Paula Aven Gladych

As plan sponsors become more aware of their fiduciary responsibilities, advisers and investment managers who offer to help them manage some of that responsibility have become more popular.

As the employers and others in the retirement plan industry prepare for President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, the Insured Retirement Institute releases its own agenda for 2016.

Defined benefit plan sponsors continued to de-risk their plans in 2015 with lump-sum payouts and group annuity purchases. It was the second most active recent year for annuity purchases, finds new research from consulting firm Willis Towers Watson.

Mutual fund fees in 401(k) plans tended to fall between 2009 and 2013, finds new research from BrightScope and the Investment Company Institute. Consistent with other research, the study also found that fund expenses are typically lower in larger plans.

Plan sponsors are doing a better job of educating 401(k) plan participants about target-date funds, says Vanguard’s John Croke, but there’s still more to do moving forward.

Sitting back and hoping for the best is not an investment strategy, says Matt McDaniel, U.S. head of defined benefit risk at Mercer.

Trying to communicate retirement planning messages during the holiday season is like offering a kale smoothie to someone during Mardi Gras – it might be good for them, but it won’t be widely embraced, says one retirement plan expert.

The small-plan retirement market has been dominated by investment product providers like insurance companies, mutual fund companies and broker dealers. But are RIAs are making inroads?

Retirement plan experts don’t expect immediate effects from the Federal Reserve’s announced interest rate hike but advise plan sponsors to review new 401(k) loans to ensure they reflect the new rate.

Re-enrollment can help existing 401(k) plan participants diversify their investment holdings without having to put too much thought into it.

Retirement is staring Gen X in the face and employees in this demographic are looking to their employers to boost 401(k) benefits.

Natixis Global Asset Management is offering a new benefit that it hopes will allow more employees to begin saving for retirement instead of spending all of their extra money paying off student loan debt.

Employers have either dropped the ball when it comes to offering employees retirement transition assistance like flexible work arrangements, retirement seminars or financial counseling, or employees are just not aware of the benefits their employers offer.

Fee disclosure regulations, the DOL’s proposed fiduciary rule and lawsuits related to 401(k) fees have heightened both plan sponsors’ and plan participants’ awareness of the costs of 401(k) plans.

The NFL and the NFL Players Association work together to build a comprehensive wellness program that helps retired football players better transition into a life without football, both financially and emotionally.

Many women contribute to their workplace retirement plans, but are also are very concerned about not being able to retire when and how they want to, implying that they may not be saving enough to feel secure about reaching their retirement goals.

More companies are offering both a traditional 401(k) plan and a Roth 401(k) but plan participants are not as quick to embrace the Roth 401(k) as their employers are.

Small business owners don’t always have the resources or know-how to establish 401(k) plans for their employees.

The majority of workers have no idea if they’re on track to meet their retirement goals. What role do employers play in helping them find out?

The service is designed for plan sponsors that want to manage their stock plan records in-house but are looking for employee servicing, guidance and brokerage services.