financial wellness Archives - Page 2 of 4 - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Plan Sponsors Get Go-Ahead on Alternatives as DOL Shifts Stance

By Fred Barstein / benefit education, Changing dynamics, DOL, DOL Guidance, erisa, Fiduciary, financial wellness, Legislation

Plan sponsors who’ve been waiting for clearer regulatory guidance on alternative investments just got the signal they’ve been looking for. The Department of Labor’s Employee...

How Good Governance Helps Plan Sponsors Meet Their ERISA Obligations

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Communication, DOL, DOL Guidance, Employee Benefits, erisa, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, financial wellness, investment policy statement, SECURE 2.0

Multimillion-dollar ERISA settlements make headlines weekly, and government audits continue to challenge fiduciary decisions in retirement plans. In light of these trends, solid governance isn’t...

Will Banks Reclaim Their Role in the 401(k) Market?

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k News, 401k plan, Financial Security, financial uncertainty, financial wellness, Managed Accounts, Retirement planning, retirement security, Savings Rates, Target Date Fund

As the number of new 401(k) and 403(b) plans surges—driven by state mandates and rising demand from workers—questions are growing about who will serve this...

Who Belongs on Your Retirement Committee?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, benefit education, benefits committee, CEO Engagement, Client connection, collaboration, Committees, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, financial wellness, HR, incentivizing financial meetings, Retirement Committee, specialized team

When building a retirement plan committee, it’s important to include a diverse mix of people from across the organization—not just leaders or finance professionals. While...

Navigating 401(k) Forfeitures During Layoffs

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Forfeitures, 401k News, Auto Portability, Communication, Company Contributions and Vesting, Compensation, education, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, employer match, financial wellness

With large-scale layoffs making headlines and more than 30 pending ERISA class action lawsuits targeting the misuse of forfeited 401(k) funds, plan sponsors need to...

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...

Why Purist 401(k) RPAs Face Growth Challenges

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, adult learning, Authenticity, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, diversity, Financial Advisors, financial wellness, innovation, investment, Retirement Plan Advisor, Specialist vs. Generalist, specialized team

Independent 401(k) retirement plan advisors (RPAs) who focus only on retirement plans and avoid offering other services like financial planning or investment management are finding...

What Makes a Great Retirement Plan Advisor?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, Authenticity, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Client connection, Communication, Communication, Confidence, Early retirement, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, financial wellness, generational gap in retirement planning, HR, Plan design, product quality, Retirement Advisory, Retirement Plan Advisor, specialized team

What Makes a Great Retirement Plan Advisor? A great retirement plan advisor combines expertise, strong communication skills, and a true dedication to client success. They...

RPA Aggregator Roundtable: Navigating a Radical Shift in Retirement

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, AI, artificial intelligence, automation, Benchmarking & Fees (ERISA, retirement plan), Changing dynamics, Communication, Digital Tools, education, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, financial wellness, Governance, Investments, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Income, RPA Aggregator Roundtable

At the seventh annual RPA Aggregator Roundtable, industry leaders tackled a transformative shift in the retirement space driven by three major trends: Scaling Advice: With...

Drive Engagement in Financial Planning Meetings with Free Food

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, adult learning, benefit education, benefits committee, CEO Engagement, Client connection, Committees, Communication, Company Contributions and Vesting, Creative approach, DC plans, Detailed Meeting Minutes, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, financial wellness, Health & Wellness, incentivizing financial meetings, Peer to peer learning, Retirement Committee

Drive Engagement in Financial Planning Meetings with Free Food If you’re an employer looking to increase participation in your financial planning meetings, consider offering free...