Guardian's Group Retirement Products Now Available as Funding Vehicles for Cash Balance Plans

NEW YORK, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, announced today that its group retirement products, The Guardian Choice(SM) and The Guardian Advantage®, are available as funding vehicles for cash balance plans. Cash balance plans can assist small business owners and professionals accelerate savings for retirement while achieving greater tax benefits.

"The recent economic downturn decimated many retirement portfolios.  Our clients, particularly those reaching retirement age, are looking for ways to quickly rebuild their retirement nest eggs while reaping substantial tax savings.  Cash balance plans address both needs and provide yet another retirement option for our clients," said Scott Dolfi, Guardian Executive Vice President, Retirement Solutions.  "GIAC is committed to providing large company services of quality, flexibility and choice to smaller, growing companies."

Cash balance plans offer the unparalleled tax deduction and benefit advantages of traditional pension plans without the confusion.  They provide participants with an easy to understand benefit and guaranteed accumulations while allowing the plan sponsor to better control employee costs and match the plan design to their business goals.

"Small business owners and professional practitioners are often so busy building their businesses that they neglect saving for retirement until later in life.  At that point, they need to accumulate assets quickly while limiting their tax liability," said Douglas Dubitsky, Vice President, Retirement Solutions. "A cash balance plan can be used in conjunction with a company's 401(k) plan and is an attractive retirement savings option for these older business owners and high-wage earners, in family businesses and professional practices such as medical groups and law firms."

Several options are available under The Guardian Choice(SM) and The Guardian Advantage® that can help clients construct an investment portfolio to meet the funding obligations for their cash balance plan.  These options include a traditional fixed rate option, variable investment options across the risk/reward spectrum and a strategically managed option advised by Stadion Money Management, Inc., an independent registered investment advisor.  This strategically managed option seeks to track the corporate bond weighted average rate over a full market cycle. Dennis Mosticchio, Senior Vice President, Retirement Solutions, added, "Offering a variety of investment options under our group retirement products allows clients to design an investment portfolio that is diversified and that helps them achieve their funding obligations under their plan."

About Guardian

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long term care insurance, disability income, group medical and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 120,000 companies. The company has more than 5,400 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide

The Guardian Advantage® group variable annuity contract and The Guardian Choice(SM) group variable funding agreement are issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a Delaware corporation whose principal place of business is 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004.  GIAC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY.

For more information about Guardian, please visit: www.GuardianLife.com

About Stadion

Since 1991, Stadion Money Management has been managing investors' "serious money" - the money that absolutely must be there for important long-term goals like retirement, education and future family legacy. Stadion Money Management offers separate account management services, proprietary mutual funds, and is one of the leading retirement account investment advisory services in the nation. For more information, please visit www.stadionmoney.com.

SOURCE The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America