes (which are filed in 2013). Married and Filing a Joint Return (AGI) Filing as Head of Household (AGI) Filing Single (AGI) Tax Credit for a $2,000 Contribution Credit Rate Up to $33,500 Up to $25,125 Up to $16,750 50% $1,000 $33,501 $36,000 $36,001 $57,500 $25,126 $27,000 $27,001 $43,125 $16,751 $18,000 $18,001 $28,750 20% $400 10% $200 Please Note: This credit is on top of the reduction in your taxable income if you make before-tax 401(k) contributions. Take Advantage of Increased 401(k) IRS Contribution Limits for 2012 In 2012, you may be able to save even more for retirement, now that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has increased the contribution limit to 401(k) plans. The annual limit for before-tax and Roth 401(k) after-tax contributions (combined) is $17,000 that s $500 more than you could contribute in (The annual catch-up contribution limit will remain $5,500 in 2012.) If it seems difficult to save more, keep this in mind: The more you contribute on a before-tax basis could mean the less you pay in taxes this year. However, with Roth 401(k) contributions, you pay taxes now on your contributions but you ll withdraw those contributions and the associated earnings tax-free down the road, if it is a qualified distribution. Either way, a modest curb in spending now means you ll keep more for yourself in the long run. Just as your Body Mass Index (BMI) provides an indicator of your physical fitness, you can get a measure of your savings fitness with your On Track To Receive forecast. Retirement Dream Machine is a retirement planning tool 3

4 Savings Tweet: Dream Machine Nearly 55,000 of your colleagues have checked their retirement forecast using Dream Machine. What are you waiting for? What Kind of Shape Are You In? that provides an estimate of how much your individual 401(k) Savings Plan, Retirement Plan (the Just as your Body Mass Index (BMI) provides an indicator of your physical fitness, you can get cash balance pension plan), and Social Security benefits might provide in retirement, based on a measure of your savings fitness with your On Track To Receive forecast. Retirement Dream Machine is a retirement planning tool that provides an estimate of how much your individual 401(k) Savings Plan, Retirement Plan (the cash balance pension plan), and Social Security benefits might provide in retirement, based on certain assumptions and scenarios. For details about how your forecast is calculated, please see the Assumptions link available online on the Dream Machine tool. Not happy with your results? Dream Machine lets you customize your experience and estimate what would happen if you made certain changes like increasing your 401(k) contributions or adjusting your expected retirement date. To model different scenarios or to obtain an up-to-date forecast, access Dream Machine via the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center on My Work. Retirement Dream Machine is an investment education tool offered by J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services pursuant to the Department of Labor s Interpretive Bulletin Prepare Your Savings for the Long Run With Diversification Ask marathon runners what it takes to go the distance, and many will recommend a diverse training program that builds endurance for the long run. The same holds true for investing. Those most likely to withstand challenging market conditions diversify among a variety of investments based on their long-range goals and risk tolerance. Experts agree that, over the long term, diversification can even out the ups and downs of the markets and lead to better outcomes for your savings. When you diversify, you spread your assets among equities, bonds, and cash alternatives, depending on your risk tolerance. To make sure your portfolio is getting a complete workout, consider dividing your savings among equities with different market capitalizations and investment styles. Diversification Options in the 401(k) Savings Plan The 401(k) Savings Plan offers two ways to invest and diversify your account. If you don t have the time, interest, or expertise to create and maintain a diversified portfolio on your own, then the recently added Target Date Funds might be a good choice for you. if you want a more hands-on approach, then you can create your own diversified investment mix by choosing a combination of Core Funds that helps you meet your retirement goals. See the following page for a summary of these two different investment approaches. If you take the Do It Yourself approach, go to the Asset Allocation Profiler for help diversifying your investment portfolio. It only takes a few minutes, and it s as easy as The Profiler guides you through questions about your 1) investment objectives, 2) personal financial profile, and 3) risk tolerance. To access the Asset Allocation Profiler, go to Financial Tools via the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center on My Work. 4

5 Two Ways to Invest The 401(k) Savings Plan offers two distinct approaches to investing, which gives you the flexibility to choose how you make your investment decisions and the tools you need to build a balanced retirement portfolio. Target Date Funds: No Assembly Required If you lack the time, interest, or expertise to research, manage, and monitor your investments in the plan, the Target Date Funds might be a good choice for you. With this approach, you only need to select one Target Date Fund that is already diversified (each fund is made up of a mix of underlying investments from multiple asset classes) and this mix automatically adjusts over time to become more conservative. Core Funds: Do It Yourself If you want a more hands-on approach, the Core Funds might better fit your investment style. You can create your own diversified investment mix by choosing a combination of Core Funds that helps you meet your retirement goals. Keeping the Target Date Funds on Track Going forward, the underlying asset allocation within the 401(k) Savings Plan s Target Date Funds will be rebalanced on a monthly, rather than a quarterly, basis. This helps ensure that each of the funds maintains the investment mix that aligns best with its objective. For more details about these two approaches and the funds offered under each go to the Forms and Publications section of the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center and click the link for the Investment Fund Profiles Guide. The Big Picture When thinking about diversification, don t forget to include the Retirement Plan as part of the fixed income portion of your portfolio. After one year of service, you are automatically enrolled in a cash balance pension plan that s fully paid for by JPMorgan Chase. Your account is credited with 3% to 5% of your eligible compensation each month (capped at $100,000 per year), depending on how long you have been with the company. One of the most important things that a Target Date Fund does is keep participants on the path of proper diversification it takes the emotion out of investing and helps participants stay invested through volatile markets. Dan Oldroyd CFA CAIA JPMorgan Asset Management Global Multi-Asset Group 5

6 Will Social Security Add Muscle to Your Retirement Savings? If you re considering retiring in the next few years, it s important to know what to expect from Social Security. The Social Security Administration provides an Online Retirement Estimator at This tool gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record. You can change your retirement date or expected future earnings to create different what if scenarios and compare your options. Firm Up Your Plans for the Future: Managing Your Beneficiaries Last fall, the Wall Street Journal featured a story about the perils of not having beneficiaries on file for your 401(k) account or Individual Retirement Account (IRA). More and more families are finding themselves stuck in battles over who has the rights to the assets, especially in cases involving divorce and remarriage. The article shared some key rules for governing retirement accounts and lessons from financial professionals on how to navigate them as families grow and change. You can find the article online at Search for The Pitfalls of Inherited IRAs published on September 7, Update Your Beneficiaries Online Regardless of the amount, you want to feel confident that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes. And now you can designate and maintain your beneficiaries online for your JPMorgan Chase benefits, including the Retirement and 401(k) Savings Plans. To access the Online Beneficiary Designations site: From Work: Go to HR & Personal > Health and Retirement Savings Benefits > Resources From Home: Go to login.csf Consider these points when making your designations for the Retirement Plan and 401(k) Savings Plan: If you do not have a valid beneficiary designation on file, your vested account balance will be paid to your spouse if you are married, or to your estate if you are not married, at the time of your death. Under federal laws governing the Retirement Plan and 401(k) Savings Plan, the term spouse refers to any person of the opposite sex to whom you are legally married. Even if you are legally married under state law or non-u.s. law to a person of the same sex, your same sex spouse is not considered your spouse for purposes of the Retirement Plan and 401(k) Savings Plan, which are governed by federal regulations. If you wish to designate your same sex spouse as your beneficiary, you must complete the applicable beneficiary designations. Otherwise, your Retirement Plan and 401(k) Savings Plan vested benefits will be paid to your estate. If your marriage is currently not recognized under U.S. federal tax law, but later becomes so, you may be subsequently required to obtain a notarized spousal waiver if you have named someone other than your spouse as your beneficiary under the Retirement Plan and/or 401(k) Savings Plan. Your spouse may consent to the designation of another beneficiary of your Retirement Plan and/or 401(k) Savings Plan vested account balances by submitting a signed, notarized consent. 6

7 Important Notes for the Retirement Plan If, prior to age 35, you with your spouse s consent named a non-spousal beneficiary under the Retirement Plan, that beneficiary designation will no longer be effective as of the first day of the plan year when you reach age 35. You will need to make a new designation (including notarized spousal consent) or your spouse will be your beneficiary. If you do not designate another beneficiary, your spouse is automatically entitled to receive the value of your cash balance account upon your death. Your spouse can receive payment of this benefit as a life annuity or as a lump sum. If you have designated your domestic partner as your beneficiary, he/she will have these same options. Otherwise, any other non-spousal beneficiary will receive the value of your cash balance account as a lump-sum payment. If you have not designated a beneficiary, your benefit will be payable to your estate as a lump sum. Previously-Submitted Paper Beneficiary Designations Beneficiary designations previously submitted using the paper Beneficiary Designation form are not accessible through the Online Beneficiary Designations Site, but will remain valid until you make a change. If you have questions about the site or your existing beneficiary designations, please call the accesshr Contact Center (see page 12 for contact details). 7

8 More Tips to Keep You Financially Fit Here are a few more easy things you can do to make the most for your financial well-being this year. 1. Go the extra mile to catch up If you will be turning age 50 or older at any time in 2012, you re eligible to make catch-up contributions of up to $5,500 after you reach the 401(k) Savings Plan limit of 50% of your eligible compensation, or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limit of $17,000. Catch-up contributions give you a chance to make up for years when you may not have contributed as much as you could to your 401(k) account. 2. Consider repaying a plan loan Keep in mind that you may repay a 401(k) Savings Plan loan in full at any time. This means your money will be back in the plan and working for you. 3. Review all of your annual statements Your 401(k) Savings Plan and Retirement Plan statements will show how much your accounts have earned over the past year. On your 401(k) Savings Plan statement, be sure to check your On Track To Receive forecast. This chart shows an estimate of your annual income in retirement if you retire at age 65. Also be sure to review your statements from prior employer plans and IRAs for a complete picture of your retirement savings. Annual statements for the previous year are typically distributed during the first quarter of each year. 4. Simplify If having multiple prior employer plans and IRAs seems overwhelming, consider consolidating your qualified retirement savings assets into the 401(k) Savings Plan. Instead of dealing with multiple statements, web sites, and service centers, simplify with one: Statement reduces clutter Web site username and password to remember Service center phone number to call Get a more complete picture of your savings by combining your retirement accounts into one. A Rollover Kit is available on the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center through My Work. Select Forms & Publications > Rollover Kit. Set Your Contributions to Automatically Increase Is your financial fitness workout leaving you exhausted? With automatic increase, you can step up your savings every year without lifting a finger. This feature lets you elect to have your before-tax and/or Roth 401(k) contribution rate increase annually by a certain percentage without having to remember to elect that increase every year. It s like putting your contribution increases on auto-pilot. If you want to sign up for automatic increase, go to the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center through My Work, and select Contribution Amount > Auto-Increase. 8

9 Important Information About the 401(k) Savings Plan Statement It s easy to access information about your 401(k) Savings Plan account. The following summary is provided for participants, as well as for employees who have not yet enrolled. Quarterly and annual statements are provided to help participants monitor their retirement savings. Annual statements are distributed in paper, and are also posted to the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center. The 2011 annual statement will be mailed in February. Statements for the quarters ending March 31, June 30, and September 30 are available online through the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center approximately three weeks following quarter end. If you cannot access a quarterly statement online, you may request a printed copy of the current quarter s statement, at no charge, by contacting the 401(k) Savings Plan Call Center. 9

10 Ask the Experts Have a question about the 401(k) Savings Plan or the Retirement Plan? We want to hear from you! Going forward, the Retirement Savings Program Newsletter will include a regular feature called Ask the Experts, where we will answer questions from employees. You can submit topics that interest you and look to future newsletters for responses from the experts by selecting the survey link online on the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center. Look in the Important Information section under My Accounts. Here are some questions that have recently been asked by your colleagues. What s the difference between the 401(k) Savings Plan and the Retirement Plan? With the JPMorgan Chase 401(k) Savings Plan, your benefit depends on the contributions you make and how you invest in the plan. You may make before-tax and/or Roth 401(k) contributions of up to 50% of your eligible compensation on a per-pay-period basis, up to the legal limits. You also decide how to invest your future contributions and existing balances by choosing the investment approach that works best for you (see page 5). After a year of service, you re eligible for dollar-for-dollar matching contributions on up to 5% of the eligible compensation you contribute thereafter if you are employed at year end. You are always 100% vested in the value of your employee contributions. If you were hired before May 1, 2009, you are 100% vested in the value of any associated matching contributions. If you were hired on or after May 1, 2009, you will become 100% vested in the value of any matching contributions after you have completed three years of total service. With the JPMorgan Chase Retirement Plan, you have fewer decisions to make. This cash balance pension plan is fully paid for by JPMorgan Chase and, beginning after one year of service, your account will be automatically credited with 3% to 5% of your eligible compensation (capped at $100,000 annually), based on your completed years of service. Your account also earns monthly interest credits. Your Retirement Plan benefit is fully vested after three years of total service. With both plans, you have several payment options to take your balance with you should you leave JPMorgan Chase. How do I know if Roth 401(k) contributions are right for me? How are they different from a Roth IRA? Roth 401(k) contributions are made to the 401(k) Savings Plan on an after-tax basis, just as with contributions to a Roth IRA. One difference between a Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA is related to the income limits associated with a Roth IRA. Those limits do not allow contributions to a Roth IRA with respect to married individuals whose adjusted gross income (AGI) is more than $183,000 in (This AGI limit is lower if you are single.) You may make Roth 401(k) contributions to the 401(k) Savings Plan regardless of your income. Also, future Roth contributions made to the 401(k) Savings Plan are eligible for matching contributions from JPMorgan Chase assuming you meet eligibility criteria while Roth contributions made to an IRA are not. In both cases, you may withdraw your contributions and any associated earnings tax-free, once the holding period and other criteria are met. 10

11 Results From Last Year s America Saves Week Survey In last February s Newsletter focusing on America Saves Week, we asked four short questions about saving and planning for retirement. Here are the results of that survey: Which of these describes your Dream Machine forecast? Good news! 38% of you said your forecast was higher than you thought it would be, and 23% said it was just about where they thought it would be. Only 10% said it was lower than they thought it would be. The remaining respondents either had not thought about their forecast, or had not yet accessed Dream Machine. Which of these activities would you rather do? We were happy to see that 61% would prefer to create a plan for retirement, while 15% would rather pay bills and 24% would rather perform household chores. How comfortable do you feel that your savings will last you through retirement? 49% of you were somewhat comfortable, while 34% did not feel comfortable, and 17% were very comfortable. When was the last time you reviewed your investment allocation in the 401(k) Savings Plan? 69% had reviewed their allocation within the past three months. 11% had looked at it within the past three to six months, 7% within the past six to 12 months, 7% more than a year ago, and 6% didn t remember. Retirement Plan Quiz Results In that same issue, we included a quiz to test your Retirement Plan knowledge. Check out how you did. When are JPMorgan Chase employees enrolled in the Retirement Plan? 92% answered correctly: After one year of service. How does your Retirement Plan account grow? 96% answered correctly: With pay and interest credits. How often do you receive credits to your Retirement Plan account? 43% answered correctly: Monthly. When are you vested in (meaning you have a right to) your Retirement Plan benefit? 33% answered correctly: After three years of service. What is the 2011 annual interest credit rate? 39% answered correctly: 4.5%. How can you receive your Retirement Plan balance after you leave JPMorgan Chase? 93% answered correctly: As an annuity, a single lump sum, or as a rollover to another qualified plan (including the 401(k) Savings Plan). 11

12 Retirement Savings Contact Information 401(k) Savings Plan To contact the 401(k) Savings Plan Call Center For questions about the 401(k) Savings Plan, please contact the JPMorgan Chase 401(k) Savings Plan Call Center at JPMC401k ( ). (The TDD number for participants with a hearing impairment is ) Participant Services Representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except New York Stock Exchange holidays. To access the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center You can obtain information and conduct plan transactions by accessing the 401(k) Savings Plan Web Center through My Work. From Work: Company Home > My Work From Home: Retirement Plan To contact the accesshr Contact Center For questions about the Retirement Plan, please call the accesshr Contact Center at JPMChase ( ). (The TDD number for participants with a hearing impairment is ) Service Representatives are generally available from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except certain U.S. holidays. To access the Retirement Plan online To view your Retirement Plan balances, go to the Retirement Plan section of My Personal Rewards Summary on My Work. Online Beneficiary Designations Site From Work: Go to HR & Personal > Health and Retirement Savings Benefits > Resources From Home: Go to online-forms/beneficiary-forms/login.csf Certain underlying funds of the Target Date Funds may have unique risks associated with investments in foreign/ emerging market securities, and/or fixed income instruments. International investing involves increased risk and volatility due to currency exchange rate changes, political, social or economic instability, and accounting or other financial standards differences. Fixed income securities generally decline in price when interest rates rise. Real estate funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk because of concentration in a specific industry, sector or geographical sector, including but not limited to, declines in the value of real estate, risk related to general and economic conditions, changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trust, and defaults by the borrower. The underlying funds may invest in futures contracts and other derivatives, which may make the Target Date Funds more volatile. The gross expense ratio of the Target Date Funds includes the estimated fees and expenses of the underlying funds. A fund of funds is normally best suited for long-term investors. Diversification does not assure a profit nor does it protect against loss of principal. Diversification among investment options and asset classes may help to reduce overall volatility. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Recordkeeping and administrative services for the plan are provided by J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services LLC (JPMRPS); securities transactions for the plan may be introduced by J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc. (JPMII). Member: FINRA/SIPC. JPMRPS and JPMII are affiliates of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. The JPMorgan Chase U.S. Benefits Program is available to most employees on a U.S. payroll who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more a week and who are employed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or one of its subsidiaries to the extent that such subsidiary has adopted the JPMorgan Chase U.S. Benefits Program. This information does not include all of the details contained in the applicable insurance contracts, plan documents, and trust agreements. If there is any discrepancy between this information and the governing documents, the governing documents will control. JPMorgan Chase & Co. expressly reserves the right to amend, modify, reduce, change, or terminate its benefits and plans at any time. The JPMorgan Chase U.S. Benefits Program does not create a contract or guarantee of employment between JPMorgan Chase and any individual. JPMorgan Chase or you may terminate the employment relationship at any time. 12 DC-JPC J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services LLC. All rights reserved