DC Plan Sponsors Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

The 401(k) Backbone Is Finally Getting Its Upgrade

By Fred Barstein / AI, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, DOL, Financial Wellness, Retirement Readiness

The backbone of the defined contribution (DC) industry—recordkeeping technology—is finally getting a long-overdue upgrade. For decades, legacy systems built on outdated infrastructure have limited innovation,...

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...

AI Is Changing Retirement Plans And Fiduciary Risk Is Evolving With It

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401k Advisor, AI, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, Cyber Security, Data privacy, DC Plan Sponsors, erisa, Fiduciary, Improving Outcomes, Plan design, Risk Management, rpaDD

Artificial intelligence tools are showing up in more corners of retirement plan operations: record-keeping, investment advice, participant communications. That’s creating new questions for plan sponsors...

The 401(k) Revolution Is Underway

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401k Advisor, 401k Trends, Adaptability, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, benefits committee, collaboration, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Advice, Financial Stress, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, funds, Future Self, investment, Retirement plan management, Retirement planning, retirement security

The defined contribution (DC) world—especially 401(k) and 403(b) plans—is no longer the quiet, complex corner of finance it once was. What used to be a...

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...

Lifetime Income Could Cut Retirement System Costs by 20%, Global Study Finds

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, DC Plan Sponsors, Distribution, Employee Benefits, Employer Contribution, Financial Wellness, global retirement trend, Legislation, Life expectancy, Lifetime Income Options, Remove term: in-plan retirement income solutions in-plan retirement income solutions, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, Retirement System, Savings Rates

Retirement savings have grown in many countries, but most systems still leave individuals on their own to manage the risk of outspending or outliving their...

AI and Convergence Are Reshaping the TPA Landscape

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Adaptability, AI, AI for Retirement, Changing dynamics, Communication, Convergence & Advisor M&A, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Financial Wellness, TPA Landscape

As the pace of change in the 401(k) industry accelerates—driven by artificial intelligence and the growing convergence of wealth and retirement—pressure is mounting across the...

How One CHRO Is Redefining Benefits Communication for a Distributed Workforce

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, CEO Engagement, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Fiduciary Training, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, remote work, Remote Work

As remote and distributed work continues to expand, organizations face increasing challenges in communicating across a workforce that is no longer centralized. With employees spread...

Lower Fees, Higher Stakes: Are CITs Right for Your Plan?

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, CIT, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, erisa, fees, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Pay Transparency, Target Date Funds

Collective investment trusts have been around for decades, but for many plan sponsors, they still seem mysterious—or at least more complicated than they need to...

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...