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

Is Your Retirement Plan Advisor Fulfilling Their Fiduciary Function?

By Fred Barstein / 401k plan, Audit, Authenticity, Benchmarking & Fees (ERISA, retirement plan), benefit education, Change, Changing dynamics, Client connection, Communication, DC plans, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, investment, Plan design, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Target Date Fund, TRIPLE F ADVISOR

Retirement Plan Advisor Fiduciary Function

Investment oversight is one of your most critical responsibilities as a plan sponsor. But how do you know if your retirement plan investment advisor is...

Smarter Saving Through Auto-Escalation

By Fred Barstein / 401k plan, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, Compensation, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Retirement Readiness

Smarter Saving Through Auto-Escalation Automatic enrollment with auto-escalation is not only a smart way to help employees save more for retirement—it gets them started right...

The Growing Importance of the Wealthies for the RPA Industry

By Fred Barstein / Retirement Plan Advisor, RPA Consolidation, Wealthies, WealthManagement.com

The Wealthies, the annual WealthManagement.com Industry Awards, are becoming increasingly important for the Retirement Plan Advisor (RPA) industry. In his latest article, “The Importance of...

Effective Retirement Plan Design Can Help Boost Participation and Savings Rates

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, auto enroll, Auto Portability, benefit education, DC plans, Economy, Emergency Savings, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Ideal Plan, investment, participation, Plan Participation, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, Savings Rates

Retirement Plan Design Participation Savings

Although retirement planning is a top priority for many Americans, significant barriers persist. Nearly one in four workers with access to employer-sponsored retirement plans don’t...

New Auto Savings Features Could Help Address the Job Mobility Challenge

By Fred Barstein / 401k rollovers, Adaptability, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, auto re-enroll, Changing dynamics, Company Contributions and Vesting, Consolidation, DC plans, Economy, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, investment, participation, Plan Participation, Regs and Regulators

The average employee changes jobs nine times throughout their career, creating a challenge for traditional 401(k) savers. A recent panel discussion hosted by the Brookings...

The Most Important Attribute of a Great Retirement Plan Advisor

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, adult learning, Authenticity, Client connection, Communication, education, Employee happiness, Fiduciary Training, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, Retirement Plan Advisor

The Most Important Attribute of a Great Retirement Plan Advisor A great retirement plan advisor (RPA) must navigate complex regulations, provide strategic investment guidance, and...

Financial Strain Impacts 3 in 4 U.S. Workers, New Study Reveals

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefits committee, Benefits integration, Compensation, debt relief, Employee Benefits, financial behaviors, financial insecurity, Financial Literacy, financial stress, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, investment, personal financial advice, Retirement Readiness

A new study reveals a concerning financial reality for American workers: nearly 75% are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to cover more than their basic...

Preparing for the 401(k) Boom: How the Industry Must Adapt

By Fred Barstein / 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, Convergence, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, innovation, PEPs, personal financial advice, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Advisor Specialist, Retirement Advisory, Retirement Plan Advisor, Specialization, specialized team

A surge of new 401(k) plans is on the horizon, driven by state mandates, SECURE 2.0 tax credits, and the growth of group plans like...

Measuring Retirement Plan Success: Beyond Participation Rates

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Communication, Compensation, Employee Benefits, Employee happiness, fee compression, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, generational gap in retirement planning, HR, Ideal Plan, Plan Conversion, product quality, Retirement Readiness, Senior Management Engagement, specialized team

Measuring Retirement Plan Success: Beyond Participation Rates For many employers, offering a retirement plan is a fundamental part of their benefits package. It helps attract...

Employers Should Offer Reliable Financial Education – Social Media Isn’t the Answer

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, adult learning, benefit education, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Communication, education, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Literacy, Financial Wellness, product quality, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Readiness, Social media

A recent study by blockchain technology hub Social Capital Markets reveals a troubling trend: 71% of financial advice consumed by younger generations on social media...

Fred Barstein