Target Date funds

Co-Manufactured Target-Date Funds: Lower Fees, But at What Cost?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Economy, fee compression, fee transparency, fees, Financial Wellness, Retirement Readiness, Target Date Funds

Fee pressure is reshaping how 401(k) plans cover administrative costs, and plan sponsors—especially those overseeing smaller plans—are increasingly turning to a new breed of target-date...

Is the 401(k) Industry Re-Bundling?

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, Benefits integration, bundling, Changing dynamics, collaboration, Communication, Consolidation, Convergence, Employee Benefits, Financial Wellness, Healthcare & other benefits, Lifestyle Benefits, Target Date Funds

After decades of unbundling recordkeeping, advisory, and investment services, the 401(k) industry appears to be moving back toward re-bundling as consolidation and wealth-retirement convergence accelerate. ...

Are Managed Accounts the Future of 401(k) Defaults?

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k News, Alternative Investing, benefit education, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Due Diligence, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Ideal Plan, Improving Outcomes, investment comittee, Investment Managers, Investments, managed accounts, Mutual Fund Fees, Plan Conversion, Plan design, Regs and Regulators, Research, Target Date Fund, Target Date Funds

As retirement plans evolve, so do the default investment options offered to participants. Target date funds still dominate the market, but attention is shifting toward...

The New Dynamics in 401(k) Plan Management

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Adaptability, Changing dynamics, Custom Funds and Managed Accounts, DC Plan Sponsors, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Managed Accounts, Managed Accounts, participation, Target Date Funds

The retirement plan industry talks a good game about putting participants first. You’ll hear compelling rhetoric about innovative products designed to better serve employees, enhanced...

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...

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...

Key Questions 401(k) Plan Sponsors Often Overlook

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k plan, AI, benefits committee, DC Plan Sponsors, education, Employee Benefits, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Plan design, Retirement plan management, Target Date Funds

In a recent Fiduciary News article, Christopher Carosa, CTFA spotlighted several critical questions that 401(k) plan sponsors frequently neglect to ask, even though they have...

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...

Most U.S. Retirement Plans Have Red Flags – Is Yours at Risk?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compliance, Early retirement, Economy, fee lawsuits, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, fraud, Legislation, litigation, Managed Accounts, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Regs and Regulators, Retirement planning, Specialization, specialized team, Target Date Fund, Target Date Funds

If you oversee a company retirement plan, here’s a startling statistic that should grab your attention: 84% of U.S.-based retirement plans have at least one...

Despite Their Popularity, Target Date Funds May Not Suit All Participants

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, adult learning, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Committees, competition, DC plans, Early retirement, Fiduciary, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, investment, Investment Managers, Investments-research, product quality, Retirement Plan Advisor, specialized team, Target Date Funds

While target date funds (TDFs) continue to be among the most popular investment choices for 401(k) participants, mounting evidence suggests these default investment options may...