Retirement

Commentary: When it comes to qualified domestic relations orders, plan sponsors and their financial professional partners need to ensure they have a robust and detailed process that can actually work, says The Principal’s Aaron Friedman.

The “retirement crisis” facing America, a phrase coincidentally coined by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, is a growing concern for defined contribution plan sponsors looking to provide a continued source of income to current and future retirees. As a direct result, the New York-based asset management shop said Wednesday that its CoRI Indexes can help to alleviate participants’ fears of running out of money.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision to hear arguments over Fifth Third Bancorp v. Duddenhoeffer – a case that questions whether it’s prudent for companies to offer employee stock ownership within 401(k) investment schemes – will be front and center for retirement plan sponsors this spring.

This is the time of year when most companies with calendar year plans start reviewing their discrimination test to see if they passed or if they have to refund any contributions to the highly compensated employee group. Columnist John Ludwig shares best practices for keeping your clients in compliance.

AOL Inc. is reversing a new policy for staff retirement plans that would have forced employees who leave before the end of the year to forfeit benefits.

AOL Inc. blamed President Barack Obama’s health care law for its plan to reduce spending on contributions to employees’ 401(k) retirement plans.

Cost-effective exchange-traded funds, relatively unknown in the 401(k) market, are now a reality for the 1.3 million retirement plan participants of Charles Schwab’s Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc.

Some 403(b) plan sponsors believe that if they are exempt from ERISA, they cannot be held accountable as an acting-fiduciary. This is a misconception.

The first trading day of February was one for the ages as equity markets dipped at historical levels and uncertainty still faces the Federal Reserve’s tapering plans. With these tumultuous market events swirling, 401(k) plan sponsors are keeping an eye on asset levels.

Coming just on the heels of President Obama’s unveiling of the new MyRA proposal, Senator Tom Harkin announced Thursday the finalized details for his Universal, Secure, Adaptable Retirement Funds Act – legislation he hopes will provide a stable and financially solid mechanism for the 75 million Americans without access to workplace retirement plans.