Benefits Think

Amid today’s rapidly changing benefits landscape, employers are increasingly called to become more informed plan fiduciaries overseeing decisions about their plan’s qualified default investment alternatives. Three main components hold particular importance to help employers make reasonable QDIA decisions and fulfill ERISA obligations.

Commentary: The kind of intense research that goes into, say, a television purchase is missing from a major market—and retirement advisers should take notice of this opportunity.

Employers today face continuing challenges when it comes to managing Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disabilities Act regulations. These laws seek to protect employees who may need to be absent from work for a period of time due to a disability or health condition.

Commentary: Why group benefit brokers are behind the curve when it comes to voluntary benefit sales — and how to fix it.

A passive portfolio management approach is appropriate for many 401(k) plan participants and individual investors. But indexing isn’t right for everyone.

Commentary: Columnist John Ludwig asks, with all the effort put into fee disclosures and the money to produce them; does it really help the participant in the end?

How do you take stock of the hundreds of vendors of benefits administration, all there to help with enrollment and ongoing benefits management? A readiness self-assessment may help avoid some unnecessary steps.

Commentary: The industry is scrambling to keep pace with technology-fueled demands for speedy claims turnover. Aflac’s Laree Daniel explains how customer expectations are molding the industry response.

Commentary: HR Technology Advisors’ Joe Markland hears about it all the time when speaking to brokers. Yet, he says, although many claim to have seen it, nobody can find it.

Commentary: The HHS comment period for how to define a closely held, for-profit company continues. In the meantime, AmWINS Group Benefits’ Sam Fleet shares how third-party administrators are getting caught in the middle.