Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

The Principal Financial's Aaron Friedman was very pleased with the fifth annual 403(b) plan survey from the Plan Sponsor Council of America for a number of reasons, but there is still work to do.

Along with tying your shoes and naming your colors, you learned to count in preschool. So, how hard can it be to count things in health data? It’s not hard, but your preschool strategies won’t give you the right answer, says guest blogger Linda K. Riddell.

With health care upheaval, this industry is in a wild state of flux making it difficult for many brokers to predict their future, so what can and should they do?

Until now, sponsors of 403(b) plans had no cost-effective IRS program to help them review their plan document and ensure that it met all the necessary requirements, says the Principal Financial Group's Aaron Friedman. So what has the IRS done to overcome that?

Historically, voluntary benefits have been dismissed by busy agents as more trouble than they are worth, but with the Affordable Care Act moving closer to full implementation, agents looking to keep existing clients and gain new business should give them a closer look. Still not convinced? Following are five reasons for incorporating voluntary benefits into client proposals: …

There is a movement afoot to put state governments in the business of offering retirement plans to private citizens, which would ultimately eliminate opportunities and siphon business away from financial professionals. Lawmakers in several states have proposed that states create government-run plans for private sector workers. While the details differ from state to state, every proposal this year would require employers who do not currently offer a plan to adopt a state-run plan, either in…

EBA blogger Mark S. Gaunya says there are some important strategies small employers need to know while heading into 2014.

FSA usage should be encouraged throughout the year. Budgeting is easy when using an FSA calculator before opting into the plan to help participants estimate their yearly expenses. And a broker's role when communicating to clients about better FSA budgeting should entail having multiple communications throughout the year.

The California Bankers Association recently announced a long-term care benefit for employees of member banks throughout the state. The initiative is one of the first of its kind for any large U.S. association, and could be a bellwether for the financial field and beyond.

Being present and competent is the order of the day once the ACA becomes a reality, says blogger and UBA CEO Thom Mangan. Brokers need to act as a conduit, or contract with a conduit, to help employees navigate through. A lot of these issues fall on the shoulders of the human resources department, but a broker or adviser needs to offer comprehensive care.