👵 AARP Works to Protect Women’s Retirement Savings (AARP Article)

@SummerOnTheWay1 Nicole, if I knew how to place your name ahead of your AARP Forum name, I would do it. Anyway, thanks for your positive replies on another thread in the SS Forum. It was there the other day and today it is not there. It could be my old software or maybe the Moderators are at it again. At any rate, I think I should add my reply/comment in support of women who actually run their households and make all the financial decisions. I worked with Employee Benefits starting in 1974 which happens to coincide with ERISA and many other laws governing employee benefits including the Retirement Equity Act (REA) of 1984. I am tossing the dates out there to inform folks that legislation already exits to protect spouses female and male. I have not read the proposed legislation in detail, but in concept, it sounds like this may be adding new words and expanding prior legislation. Perhaps, Congress should get out of their soft cushion chairs and enforce the existing legislation if there are violations. However, that activity requires work. It is much easier to just create new laws which are mostly redundant. Sometimes, an Amendment to a prior law to correct any shortcomings is just needed. 

I will provide another perspective from were I sat for 31 years in the private sector.When organizations were downsizing by the thousands and closing operations due to global challenges (dumping), most larger companies went above and beyond when reducing the workforce.In the Manufacturing sector (think heavy products - tons not pounds), the operations were mostly male and they earned decent compensation. However, many males had spouses (females) that earned more and had benefits (i.e.,pensions, etc.) that were outstanding. Many female spouses were in education (i.e., teachers, administration,etc.), healthcare, nursing, accounting, government jobs, etc. Moreover, when I conducted exit interviews which included pension and benefit decisions, most of the time, the female spouse ran the household and made the decisions.Even if the female spouse was a Homemaker, many were the decision makers. I realize that not every company is large and compliant with federal legislation. However, will creating a new law change non compliant behavior? Maybe in some cases if enforcement hits the Company's pocketbook.

In the other thread that I referenced, the male worker's spouse predeceased him, and he looked to the Forum for some help. He acknowledged that his spouse was knowledgeable with benefits and administrative decisions. I applaud your take charge efforts.