Client communications

What the C-suite and HR really want

When meeting with the C-Suite and human resources department, refrain from presenting solutions and values you think they are looking for – you may be missing out on important information from them, said Trisha Zulic at the 7th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit in Phoenix.

Is now the time to invest in TDFs?

Retirement plan participants who hand pick their own mix of investment options are generally exposed to greater risk, due to reduced diversification and a tendency to not automatically adjust their portfolios over time, according to research from The Principal Financial Group.

Retirement plan participants unsure of future needs

More than a third of retirement plan participants admitted that they either “guessed” or “made up” their estimates for how much income they would need in retirement, according to a new survey, while only 30% said they consulted with a professional for help in setting their goals.

Michael Cohn
By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

Smoking cessation takes top billing

For all employers' focus on curbing obesity statistics through healthy eating and exercise programs, it can be easy to forget that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. One employer, Nelnet, is remaining vigilant about stamping out smoking among its employee population.

Lisa V. Gillespie
By Lisa V. Gillespie
Writer

Communication in the cloud

Employers need to be aware of the significant paradigm shift in how generations of workers prefer to digest their benefits information. Young employees entering the workplace "are people who grew up playing Sims," says Sybll Romley, a Colorado-based independent consultant and HRIS professional. "They want that interactive real-life example, and they want it to be more like a game."

By Kathleen Koster
Freelance Writer

Can benefit advisers really help HR?

As the challenges mount for benefit advisers to prove their value to clients, one of the main questions I think we should consider is can we help HR? And if so, how? What are the solutions that help HR be more effective to their organizations? Is it possible that benefit advisers might be able to help HR have a more strategic seat at the table?

Keeping it social

Within 30 minutes of being contacted, insurance agent Dal Watson had already added this reporter on most of his social media sites – Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. And doing so with clients has brought him and other brokers who are on social media increased business, better reputations and stronger connections.

Brian M. Kalish
By Brian M. Kalish
Online Managing Editor, Health Care Group
SourceMedia

Majority of young employees saving for retirement with TDFs

A growing number of younger participants in 401(k) retirement plans are investing in target-date funds, according to a recent analysis. Using data from the EBRI/ICI 401(k) database, Employee Benefit Research Institute finds that the percentage of recently hired 401(k) participants with two or fewer years of tenure holding TDFs jumped from 43.6% in 2008 to 46.6% in 2009 increasing slightly to 47.6% in 2010. …

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