Collective Investment Trust Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

The CIT Takeover: What’s Driving the Shift in 401(k) Investing

By Fred Barstein / CIT, Collective Investment Trust, Company Contributions and Vesting, DC plans, Economy, erisa, ERISA Advisory Council, fee compression, Fiduciary, fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Investment Managers, Record Keepers

Collective investment trusts (CITs) are rapidly gaining market share in 401(k) plans, increasingly replacing traditional mutual funds. Over the past 5–10 years—especially in advisor-sold retirement...

Plan Sponsors Turn to CITs for Lower Costs and Flexibility

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, CIT, Collective Investment Trust, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, investment, Investment Managers, Investments, Retirement planning

Collective investment trusts (CITs) have steadily gained traction in retirement plan lineups, and for good reason. A recent article from the International Foundation of Employee...

From SIMPLE to Smart: A 401(k) Success Story with a MEP

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, auto enroll, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Multiple Employer Plans, small plans

Joining a Multiple Employer Plan (MEP) makes it easier and more affordable for businesses to offer a 401(k) to their employees. A MEP allows unrelated...

Plan Participants Want Lifetime Income Options But Few Plans Offer Them

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, auto enroll, Auto Portability, Collective Investment Trust, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee happiness, esg funds, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, investment, Life expectancy, Lifetime Income Options, Retirement Income, retirement income annuity, Retirement Savings Concern, Target Date Fund

Although 93% of 401(k) participants say it’s important for their plans to provide lifetime income options like annuities, most plans still only offer lump sum...

The Coming of Age for Defined Contribution Plans

By Fred Barstein / 401k plan, Adaptability, AI, AI for Retirement, Changing Recordkeepers, collaboration, Collective Investment Trust, Convergence, DC plans, Digital Tools, Economy, Financial Advisors, Record Keepers, Target Date Funds

The 401(k) Industry Is Growing Up—Fast. With $12.5 trillion in assets, 100 million+ accounts, and 800,000 plans, 401(k) and 403(b) plans have officially moved from...

Strategic 401(k) Plan Design: Thinking Beyond Target Date Funds

By Fred Barstein / Collective Investment Trust, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, DOL, erisa, financial wellness, Improving Outcomes, Investments, Investments Video, Target Date Fund, Target Date Funds, Target Retirement Date

Target date funds have long been the default investment option for many 401(k) participants, offering a simplified, hands-off approach to retirement investing. But as Christopher...

Most U.S. Retirement Plans Have Red Flags – Is Yours at Risk?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compliance, Early retirement, Economy, fee lawsuits, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, fraud, Legislation, litigation, Managed Accounts, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Regs and Regulators, Retirement planning, Specialization, specialized team, Target Date Fund, Target Date Funds

If you oversee a company retirement plan, here’s a startling statistic that should grab your attention: 84% of U.S.-based retirement plans have at least one...

Target Date Funds: The Key to Enhanced Retirement Outcomes

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 403b, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compliance, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, DOL, ESG, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Regs and Regulators, Secure Act Changes, Target Date Funds

Target Date Funds (TDFs) have significantly changed the Defined Contribution (DC) retirement landscape, making retirement planning simpler. TDFs allow individuals to invest in a single...

401(k) Real Chat: Saumen Chattppadhyay

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k RealChat, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compensation, Conflict of Interest, Consolidation, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Investment Managers, Managed Accounts, Merging Retirement Plan, Multiple Employer Plans, Target Date Funds

In a Wealth Management RPA RealChat, Fred Barstein, Contributing Editor for Wealth Management’s RPA Omnichannel and CEO at TRAU, TPSU, and 401kTV, interviews Saumen Chattppadhyay,...

Empowering Retirement Planning: Educating with PEPs and CITs

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, CIT, Client connection, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Communication, Confidence, Consolidation, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Employee training, Fiduciary, PEPs

The convergence of wealth management and retirement planning is rapidly reshaping the landscape of financial services, with Plan Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) and Collective Investment...