Digital Tools Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Why Private Equity Is Betting Big on TPAs

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, AI, artificial intelligence, automation, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Digital Tools, Plan design, Private equity, Retirement plan management, TPA Landscape

Third-party administrators (TPAs) haven’t always received the same attention as retirement plan advisors or wealth management firms. But that’s starting to change. Private equity firms...

The Road to Wealth and Retirement Convergence Still Has Roadblocks

By Fred Barstein / 401k Advisor, 401k plan, adult learning, Advisors and Record Keepers Collaborating, AI, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, Communication, Consolidation, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Digital Tools, Employee Benefits, Financial Wellness, Retirement Readiness, Wealth Advisor

The retirement and wealth worlds are moving closer together but getting them fully connected is proving easier said than done. The opportunity is clear. As...

Making 401(k) Education Simple, Visual and Actionable

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Participant Education, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k plan, adult learning, benefit education, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Education, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, employer match, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Retirement Readiness

For participant education to work, employees first have to pay attention. And sometimes, four minutes is all you need. Following a recent TPSU program at...

Vanguard’s Altruist Acquisition Raises New Questions for the 401(k) Industry

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, Convergence, Digital Design, Digital Tools, Recordkeeping, Target Date Fund, Vanguard’s Altruist Acquisition

Vanguard’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Altruist raises new questions about how the company plans to position itself across the retirement and wealth management markets. Altruist...

Vanguard’s 25-Year Data Shows Plan Design Is Doing the Heavy Lifting

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k plan, 401k rollovers, 401k Trends, accumulation, AI for Retirement, Auto Portability, automation, Benefits integration, Communication, Digital Design, Digital Tools, Employee engagement, employer match, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Investments, Plan design, Plan Optimization, Plan Participation

Automatic enrollment, higher default deferral rates, and stronger employer contributions have reshaped America’s defined contribution retirement plan system over the past 25 years — and...

Help Younger Workers Start Saving Sooner

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, 401k rollovers, accumulation, auto enroll, auto escalate, auto re-enroll, automation, Benefits integration, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Early retirement, Education, education, Emergency Savings, Employee Benefits, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Millennial saving, multi-generational workforce, participation, Plan design, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, student loan, Student Loan Debt

A new class of graduates and interns is entering the workforce this summer, and many will be making retirement planning decisions for the first time. ...

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...

Why the 401(k) Industry Must Adapt to Phased Retirement

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401k Trends, AI, AI for Retirement, Client connection, Communication, Digital Tools, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, participation, Recordkeeping, recordkeeping, Retirement Plan Advisor

Defined contribution plans have evolved, but the industry still isn’t fully aligned with how today’s workforce approaches retirement. As employees live longer and seek more...

AI Tools Are Coming to Retirement Plans And Fiduciary Oversight Can’t Wait

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, AI, AI for Retirement, artificial intelligence, benefit education, Communication, cybersecurity, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Employee engagement, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Participant data, Plan design, virtual learning

Artificial intelligence is making its way into retirement plans, and plan fiduciaries can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. As recordkeepers and advisory firms roll...

Free Tools Plan Sponsors Can Use to Vet Prospective Retirement Plan Advisors

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, Client connection, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Digital Tools, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Record Keepers, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Retirement Readiness

Free Tools Themed Graphic Presentation On Smartphone Sbi 351206664

Choosing the right financial advisor for your retirement plan is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a plan sponsor. It’s also a...