The federal government is considering whether or not to grant financial aid to the nation’s automobile manufacturers, according to a recent article posted on CNN Money.com. While the recently passed $700 billion federal bailout package was initially designed to get banks and securities firms to start loaning money to businesses and consumers, automakers such General Motors, Ford and Chrysler could also be eligible for this aid through their finance arms (GMAC, etc.).

There is no denying that October has not been a good month when it comes to the economy and for stocks in particular. As of Monday, October 27, the S&P 500 Index had dropped 27.2 percent and is the second-worst performance since the Index began (the worst being 29.94 percent in 1931). A recent article on CNN Money.com points out that October has traditionally been a bad month when it comes to financial downturns. However, they do point out that things could have been worse.

Now is the time of year that most employees must choose their health insurance and other benefits at work. This is typically called “Open Enrollment”. While an article on CNNMoney.com, has some good tips on selecting benefits, it also points out that it is a good time of year for employees to think about their retirement savings, even though eligible employees can sign up at anytime of year. Since you already have them thinking about their benefits, it’s easier to call their attention to their 401(k) plans. Eligible participants should think about how much they want to contribute, how they can contribute more and whether their portfolio needs rebalancing.

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announces its dollar limits for qualified retirement plans. These figures also reflect cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). The IRS recently released the limits for 2009.

With the economy being what it is these days, you might not think that there are any good investments out there. However, several financial experts say, in a recent MotleyFool.com article, that now is a good time for investment opportunities and to rebalance your portfolio.

With the downward turn in the stock market, it’s easy for many retirement plan participants to feel a loss of control over their savings. Many feel as though there is nothing they can do. Well, there are some things that can be done, according to an article on MSN.com, “How to Rescue Your Retirement.” So, what should your participant be doing?

Stocks as a whole will recover, even given the current state of the market, according to a recent question-and-answer session posted on CNN Money.com. While selling of stocks may boost your account balance in the short term, your returns over the long term will suffer and could ultimately lead to lower retirement income, says Walter Updegrave, a senior editor for Money Magazine.

If the current state of the economy has you concerned about your retirement savings, you are not the only one, says a recent article in “USA Today”. “Conservative” seems to be the new watchword in investments, according the article’s authors, with at least $411 million of 401(k) assets having been recently moved into fixed-income funds, including stable value, bonds and money market funds.