Partnering For Your Future™.
Defined Benefit Plans Merit a Second Look
Traditional employer-funded defined benefit plans (often called "pension plans") may deserve a second look from older business owners. In the past, Section 415(e) of the Internal Revenue Code linked newly created defined benefit plans to prior contributions made under defined contribution plans, therefore severely restricting (in some cases) the amounts that could go into a new defined benefit plan. However, pension law changes have eliminated Section 415(e), removing this potential obstacle to new defined benefit plans.

Although defined benefit plans have some troublesome issues (e.g., the need to get regular actuarial calculations), they may make a great deal of sense for the successful, small business owner who has little in retirement savings, about 15 years or less until retirement, and the ability to begin contributing substantial amounts. Those who have left larger corporate America to start their own businesses (e.g., small consulting firms) may find that they would generally be able to put more money away for retirement using a defined benefit rather than a defined contribution plan.

CRN200801-2012520

Copyright © 2008 -- Liberty Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Gene G. Stern, CLU®, CRPC, CFP®
President
805 Executive Ctr Dr W
Suite 120
St Petersburg, FL 33702

ph: 727.369.1512
fax: 727.578.4024
toll free: 800.232.3653

Gene.Stern@LFG.com

Meet Our People

Gene G. Stern, CLU®, CRPC, CFP®

President

For over 30 years, Gene Stern has helped develop and service numerous corporate retirement plans. He has assisted hundreds of employees implement suitable retirement accounts. Economic uncertainty has jeopardized the viability of some of these employees to meet their retirement income needs.

As President of Innovative Retirement Income Solutions™ (IRIS), LLC, Gene has embarked on a mission to work with these and other employees to objectively understand and implement creative solutions that will assist them in finding a retirement date to be anticipated instead of dreaded.

Gene has earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) designation. He is a registered representative with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. and is one of its 485 Chartered Retirement Planning Counselors® located throughout the United States. Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC), a Fortune 500 Company. For more information, including a copy of the most recent SEC reports containing current balance sheets, please visit www.LFG.com.

Our Mission

Our mission is to help individuals determine their potential ability to create stable sources of income to help meet their needs and wants in retirement through a process-driven and objective analysis.


Cindy Irimescu

Registered Planning Assistant

Cindy works with Gene Stern as his dedicated Planning Assistant, providing operations management and quality client service. Cindy holds her Series 6 and 63 registrations, allowing her to handle mutual fund and variable subaccount trade instructions in Gene's absence. She holds a Masters degree in Clinical Social Work from Michigan State University, graduating with highest academic honors in 1985. Cindy changed careers in 2001 and joined Lincoln Financial Advisors while living in Michigan. She moved to Florida with her husband, Tom, in 2005 and began working with Gene Stern.

Cindy's professional background prior to changing careers included managing and marketing her counseling private practice, and management positions in social service agencies, skills that are highly applicable to the responsibilities of working as part of Gene Stern's team. She places a high value on providing thorough, accurate and friendly customer service, and making the operations run as smoothly as possible.