Retirement benefits

The plan includes discussion of auto IRAs, state-run 401(k) plans and personal IRAs that would be available to Americans through the workplace.

User-friendly websites and technologies in use by firms such as Transamerica and Charles Schwab are easing retirement planning.

Professionally managed accounts can play a role in helping employees be better prepared for retirement, yet many workers don’t have a good understanding of how they work.

As President Obama prepares to release his budget proposal that is expected to include a provision to expand retirement coverage among small businesses, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions to help participants take their 401(k)s with them when they change jobs.

There are several reasons you may want to educate workers on the value of leaving their 401(k) assets in your company plan should they leave your employment.

Lack of communication and conflicts of interest are two areas plan sponsors should review when determining whether to change 401(k) plan providers.

The new head of the Employee Benefit Research Institute talks about the latest retirement trends, his plans for the organization and the state of employee benefits.

Cynthia Loh, head of Betterment for Business discusses the firm's official launch of its 401(k) service.

From boosting wellness program participation to closing the retirement savings gap and more, consultants at Aon Hewitt reveal eight trends benefit managers should keep an eye out for in 2016.

Commentary: From implementing automatic enrollment to eliminating participant loans, here are five actions plan sponsors can take this year to improve their 401(k) plans.

Recognizing companies with the best 401(k) plans with more than $1 billion in assets, BrightScope has released its year-end ranking of the top 401(k) plans, based on factors such as total plan costs, company generosity, salary deferrals and account balances. How does your plan compare?

Nora M. Everett, president of Principal’s retirement and investor services unit, discusses the firm’s retirement transition program and new pension builder product that will allow 401(k) plan participants to buy a deferred income annuity while they’re still actively participating in the plan.

Employers have either dropped the ball when it comes to offering employees retirement transition assistance like flexible work arrangements, retirement seminars or financial counseling, or employees are just not aware of the benefits their employers offer.

Throughout the year, a number of guest bloggers have provided valuable insights to EBN readers on the complex changes and issues affecting healthcare, retirement and other benefits programs.

Seeking an alternative to the DOL's controversial proposed fiduciary rule, some members of Congress are drafting their own proposal that would establish rules for advisers working with savers and plans without the regulatory burdens and litigation risks that critics see in the DOL's plan.

Under new final regulations, which take effect Jan. 1, 2016, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation substantially reduced the reporting requirements for pension plan administrators, sponsors and contributing employers.

Commentary: There are a lot of misconceptions about retirement plans that may keep employees from enrolling. Chad Parks shares are some ways to help businesses navigate these often jargon-heavy waters.

Commentary: This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., which has vital implications for employee benefit plans — and for future attempts to impose state-specific regimes to gather health data from those plans.

Commentary: Auto-enrollment, codified in law by the Pension Protection Act of 2006, was drafted with the best of intentions — to increase Americans’ retirement savings — but it has had the unintended consequence of impairing plan effectiveness.

Commentary: The most important element in personal investing, including 401(k) investing, is an investor's understanding of his/her risk tolerance. Virtually all negative investor outcomes spring from a lack of understanding an employee has about his/her ability to bear risk.