Fred Barstein, Author at 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Why Health Savings Accounts Are Becoming Essential to Retirement Planning

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, benefit education, Benefits integration, Client connection, collaboration, Compensation, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, Health Savings Account, healthcare, Healthcare & other benefits

Healthcare is one of the largest—and most overlooked—expenses in retirement, making Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) an increasingly critical tool in long-term financial planning. With unique...

The 10 Mistakes Plan Sponsors Are Still Making

By Fred Barstein / Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, DC Plan Sponsors, education, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, investment, participation, retirement income

Defined contribution plans have evolved significantly, but one persistent challenge remains: many plan sponsors are still not fully equipped to manage their responsibilities. Despite overseeing...

Health and Wealth Benefits Shouldn’t Be Communicated Separately

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employer Contribution, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, investment

Health impacts finances. Finances impact health. It’s not a new insight, but a recent white paper from Milliman, a global actuarial and consulting firm, argues...

Why Employers Are Overlooking Student Loan Benefits (And Why It Matters)

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, benefits committee, Benefits integration, CEO Engagement, education, Employee Benefits, Financial Wellness, SAVI, Student Loan Benefits, Student Loan Debt

Not every employee experiences student debt in the same way. A recent graduate navigating repayment options faces a very different reality than a mid-career professional...

Why the 401(k) Industry Must Adapt to Phased Retirement

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401k Trends, AI, AI for Retirement, Client connection, Communication, Digital Tools, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, participation, Recordkeeping, recordkeeping, Retirement Plan Advisor

Defined contribution plans have evolved, but the industry still isn’t fully aligned with how today’s workforce approaches retirement. As employees live longer and seek more...

Balancing Fiduciary Responsibility & Employee Support in 401(k) Plans

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Training, Financial Advisors, financial stress management, Financial Wellness

For many HR professionals, balancing employee support with fiduciary responsibility can feel like a constant tension. Chris, an HR Director for a growing company of...

Could a Centralized Clearinghouse Fix 401(k) System Challenges?

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, Auto Portability, auto re-enroll, Compensation, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Investments, participation, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement planning

Defined contribution plans have come a long way, but the system still struggles with one big reality: people change jobs frequently. Over the course of...

BlackRock DC Report Highlights Five Trends Transforming the 401(k) Into a Personal Pension

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k plan, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, participation, Recordkeeping, Retirement Committee, Retirement Income, SECURE 2.0

Saving matters, but it’s only part of the equation. The harder challenge is helping individuals turn those savings into income they can count on for...

One-Size-Fits-All Retirement Education Doesn’t Work

By Fred Barstein / Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary Training, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, financial stress management, financial uncertainty, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, investment, Millennial saving, Modernize Retirement Plans, multi-generational workforce, office environment, One-on-on consulting, one-size-fits-all, Peer to peer learning

Not every employee walks into a retirement seminar with the same questions. A 24-year-old just starting their career has very different concerns than a 61-year-old...

Vestwell’s $385M Raise Signals a New Phase for Defined Contribution Plans

By Fred Barstein / AI, Company Contributions and Vesting, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Economy, Employee Benefits, Employer Contribution, Robo Advisor Technology, Vestwell

Vestwell’s $385 million funding round signals accelerating momentum to modernize the defined contribution market. The firm plans to acquire 27,000 Guideline plans, expand AI capabilities,...

Fred Barstein