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The DOL’s proposed fiduciary rule would likely push some commission-based brokers out of the retirement market altogether, NAIFA’s JuIi McNeely testified during the second day of DOL hearings on the proposed rule.

While it’s widely assumed that defined benefit plans provide better retirement benefits than defined contribution plans that might not always the case.

Commentary: How do we help employees get to the point they can feel they can retire, asks columnist John Ludwig.

As the Department of Labor hears from the retirement plan services industry this week during hearings into its proposed fiduciary rule, new research reveals many 401(k) plan sponsors are eyeing formal reviews of their plans.

Complete, ongoing coverage on the Labor Department's hearings on its proposal to impose fiduciary requirements on retirement advisors from SoureMedia's Financial Planning, On Wall Street, Employee Benefit Advisor and Employee Benefit News.

Of the many industry critiques of the Department of Labor's fiduciary proposal, one of the most oft-repeated is the assertion that new regulations would cut off access to advice for low- and middle income investors — precisely the segment of consumers the initiative aims to protect.

Commentary: With employees fighting back and winning against high fees and a new fiduciary standard on the way, we’re on the cusp of some radical changes to the corporate retirement landscape.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton a $202 million contract to be the marketplace system integrator, or general contractor, which includes the federally-facilitated health insurance marketplace, parts of the state-run marketplaces and more.

The Plan Sponsor Council of America outlines its concerns over the DOL’s proposal to impose fiduciary requirements on retirement advisers.

Commentary: The broker’s dependence on the medical carriers — and their value to the broker’s business business — has about run its course, says columnist Nelson Griswold.

Despite potential savings offered, voluntary programs that provide discounts on products, services and tickets to employees are rarely used and seeing almost no growth year-over-year.

Independent insurance brokers recorded a median organic growth of nearly 6% for the second quarter of 2015, continuing a growth trend that’s been steady for the past few years.

Based on the questions at the oral arguments, how might the Supreme Court rule on King v. Burwell and what are the implications of such a ruling? Watch as Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University, discusses potential outcomes of the ruling, expected later this month.

In its first day of hearings about the proposed fiduciary rule, the DOL has heard testimony from advisers, legal experts and other industry representatives — many seeking revisions to minimize the ‘burden’ of the rule’s future implementation.

Concerns about over-regulation and accusations of industry cynicism led the opening of the Labor Department's hearings on its proposal to impose fiduciary requirements on retirement advisers — the latest phase of its contentious process to craft new rules on consumer protections.

Despite a growing optimism about their financial situations, African-Americans still participate in their employer-sponsored retirement plans at lower rates than the general population, indicating a continued need for employers to focus on retirement plan education.

Commentary: Brokers across the country have horror stories of Zenefits stealing their clients. So, columnist Nelson Griswold asks, what can a broker or adviser do to defend his book from Zenefits?

Employers must make appropriate religious accommodations – just ask UPS and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Connecticut’s AccessHealthCT is poised to become the nation’s first state-run marketplace that will be financially self-sustaining in 2016 when federal grants end for these online marketplaces as stipulated under the Affordable Care Act.

While Montana has one of the nation’s lowest head counts, it ranked a close second behind New Hampshire in terms of the highest rate of 2015 public exchange re-enrollment among 34 states that direct their residents to Healthcare.gov.