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

The 10 Biggest Lies Told to 401(k) Plan Sponsors

By Fred Barstein / 401kCafé, benefit education, Change, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, fee transparency, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, HR, product quality, Record Keepers, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, Retirement Plan Fees, Retirement plan management, Retirement Readiness

At the May 401(k) Café webinar for plan sponsors, Fred Barstein, revealed the 10 biggest lies told to 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors. Despite ERISA’s...

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...

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...

Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs): A Simpler Path to Retirement Plans?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Auto Portability, Benefits integration, Change, Changing dynamics, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Employee happiness, employer match, Financial Security, Financial Wellness, PEP, PEPs, Target Date Funds

Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) offer small to mid-sized employers a streamlined way to manage retirement benefits by joining a larger, shared plan overseen by a...

Why Revenue Sharing Has No Place in Modern 401(k) Plans

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Changing dynamics, Convergence, DC plans, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, recordkeeping, Revenue Sharing, RPA Consolidation, Third party administrators

It’s time for the retirement plan industry—especially in the 401(k) and 403(b) space—to leave revenue sharing behind in favor of simpler, more transparent pricing models....

401(k) Plans Offer a Strategic Advantage in Economic Downturns

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k plan, 401k rollovers, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, Communication, DC plans, diversity, diversity, Economy, Employee engagement, employer match, Financial Security, Financial Wellness, Independence planning, investment, Investment Managers, Recordkeeping

Recessions don’t announce themselves with a save-the-date card. When they arrive, plan sponsors and ERISA fiduciaries face mounting pressure to safeguard participants’ retirement savings. The...

Why Employee Engagement and Financial Wellness Are Key for Advisors

By Fred Barstein / adult learning, Client connection, Communication, competition, DC plans, Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Consultants, Retirement Readiness

Why Employee Engagement and Financial Wellness Are Key for Advisors Advisors are now expected to go beyond just focusing on fees, funds, and fiduciary duties. ...

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...

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...

Rethinking Retirement as Older Americans Stay in the Workforce

By Fred Barstein / Aging Workforce, Changing dynamics, Communication, DC plans, diversity, Financial Wellness, Life expectancy, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Savings Concern

The traditional concept of retirement continues to evolve as a significant majority of older Americans remain in the workforce well into their golden years. A...