Retirement education

Financial stress can affect employee productivity and while many employees say they understand the importance of saving for retirement, some say they can’t afford to save or lack understanding about where or how to save.

When performing due diligence, retirement plan fiduciaries must be aware of new SEC rules for the money market funds included in their 401(k) investment lineups.

Employees who don’t factor health care costs into their retirement planning could be in for a rude awakening.

Small-business 401(k) plan participants don’t have access to the same tools and resources that participants in large plans have, which could be putting them at a retirement disadvantage.

The bad equity markets have one silver lining for those executives in your organization that might have large 401(k) account balances: In-plan conversions to Roth 401(k) accounts.

A solid financial wellness program needs to focus on three big ideas: big data, behavioral science and technology, according to experts at this week’s Benefits Forum & Expo.

As more of the baby boom generation retires, some U.S. companies will face a potentially significant loss of talent and institutional knowledge. Companies ahead of the curve are already looking at ways to avoid the brain drain by encouraging today’s workers over 50 to stay longer.

Commentary: Extreme market volatility does not last forever. However, mistakes 401(k) plan participants make by selling out of equity funds at the wrong time can significantly damage their retirement prospects.

Brian Heckert, the new Million Dollar Round Table president, shares the story of how he entered the industry, as well as what he hopes to accomplish and insights on other issues facing the retirement industry.

John Engler, president of Business Roundtable, called on Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to consider changes to the fiduciary proposal.

Commentary: it is particularly curious that the DOL’s proposed fiduciary regulation seems to introduce prohibitions that will likely prevent future modernization of such plans, says The Principal’s Aaron Friedman.

Retirement planning is harder than sticking to a diet and exercise program, millennials say.

Long an afterthought, retirement firms and advisers are pushing their clients to add auto escalation to employer plans.

Defined contribution savings are down but overall wealth accumulation is up.

Consulting firm Mercer is selling its U.S. defined contribution administration book of business to Transamerica. The deal, expected to close by the end of this year, will see Transamerica become Mercer’s preferred DC recordkeeping provider.

Retirement confidence around the world is up, yet only a third of employees report receiving retirement information from their employer.

Commentary: As more baby boomers work past the traditional retirement age of 65, understanding how Medicare interacts with workplace health benefits becomes crucial for economic well-being.

Martha G. King, managing director of Vanguard’s institutional group, addresses the evolution of retirement plan education and the challenges of guaranteed annuity products within 401(k) plans.

SMILE Community Action Agency has made a concerted effort in the past year and a half to offer a more in-depth benefits package to employees so that it can become an employer of choice.

Commentary: Many plan sponsors believe that just by hiring an adviser they do not have a fiduciary obligation to understand the investments in their plans. This is fundamentally wrong.