Employee benefits

Nearly one year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June, 2014 ruling in the landmark Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer case, employers that use company stock in their retirement plans are gearing up for changes.

Best-performing state exchanges have thrived on strong, coordinated and targeted outreach, as well as enrollment-assistance programs that are embedded in the community.

Commentary: There are certain areas of an asset allocation where there is real danger to blindly investing in passive investments.

Commentary: Many workers prefer to access financial products, including insurance, in the workplace. This intersection of employer awareness and employee preference has created an opportunity for employee benefit advisers, says Prudential’s Lori Fouché.

Success on Wall Street and buyer demand has created ‘a crazy marketplace right now.’

As U.S. employers move away from defined benefit pension plans in favor of self-directed retirement accounts, workers have become responsible for their own investment and longevity risk in retirement – something they’ve never had to deal with before and don’t understand very well.

The U.S. Congress adopted a budget that will allow Republicans to bypass Democrats and send a repeal or revision of President Barack Obama’s landmark 2010 health-care law to his desk.

As the country celebrates small business week, a time to appreciate the contributions these employers give to the economy, some debate how small companies can best give back to their employees’ financial wellness and, ultimately, retirement readiness.

A slew of hot-button topics, from health care to retirement, are being discussed in Washington –both on Capitol Hill and in the halls of the Supreme Court. As a result, it is imperative employers remain focused and aware of the looming decisions that could change the benefits community.

Remote access to care is expected to soar as telehealth offerings prove to be major time and money saver for employers.

Smaller companies and non-profits are among the organizations that are contemplating a switch in how they manage employee benefits.

Younger workers have begun to recognize that working well into their traditional retirement age will likely be the new normal, as Social Security and even workplace savings plans may not support their lifestyles.

It's important for employees -- even those who've been with the same company for years -- to reevaluate their needs and make sure they’re getting the most out of the benefits you're offering.

As target-date fund assets continue to skyrocket and as more 401(k) plans adopt auto-enrollment, plan sponsors are taking a taking a more measured approach to choosing the TDFs for their plans.

Explosive growth in the individual market is forcing brokers who work with very small groups to change their business models —and often receive less commission in the process.

Pregnancy and cancer were the most-often cited uses of DI in 2014, according to Unum, which had 380,000 new disability claims last year.

Discussion about the ACA has moved from understanding it to implementing it, but employers and their advisers continue to meet challenges in doing so.

Forty percent of Americans aren’t receiving regular dental care – and it’s costing employers.

A 9-million person market is a powerful one to tap. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, which represents Blues plans across the country, is the latest to launch a retiree private HIX, coming this summer.

Employee engagement is the challenge of many wellness programs, but several companies have improved employee participation with gaming and, yes, zombies.