Economy Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

PE Industry Considers Move to Enter 401(k) Market

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, DC plans, DOL, DOL Guidance, Early retirement, Economy, education, fee compression, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, investment, Investments, Private equity, product quality, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Advisory, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, specialized team

With President Trump just days away from his second term in the White House, private equity firms are eyeing the massive 401(k) market with renewed...

Tackling Financial Stress Through Wellness Programs

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefit education, Economy, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Financial Literacy, financial stress, Financial Wellness, financial wellness programs, HR, Independence planning, inflation stress, Retirement Readiness

Tackling Financial Stress Through Wellness Programs Addressing financial stress has become a critical focus for employers as its impact on productivity and mental health becomes...

Hearts & Wallets: Employees Taking on the Majority of Retirement Planning Responsibility

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefit education, Benefits integration, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, competition, Consolidation, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, HR, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

Employees perceive themselves as largely self-reliant when it comes to retirement planning. So finds recent research by financial benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets, cited in...

Financial Wellness: Supporting Employees in Challenging Times

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, benefits committee, Communication, Confidence, DC plans, Economy, Emergency Savings, Employee happiness, Employee training, employer match, financial insecurity, financial literacy, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Health Savings Account, healthcare, Healthcare & other benefits, innovation, Job growth, recession

Financial stress has emerged as a critical issue in the workplace that demands employers’ immediate attention. Recent data from earned wage access company ZayZoon reveals...

Words Make All the Difference in Improving Participation and Outcomes

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, acquisition, adult learning, Authenticity, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, Communication, Creative approach, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, education, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee training, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, personal financial advice, Private Wealth & Retirement Planning, Retirement Happiness, small plans

Canadian philosopher and media theorist Marshall McLuhan is famous for coining the phrase, “The medium is the message.” His iconic observation suggested that the form...

Transforming 401(k) Plans Through AI

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, AI, artificial intelligence, auto enroll, Auto Portability, automation, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, Consolidation, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Economy, ESG, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, innovation, Managed Accounts, Regs and Regulators, Robo Advisor Technology, Selecting & Monitoring

Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform the 401(k) industry in a way similar to the impact behavioral finance has had on retirement planning. While the industry...

Effective Retirement Plan Education: Reaching All Learning Styles

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, adult learning, AI, benefit education, benefits committee, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, Economy, education, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, Peer to peer learning, Retirement Committee, virtual learning

Effective Retirement Plan Education: Reaching All Learning Styles Educating employees about retirement plans is essential for any successful retirement program. By providing the right knowledge,...

Plan Sponsors Under Pressure: Enhancing Retirement Benefits to Attract Top Talent

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, competition, Confidence, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, education, Employee Benefits, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, financial wellness programs, Improving Outcomes, inflation concerns, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

Plan Sponsors Under Pressure: Enhancing Retirement Benefits to Attract Top Talent As the retirement landscape evolves, plan sponsors are increasingly under pressure to enhance their...

Key Takeaways from the 6th Annual RPA Roundtable & Think Tank

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, Benchmarking Funds, benefit education, collaboration, Committees, Communication, Compliance, Conflict of Interest, Convergence & Advisor M&A, DOL, Economy, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial wellness, participation, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Committee, Retirement Plan Committee, Senior Management Engagement

At the 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable held in NYC September 4 and 5, key themes centered on the convergence of wealth management and retirement...

Transamerica: For Most Workers, Retirement at Age 65 Isn’t Likely

By Fred Barstein / Behavioral Finance, benefit education, Communication, Compensation, Confidence, Economy, Emergency Savings, Employee happiness, financial behaviors, financial insecurity, financial stress management, financial uncertainty, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, Health Savings Account, healthcare, Healthcare & other benefits, hiring, inflation concerns, inflation stress, personal financial advice, Recession, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Plan Testing, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

When it comes to retirement, many middle-class workers are finding themselves in a precarious position. A significant number of American workers plans to continue working...