Nationwide extends call-center hours

As the uncertainty of the investment markets as well as the economy in general continues to concern workers trying to prepare financially for their retirement, many find themselves dealing with questions or worries about their retirement accounts well after business hours. Nationwide recognizes this need and has responded by extending its hours of service to the retirement-plan participants of the cities, counties and other governmental entities it serves.

Nationwide's call centers now remain open until 11 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. In addition, Nationwide is reinforcing its commitment to processing requests received by 4 p.m. ET on the same day every day.

"Many organizations have been forced to curtail services," said Louie Watson, vice president of strategic relationships for Nationwide Retirement Solutions. "At Nationwide, we believe times like these are not for pulling back. We've seen an upward trend in calls from public employees who are looking for answers about what to do next."

Recent surveys reveal that despite experiencing declines in both account balances and confidence, workers are still committed to saving for retirement. By and large, workers are also resisting the urge to tap into their retirement accounts. But only one out of every seven Americans is very confident of having enough money to live comfortably in retirement, half the amount with the same level of confidence two years ago, according to the Retirement Confidence Survey released in April 2009 by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Watson says this underlying concern is an opportunity for employers.

"Plan sponsors can help employees understand that market turmoil happens from time to time, but history suggests conditions are likely to recover and rebound over the long term," he said.

If you're a public employee not participating in deferred compensation, contact your local Nationwide Retirement Specialist about how you may be able to enroll, or call an in-house Retirement Specialist at (877) 677-3678.

If you're a benefits decision-maker for a governmental employer, you should know that finding creative solutions for employers has been a hallmark of Nationwide's service to the public sector, and especially NACo.

For more information on what Nationwide is doing to help participants succeed even during difficult economic conditions, contact Watson at (614) 854-8895 or Watsonl2@Nationwide.com.

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