ERISA legislation

Forfeiture Lawsuits and Their Impact on 401(k) Plans

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, erisa, fee lawsuits, Fiduciary, Forfeiture Lawsuits, investment, lawsuits, Legislation, litigation, Partners, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Specialization, specialized team

A wave of ERISA lawsuits is challenging the common practice of using forfeited 401(k) assets—typically from unvested employer contributions—to offset employer matching contributions rather than...

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...

The Evolving Retirement Industry: What Advisors Need to Know

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, adult learning, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Client connection, Communication, Convergence & Advisor M&A, DC Plan Sponsors, Early retirement, evolving and adapting, fee compression, fee lawsuits, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Training, generational gap in retirement planning, HR, incentivizing financial meetings, Legislation, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Advisory, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, RPA Aggregator Roundtable, Specialization

The Evolving Retirement Industry: What Advisors Need to Know The retirement industry has evolved dramatically over the past decade, bringing new challenges and opportunities for...

Why Hire a Professional Fiduciary?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, benefits committee, Client connection, Communication, Compliance, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, DOL, erisa, fee lawsuits, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, Legislation, participation, personal financial advice, Retirement Advisor Specialist, retirement income, Retirement Plan Participation, Senior Management Engagement, Specialization, wellness assessment

Retirement plan sponsors often grapple with the decision to hire an outside fiduciary. With regulatory scrutiny increasing in intensity and fee lawsuits continuing to proliferate,...

Social Security Knowledge Gap Could Hinder Retirement Planning

By Fred Barstein / benefit education, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, education, Fiduciary, financial wellness, Legislation, Retirement Plan Access, Retirement Readiness, Savings Rates, social security

The 2024 Annual Retirement Study from Allianz Life Insurance Company has revealed a significant knowledge gap among Americans regarding Social Security benefits and their role...

IRS Issues New Guidance for SECURE 2.0 401(k) Student Loan Match

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefit education, benefits committee, Change, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, Emergency Savings, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, ira, IRA Roll overs and Roll ins, Legislation, Plan design, SECURE 2.0, Secure Act Changes, Student Loan Debt

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently issued new guidance regarding a SECURE 2.0 Act provision that aims to provide significant benefits for employees repaying...

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...

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. ...

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...

Nationwide: Most Americans Don’t Expect to Retire at Age 65

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Economy, Emergency Savings, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, Financial Stress, financial stress, financial uncertainty, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, inflation, inflation concerns, inflation stress, Insurance, Investment Managers, Investments, Legislation, recession, Retirement Income

Many Americans aren’t planning to retire at age 65, and they expect to have more challenges in their post-career years than their parents and grandparents....