Retirement benefits

MEPs address the looming retirement crisis by targeting one of the most underserved segments of the U.S., says Chad Parks.

Automatic rollovers are better than cash-outs for cleaning up small 401(k) accounts, according to retirement expert Spencer Williams.

Connie Weaver, chief marketing officer at newly named TIAA, explains the rationale behind the financial services firm’s new name and look.

Education, auto-enrollment and modeling tools are ways employers can help bridge the savings gap.

Employers acknowledge that defined contribution plans are the primary savings vehicle for many employees, yet their actions so far don’t reflect that line of thinking.

The fact that many female workers will fall into poverty when they reach age 65 or older should be a call to action for employers and policymakers, says the National Institute on Retirement Security.

Automatic rollovers are better than cash-outs for cleaning up small 401(k) accounts, but the ideal long-term solution is for sponsors to enable seamless, automatic plan-to-plan portability.

Many plan sponsors and participants don’t trust the federal government to keep its vow to allow tax-free distribution of Roth 401(k) balances. But taxing balances would not produce enough revenue, so the government is unlikely to go that route.

Workers’ understanding of target date fund is lacking, leading to a failure by many to rebalance other assets in their retirement plan portfolios, new research suggests

Connie Weaver, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at TIAA, explains the rationale behind the financial services firm’s new look and name.

Advisers can give employees tips on how to improve their 401(k) savings curve by taking small, manageable steps.

Employers acknowledge that defined contribution plans are the primary savings vehicle for many employees, yet their actions so far don’t reflect that line of thinking.

Research from Financial Engines suggests many TDF investors ‘misuse’ the funds because they fail to rebalance other assets in their retirement plan portfolios.

Reviewing a plan provider’s SOC 1 report helps employers determine that the service organization has the necessary controls in place to track the benefit plan’s investments and transactions.

Workers who are stressed about finances are absent on average 3.5 days per year, compared to 1.9 days for those who are not stressed about money, pointing to a need for more robust workplace financial wellness programs.

Employees can get tips on how to improve their 401(k) savings curve by taking small, manageable steps and other important advise.

Many plan sponsors and participants don’t trust the federal government to keep its vow to allow tax-free distribution of Roth 401(k) balances. But taxing balances would not produce enough revenue, so the government is unlikely to go that route.

Enrollment meetings are a great way to help employees start to prepare.

Why many organizations are turning their attention to employees’ post-career earning requirements.

Since 401(k) plans were never designed to be the sole source of retirement income for workers, it may be time to upgrade them so they serve a more similar purpose to DB plans.