Retirement income products, or in-plan annuity options, have been available for over a decade but their utilization has been stagnant due to concerns about price, portability, and convertibility. With the recent market volatility in 2020 and recent passing of the SECURE Act, we have seen an industry push towards the research, development, and implementation of … Continue reading Caveat Guarantor

A newly proposed Senate bill by Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, would enable participants to continue saving for retirement while repaying their student debt even in the event that they can't afford to make their own contributions to a 401(k) plan. This feature could be offered at the option of the employer and would apply … Continue reading What is the status on allowing 401(k) match for student loan payments?

You can reduce the risk of fraud and loss to your retirement account by following these basic rules: REGISTER, SET UP AND ROUTINELY MONITOR YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNTMaintaining online access to your retirement account allows you to protect and manage your investment.Regularly checking your retirement account reduces the risk of fraudulent account access.Failing to register for … Continue reading Participant Corner: Online Security Tips from the Department of Labor

The tidal surge of funds flowing from actively managed funds into passive funds reached a tipping point in 2019, when Morningstar preliminary data indicated that passive U.S. equity assets would surpass active equity assets for the first time. This inflection point was widely anticipated. Over the prior decade, active domestic equity funds leaked $1.3 trillion … Continue reading If You are Going to Exclude Active Funds from Your Retirement Plan Investment Lineup, Have Darn Good Reasons

Health savings accounts (HSAs) have grown tremendously in popularity over the past few years. You’ve probably heard of them or maybe your employer offers one. This memo will uncover answers to common questions you may have about HSAs. What’s an HSA?A type of savings account that allows you to set aside money on a pre-tax … Continue reading Participant Corner: What’s an HSA and is it Right for You?

Employees fail to enroll in their retirement plan for a variety of reasons. They may be intimidated if it’s their first time around or they might not fully understand and appreciate the benefits (or the downside of not participating). Some could be concerned about “locking up” their money — and others might worry so much … Continue reading 5 Tactics to Increase Retirement Plan Participation

COVID-19 has posed a duel set of related challenges for plan sponsors and participants. For employees, the pandemic has pitted more immediate financial needs against prioritizing planned savings — and shifted the traditional focus of employee-sponsored financial wellness programs from the future to the present. And sponsors face the difficulty of effectively engaging remote workers … Continue reading WFH (Wellness From Home) Challenges Both Participants and Plan Sponsors

Plan sponsors and retirement plan committees are likely to encounter a myriad of industry-related naming devices and designations. It is important that they understand what each means in terms of definition, background, and practical impact/importance to the plan, the plan’s fiduciaries, and the plan’s participants. ERISA Definitions For instance, a number of ERISA sections are … Continue reading ERISA Definitions and Financial Designations and What They Mean for Plan Sponsors

Retirement is a whole new phase of life. You’ll experience many new things, and you’ll leave others behind – but what you won’t avoid is taxes. If you’ve followed the advice of retirement plan consultants, you’re probably saving in tax-advantaged retirement accounts. These types of accounts defer taxes until withdrawal, and you’ll probably withdraw funds … Continue reading Three Tax Tips that Can Help as You Approach or Begin Retirement

A retirement plan committee consists of co-fiduciaries who are responsible for all plan management activities that have been delegated to them by their plan’s named fiduciary. ERISA states that the committee must act exclusively in the best interests of plan participants, beneficiaries and alternate payees as they manage their plan’s administrative and management functions. Many … Continue reading Retirement Plan Committee Activities