Americans' incomes have stagnated for three straight months. Yet they boosted their spending in September 0.6 percent three times the increase in August.

As the U.S. retirement plan industry prepares for new cost disclosures in 2012, heres a simple fact to remember: The surest and quickest way to reduce participants all-in cost of retirement plan ownership is to add index funds to the menu.

Legislation aimed at reining in retiree benefit costs for Michigan state workers was approved Thursday by the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee.

Rival deficit-cutting plans advanced by Republicans and Democrats on Congress' secretive supercommittee would both mean smaller-than-expected cost of living benefit increases for veterans and federal retirees as well as Social Security recipients and bump up taxes for some individuals and families, according to officials familiar with the recommendations.