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

Financial Wellness and DEI Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Authenticity, benefits committee, Communication, DC plans, DEI, diversity, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Inclusion, nondiscrimination testing, office environment, Regs and Regulators

Employers say the biggest challenges they face in 2024 are financial wellness and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Good news: They can be addressed together,...

Key Role of Meeting Minutes in Retirement Plan Compliance & Audits

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k rollovers, Audit, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, Committees, Communication, Compliance, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Detailed Meeting Minutes, Employee feedback, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Legislation, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Plan Committee, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Virtual Meeting

Key Role of Meeting Minutes in Retirement Plan Compliance & Audits Maintaining detailed minutes of committee meetings is essential for companies with retirement plans that...

Evolving RPAs: Transforming Modern 401(k) and 403(b) Plans

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, Authenticity, Change, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, Digital Tools, diversity, Economy, education, Employee happiness, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial stress, Financial Wellness, innovation, investment, Mobile apps, Regs and Regulators

The evolution of 401(k) and 403(b) plans from simple savings tools to comprehensive financial solutions has transformed the role of Retirement Plan Advisors (RPAs). Initially,...

Leveraging 401(k) Power for Competitive Recruitment

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, auto escalate, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Diversity equity inclusion, Employee happiness, Employer Contribution, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, hiring, Job growth, office environment, onboarding, participation, Plan Optimization, Recruiting and Retaining Talent, Vesting

Leveraging 401(k) Power for Competitive Recruitment In today’s fiercely competitive job market, companies need to differentiate themselves by offering more than just a competitive salary. ...

3 Ways to Support an Aging Workforce

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Aging Workforce, annuity, Behavioral Finance, benefit education, Communication, Compensation, DC plans, diversity, Economy, Employee happiness, Employer Contribution, environment, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, healthcare, Inclusion, Investments, mindfulness, Retirement Income

The aging population has transformed the workforce—approximately one in four employees is age 65 or older. While this demographic is becoming the fastest-growing group of...

Maximizing Managed Accounts in Retirement Planning

By Fred Barstein / Authenticity, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Client connection, Communication, Compliance, Custom Funds and Managed Accounts, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Design, Digital Tools, Education, evolving and adapting, Financial Advisors, financial behaviors, Financial Wellness, Investments, Legislation, Managed Accounts, Retirement Plan Committee, Retirement Plan Fees, Selecting & Monitoring, Target Date Funds

While managed accounts offer a more personalized retirement planning solution than target date funds (TDFs), their effectiveness is hampered by insufficient data and participant engagement. ...

Savings Rates Hit Record Highs While Retirees Are Still Returning to Work

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Aging Workforce, annuity, Communication, Communication, Compensation, Economy, Emergency Savings, Employer Contribution, employer match, evolving and adapting, financial insecurity, Financial Security, financial stress, Financial Wellness, hiring, inflation stress

A pair of articles in Employee Benefit News recently spotlighted two seemingly opposing trends: Americans’ 401(k) savings rate has hit an all-time high. Nonetheless, many...

The Importance of Holistic Financial Wellness

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto escalate, Auto Portability, auto re-enroll, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, Creative approach, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Design, Digital Tools, Economy, Employee Benefits, Financial Wellness, financial wellness programs, Legislation

Fred Barstein CEO & Founder 401kTV with David Lum, Managing Director, SageView, Honolulu A holistic approach to financial wellness is crucial as it encompasses all...

Widespread Adoption of In-Plan Retirement Income Solutions Demands Collaboration

By Fred Barstein / collaboration, evolving and adapting, financial uncertainty, Financial Wellness, Retirement Income, Retirement Income, Retirement Plan Committee

Achieving widespread adoption of retirement income solutions in defined contribution plans requires persistent effort, collaboration, and overcoming significant challenges related to transparency, risk, and incentives. ...

The Critical Importance of Annuity Fee Transparency

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Annuities, annuity, Authenticity, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, Confidence, DC plans, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, inflation concerns, investment comittee, Retirement Happiness, Third party administrators

The transparency of annuity fees and costs is a critical issue in retirement planning. It directly impacts employees’ confidence and trust in their retirement...

Fred Barstein