John Ludwig

The compliance deadline is looming, says adviser John Ludwig, and plan sponsors must be prepared to navigate how the new rules will affect their 401(k) plans.

The October deadline is looming, says columnist John Ludwig, and adviser can help employers navigate the nuances of investment strategies to avoid later hassles.

Determining what is actually ‘in the best interest’ of a client is a gray area that may mean a greater risk of litigation for advisers and higher fees for small investors.

Determining what is actually ‘in the best interest of the client’ is a gray area that may mean a greater risk of litigation for advisers and higher fees for small investors.

The savings option is growing in popularity as part of a prudent capital allocation strategy, says financial adviser John Ludwig.

Why this savings option is growing in popularity as part of a prudent capital allocation strategy

Everything has a price. As fiduciaries, plan sponsors are tasked by the DOL to ascertain reasonableness on the payments they make to third-parties, says John Ludwig.

Everything has a price. As fiduciaries, plan sponsors are tasked by the DOL to ascertain reasonableness on the payments they make to third-parties, says John Ludwig.

Approach the process with patience and a plan, and give yourself time, says retirement plan expert John Ludwig.

Commentary: Improving the retirement plans that we run and advise will have a positive impact on our participants’ retirement readiness — and ultimately their retirement experience, says adviser John Ludwig.

Commentary: By understanding the measurables of their plan and leveraging data, plan sponsors will make smarter, more informed decisions to create competitive benefit packages while addressing plan-specific needs with actionable insights.

Commentary: If plan fees are a potential liability, the logic is sound that the least amount of fees paid reduces that liability. But, EBA retirement columnist John Ludwig asks, does it really?

Commentary: Many plan sponsors believe that just by hiring an adviser they do not have a fiduciary obligation to understand the investments in their plans. This is fundamentally wrong.

Commentary: How do we help employees get to the point they can feel they can retire, asks columnist John Ludwig.

Commentary: Delivering fee disclosure notices to both plan sponsors and plan participants has helped some plan sponsors to lower their costs, but the various fee disclosures are still difficult for many to understand. With such a national focus on fees, some plan sponsors have taken the opportunity to review and rethink how they handle plan fees.

Commentary: Do loans and hardships really help solve what the plan was designed to do? Columnist John Ludwig doesn’t think so. In the end, they are a detriment to most participants’ retirement dreams, he says.

Commentary: More disclosures and transparency is not a bad thing, but how does this ruling truly help make things easier to understand and provide the leadership needed for retirement readiness, asks EBA columnist John Ludwig.

Committees and plan sponsors alike have discussed ways to improve their investment menus over the last several years as a way to help drive successful retirement outcomes for employees. Regulatory changes, market instability and large numbers of investment options have led plan sponsors to devote more attention to their plans’ investment menus. What steps can committees take to help the problem that has plagued so many participants over the years? …

Commentary: Follow these formulas to drive participant outcomes as employers look to help employees save for retirement by helping them get to a higher savings rate.

Having an effective employee engagement strategy is one of the most important components of running a successful retirement plan, says EBA columnist John Ludwig.