Retirement benefits

Some industry sectors are bucking the trend from defined benefit pension plans to defined contribution plans, with more than half of companies in the insurance and utility sectors still offering DB and DC retirement plans to new salaried employees.

Despite the ever-changing world, ERISA remains strong and steady. The average American worker is far better off because of ERISA, which has held up remarkably well over the past four decades.

New data reveals only 46% of middle-market consumers have individual life insurance, and that more than three quarters of consumers age 25-64 say they would benefit from more close guidance from financial services professionals in adding that important voluntary benefit.

On the 40th anniversary of ERISA, benefits attorney Howard Shapiro contemplates the differences between this landmark piece of legislation and another, the Affordable Care Act.

With such a wide range of opinions about how much money employees need to save for retirement – estimates vary from eight to 25 times final pay – it can be hard for participants to know what to aim for.

While American employees appreciate having a 401(k) plan, the majority will likely spend more time planning for a new car purchase or vacation than researching their plan’s investment options.

When they leave the workforce, Generation X may be in a similar, not worse, retirement situation than baby boomers given their access to automatic enrollment in defined contribution plans and the growth of their future plan contributions, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently adopted amendments to the rules that govern money market mutual funds. Two of the changes could affect how you manage your 401(k) plan.

Commentary: When the discussion about retirement plan costs focuses too heavily on fees, Blogger Aaron Friedman says it's up to advisers to demonstrate the value employers receive in return for the price they pay.

Oregon’s Retirement Savings Task Force is calling on the state to create a retirement fund that would be available to all employed state residents that will follow Oregonians as they transition between jobs.

Commentary: Retirement specialist John Ludwig reviews the consequences of an employer’s failure to make timely deposits to a participant’s retirement account.

Coming on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dudenhoeffer decision, which eliminated a pro-fiduciary presumption with respect to company stock holdings in qualified retirement plans, the Fourth Circuit issued a decision last week that could cause even more unrest for plan fiduciaries.

Commentary: On July 4, 2014, the trustees of the BT Pension Scheme in the U.K. announced a record-breaking longevity risk transfer transaction that will provide long-term protection and income to the pension scheme in the event that members live longer than expected.

Corporate pension plan sponsors posted a median 4% return in the second quarter, thanks in part to their U.S. equity allocations.

We all know how markets have traded most of the time since the 2008 crash. One day everything is moving up in value, the next everything is falling. But things are changing.

Benefit plan documents should be reviewed regularly with the plan’s third-party administrator. While a plan’s TPA can assist employers in meeting regulatory requirements, it is important to define the roles and responsibilities of the plan sponsor, who is ultimately responsible for implementing plan policies and procedures.

The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company on Wednesday launched The Fiduciary Awareness Quiz, a first-of-its kind assessment to help plan sponsors better understand their fiduciary obligations and responsibilities.

From fees and features to funds and fiduciaries, there's lots to consider when reviewing your 401(k) plan.

Commentary: Benefit advisers should help educate 403(b) plan sponsors about appropriate Form 5500 compliance before the DOL takes enforcement action, the Principal Financial Group's Aaron Friedman says.

As employers try to figure out how best to prepare their workforces for retirement, experts in the benefits and investment industries recommend that an individual retirement account – either the traditional or Roth version – can be a good complement or standalone option for an employee’s retirement path.