benefit education Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Want to Be a Millionaire? A Fresh Approach to Retirement Savings

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, 401k plan, Adaptability, adult learning, benefit education, benefits committee, Communication, Confidence, DC plans, debt relief, Employee Survey, Employee training, evolving and adapting, financial wellness, Independence planning, innovation, Millennial saving, Millennials Delaying Milestones, Modernize Retirement Plans, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, Student Loan Benefits, student loan debt

One of the biggest challenges facing retirement plan sponsors today is helping younger employees connect with the idea of saving for a future that feels...

Financial Literacy Drops to 10-Year Low as Gen Z Struggles Most

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Adaptability, AI for Retirement, Authenticity, benefit education, Changing dynamics, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, education, Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Employee training, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Liability, financial literacy, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Gen X, generational gap in retirement planning, Retirement Readiness

Americans’ financial literacy has fallen to its lowest level since tracking began a decade ago, with younger workers and women showing the widest gaps—and a...

Financial Stress Is Reshaping Employee Benefits & Retirement Saving

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, benefit education, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, Investments, retirement committee, Retirement Income, Retirement plan management, Retirement Plan Participation, Retirement Readiness

Financial Stress Employee Benefits Retirement Saving

More employees are feeling financially overwhelmed — and ironically, many are responding by cutting back on the very workplace benefits designed to help them long...

Improving Participant Retirement Outcomes Through Better Financial Visualization

By Fred Barstein / 401k Advisor, artificial intelligence, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Participant Retirement Outcomes Financial Visualization, participation, Retirement Readiness

Participant Retirement Outcomes Financial Visualization

Small increases in retirement plan contributions can have a significant long-term impact, yet many participants struggle to fully understand what those changes mean for their...

How Paycheck Transparency Drives Higher 401(k) Participation

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, accumulation, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, benefit education, CEO Engagement, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Emergency Savings, Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Employee happiness, Plan Participation

Many employees enrolling in a 401(k) for the first time hesitate because they’re unsure how contributions will affect their take-home pay. This uncertainty can be...

How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Participant Engagement in Retirement Plans

By Fred Barstein / AI, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, automation, benefit education, Benefits integration, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary, financial literacy, Financial Wellness

Artificial intelligence is poised to fundamentally reshape how plan sponsors engage with participants by enabling more personalized, data-driven interactions at scale. Rather than relying on...

401(k) Fees Are Falling—But Are You Overpaying?

By Fred Barstein / 401k Advisor, Benchmarking & Fees (ERISA, retirement plan), Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, education, erisa, Fiduciary, financial literacy

As 401(k) plans grow and add participants, fees are often left unchanged for years—despite ongoing fee compression across the industry driven by increased competition and...

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...