Retirement planning program developed in response to Mercer survey results showing people find it increasingly difficult to build retirement nest egg

“Count on your Retirement” shows retirement savings can be as easy as “1, 2, 3”

NORWOOD, Mass. (Business Wire EON) April 17, 2008 -- Mercer, a leading global provider of benefits administration, announced today that it has recently introduced the “Count on your retirement” online retirement savings educational program to employees whose 401(k) plans it administers. By using a simple, numbers-based concept, “Count on your retirement” helps individuals realize that retirement planning can be as easy as 1, 2, 3. In addition, Mercer has made this program – which incorporates simple, easy-to-use retirement calculators – available to the general public at www.CountOnYourRetirement.com.

As an organization, Mercer is dedicated to promoting the idea that saving for retirement is both necessary and within reach. This is why we are pleased to make 'Count on your retirement' available to our clients and the public at large.

“For even the savviest investor, saving for retirement can be daunting, particularly in light of the current housing and stock market turmoil. That’s why we want to share a selection of simple retirement savings suggestions that can make a big difference,” explained Suzanne Nolan, Director of Marketing and Communications for Mercer’s outsourcing business. “We’ve taken what we’ve learned from the Mercer Workplace Survey^TM and have applied our expertise to create the ‘Count on your retirement’ program. The result is an online experience that truly compels people to take action – whether they increase their 401(k) plan contribution rates, run retirement planning calculations, or simply rebalance their portfolios.”

“Count on your retirement” enables users to customize their experience by selecting a savings effort level: 1 - Effortless, 2 - Easy, or 3 - Still really simple. Then, based on their selection, users can explore a variety of savings tips, use retirement planning calculators, and learn about automatic 401(k) plan features – such as contribution rate increase and rebalancing tools – that may be available to them.

This simple approach helps Mercer and its clients positively address key retirement savings related findings from the 2007 Mercer Workplace Survey such as:

• For the first time in the survey’s history, “just keeping up with my monthly expenses” has surpassed “saving enough for retirement” as respondents’ biggest financial worry.
• 69% of respondents who have identified their target retirement savings income are not fully confident that they will achieve their goal.
• 48% would have saved more of their pay in their 401(k) plan if they could live the last year of their savings and investment life over again.

“Explaining sometimes complex retirement planning strategies in plain English helps build knowledge and, by extension, the confidence to take action,” noted Ms. Nolan. “As an organization, Mercer is dedicated to promoting the idea that saving for retirement is both necessary and within reach. This is why we are pleased to make ‘Count on your retirement’ available to our clients and the public at large.”

About the Mercer Workplace Survey

The Mercer Workplace Survey is a national study of employee attitudes and behaviors regarding their company-sponsored benefit plans, conducted annually since 2003 by Mercer. The 2007 findings are based on a national cross-section of 2,246 active 401(k) plan participants who are also currently enrolled in their employer’s health plan. Online interviews were conducted in June and July 2007.

About Mercer

Mercer is a leading global provider of consulting, outsourcing, and investment services. Mercer works with clients to solve their most complex benefit and human capital issues, designing and helping manage health, retirement, and other benefits. It is a leader in benefit outsourcing. Mercer’s investment services include investment consulting and multi-manager investment management. Mercer’s 17,000 employees are based in more than 40 countries. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., which lists its stock (ticker symbol: MMC) on the New York, Chicago, and London stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.mercer.com.

Securities are offered through Mercer Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp., a U.S. registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC.

Mercer HR Services and Mercer Securities, a division of MMC Securities Corp., are affiliates of and owned by Marsh & McLennan Companies.

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