Employee benefits

Advisers can build a “wonderful retirement plan” from a design perspective, but financial wellness issues can lead plans with great potential off-track, says Kathleen Kelly, managing partner at Compass Financial Partners and EBA’s Retirement Adviser of the Year.

Employers are taking a more active role in helping prepare their employees for retirement, boosting their 401(k) employer matches and default contribution savings rates for employees.

Smart millennials are rejecting higher salaries for quality workplace retirement plans, says researcher Jason Dorsey, chief strategy officer with The Center for Generational Kinetics. Do you agree?

With today’s global, diverse and mobile workforce, employees are inundated with information in and out of the office, making it a constant challenge to capture their attention, communicate important benefit messages and make sure they feel engaged to take action.

As the U.S. retirement industry shifts its focus from the accumulation of wealth to Americans’ need for a steady stream of retirement income, industry experts search for answers in what other countries are doing.

Critical illness insurance sales have been “phenomenal” recently, says Stephen F. Rowley, vice president at Gen Re — A Berkshire Hathaway Company. Watch as he shares what producers are asking for to boost the growth of the product even more.

What works best for clients still struggling to move their technology capabilities into the 21st century?

Commentary: Many employers are struggling to get employees to enroll in voluntary programs; busy workers often don’t take the time to understand what’s being offered.

Baby boomers, Generation X and millennials all have different attitudes about saving for the future and varying work styles, and it’s crucial that advisers know these differences before discussing retirement savings options.

Commentary: Pharma will feel the pain of regulation sooner than they expected, adviser Craig Hasday predicts.

Commentary: Teetering on the edge of the looming retirement crisis in America, partisan politics are part of the reason we have failed to move up in the rankings, says retirement expert Chad Parks.

The technology company launches a new service for employers, Castlight Action, designed to help steer employees to the right health care at the right time.

In addition to lost productivity, low employee morale and a toxic company culture, office bullying can lead to higher turnover – increasing money spent on recruiting and training new talent.

Education is often hailed as the key to employee benefit satisfaction, but new research shows it also increases enrollment and employee engagement. Experts say advisers are well-positioned to expand employer education and communication strategies.

Commentary: New statements and interpretations are about to shatter three decades of serenity in pensions like a chair flying through a saloon window, says The Principal’s Mike Clark.

Nearly three-quarters of employers who have yet to move to a private benefit exchange would consider or are looking for an insurance carrier-sponsored exchange — not one led by an independent company or consultant, new research finds.

Money management firm Stadion aims to customize target-date funds for the small-plan market with new managed account product.

When David Hassell, CEO of software company 15Five, shopped around for a 401(k) plan he was left frustrated and confused by vendors’ lack of fee transparency.

The potential cost increases due to offering transgender health benefits is minimal because the population is small, says Human Rights Campaign.

Confusion still surrounds the Affordable Care Act. Here are eight misconceptions about the health care law.