Employer Strategies

When the recently proposed fiduciary rules are finalized there will likely continue to be significant differences between how Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and brokers interact with their retirement plan clients from a fiduciary standpoint.

Commentary: The changes you may need to make to compete effectively in a future benefits world may be dependent on some prediction as to where you think the market is going.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but all 350 MHBT employees will join MMA under a new company name.

Many assume that a wealthy upbringing is essential for an early retirement, but recent studies show those who plan to retire early were no more likely to describe their family growing up as wealthy/affluent, or financially comfortable, than people who planned to stay in the workforce longer.

Defined contribution plan sponsors remain in regulatory limbo regarding their obligations to maintain detailed documentation surrounding employee 401(k) hardship withdrawals.

In Tibble v. Edison, the Supreme Court did not expound on what a retirement plan fiduciary's duty to monitor entails, which is a bone of contention for ERISA attorneys and 401(k) plan sponsors.

Commentary: Numbers can tell you if your internal communications are effectively engaging employees, and resulting in a stronger culture and higher benefit participation rates.

Fiduciary responsibility requires the careful selection of default retirement investments. Benefit advisers can add value with knowledgeable advice on qualified default investment alternatives, including through the use of selection tools.

Benefits decision-makers continue to struggle with the notion of financially justifying their wellness dollars, as wellness ROI is still exceptionally elusive.

Too many employee benefit plan audits are deficient, finds a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor, putting up to $653 billion and 22.5 million plan participants and beneficiaries at risk.