Financial planning

Employer-sponsored defined contribution plans have become the go-to retirement vehicle for the majority of workers in the U.S. but more needs to be done to get employees to not only save but to save more.

Commentary: Do loans and hardships really help solve what the plan was designed to do? Columnist John Ludwig doesn’t think so. In the end, they are a detriment to most participants’ retirement dreams, he says.

April was a better month for the 100 largest U.S. corporate pension plans, with their funded status rising to 82.6% from 80.9%.

When saving for the future, many people opt focus on their children’s opportunities rather than their own. The College Savings Plan Network encourages employers to offer benefits options, such as a 529 college investment plan, to help their employees save for their children’s college educations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

More employers are moving to a holistic benefits education approach that addresses health care and retirement savings at the same time.

Commentary: To better serve millennials, the financial services community and 401(k) plan sponsors need to better understand the motivations of the typical member of this generation.

A California-based startup is offering employers a new benefit program that enables workers to access low-cost credit and one-on-one financial coaching.

Retirement account balances reached a record high $91,800 in the first quarter of 2015, and more than 1 million people increased the rate at which they are putting money aside for the future.

Three plan sponsors share their inventive – and sometimes controversial – strategies for getting employees more deeply involved in retirement savings.

It is safe to say that Ron Surz is passionate about retirement, particularly when it comes to target-date funds. Surz, president and CEO of San Clemente, Calif.-based Target Date Solutions, believes that too much risk is placed in TDFs, which have become the go-to default investment in many employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Nearly a year and a half after the IRS opened the door to flexible spending account carryovers, 60% of employers report they have amended or are planning to amend their FSA plans to take advantage of the added flexibility.

There are a variety of solutions available that brokers can suggest to clients who are seeking to attract and retain millennials, who often have yet to build financial savings.

The funded status of the 100 largest corporate pensions dropped by $6 billion in March, increasing the deficit to $349 billion, according to the Milliman 100 Pension Funding Index.

For a decade, a new kind of mutual fund has been taking over Americans’ retirement portfolios. The target-date fund is designed for people with no knowledge of investing.