New tax laws driving interest in alternative savings plans
Cash balance, deferred compensation and profit-sharing plans are gaining in popularity – especially for small employers.
Retirement readiness
Retirees reluctant to spend their savings
Retirees have median savings of $839,000, but many of them are unwilling to spend away their nest egg.
Benefits Think What’s in a retirement readiness score?
While these services are far from perfect, they are a useful way to start a conversation with employees planning for their post-work years.
Jess DeGabriele
LHD Retirement
Benefits Think The hidden DC plan sponsor priority: Plugging leakage, enabling auto-portability
Employers should concentrate on adopting measures that enable seamless plan-to-plan savings portability for participants, especially for employee accounts with less than $5,000.
Spencer Williams
Portability Services Network and Retirement Clearinghouse
Benefits Think What’s in a retirement readiness score?
While these services are far from perfect, they are a useful way to start a conversation with employees planning for their post-work years.
Jess DeGabriele
LHD Retirement
Benefits Think 4 trends in financial education
Benefit advisers have a definite role in helping employers take steps toward building a more financially-secure workforce.
Elizabeth Halkos
Purchasing Power LLC
Benefits Think 5 ways millennial employees can secure their financial wellness
Fiscal literacy isn’t taught in high school and colleges, so employers must counsel their younger workers about saving money.
Manisha Thakor
Brighton Jones
Benefits Think How to speed up financial wellness learning? Simplify it
Starting small, with financial checklists and cash flow worksheets, can have a large impact on plan participants.
Mark Singer
The Financial Literacy Toolbox
3 simple steps to help protect your client’s legacy
Clients are advised to keep track of their financial information and have a trusted person who knows where to locate it.
Policymakers still struggle with ways to increase retirement readiness
Employees who have access to a workplace plan and start saving early are in the best position to retire when they finally reach the age of 65, says the EBRI.
4 Social Security myths and the reasons why they’re overblown
One of the misconceptions is that payroll taxes should be raised and benefits should be cut considerably to save the program.
Policymakers still struggle with ways to increase retirement readiness
EBRI finds that employees with access to a workplace plan and start saving early on are in the best position when they finally reach the age of 65.
10 worst states to retire
Kentucky, Louisiana and New Jersey are among the least-appealing places for employees to spend their post-work years, thanks to low scores in affordability, health-related factors and overall quality of life.
A number to avoid when discussing healthcare costs with clients
Advisors should frame health care costs as an annual expense rather than a lump sum, which is demotivating for investors, according to Vanguard.
Benefits Think Five steps to becoming a trusted retirement plan adviser
Advisers must develop relationships with business owners to establish customized plans that work best for the needs of their employees.
Michael Weintraub
Ascension Benefits & Insurance Solutions
Benefits Think 7 signs of a successful 401(k)
Reasonable costs, healthy account balances and a high percentage of employee participants are attributes of great retirement plans.
Robert C. Lawton
Lawton Retirement Plan Consultants
10 best states to retire
Colorado, Idaho and Virginia are among the most-appealing places for retirees, thanks to their affordability, higher quality of life and numerous healthcare options.
401(k) investors: Why boring municipal bonds are exciting for investors
Municipal bonds can be a more lucrative option for some retirement savers than comparable, higher-yielding bonds.
Benefits Think Wrong assumptions plan sponsors make
Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to a possible ERISA audit. Here are some hard truths to common mistakes sponsors have in their heads.
Carol Buckmann
Cohen & Buckmann PC
Benefits Think Wrong assumptions plan sponsors make
Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to a possible ERISA audit. Here are some hard truths to common mistakes sponsors have in their heads.
Carol Buckmann
Cohen & Buckmann PC