Retirement Readiness Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Middle-Class Retirement Gaps Show Where Sponsors and Advisors Can Step In

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, benefit education, collaboration, Communication, DC plans, Emergency Savings, Employee Benefits, Employee feedback, financial stress, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Gen X, Gen Z, Improving Outcomes, Retirement Income, Retirement Readiness

The retirement outlook for America’s middle class isn’t pretty. New research from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, cited in InvestmentNews, paints a picture of...

Why Plan Sponsors Play a Critical Role in Retirement Readiness

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, benefit education, Changing dynamics, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Ideal Plan, Improving Outcomes, Retirement Committee, Retirement Readiness

Improving employee retirement readiness begins with helping workers make informed financial decisions today. When employees understand how their choices around saving, debt, and spending impact...

When Employees Pause Retirement Savings: Time for Plan Sponsors to Get Involved

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, auto enroll, benefit education, Benefits integration, Communication, Company Contributions and Vesting, Compensation, Compensation, DC Plan Sponsors, Emergency Savings, Employee engagement, Employer Contribution, Fiduciary, Financial Literacy, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, Investments, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

Nearly 70% of employees are stressed about their finances and living paycheck to paycheck, according to PNC data cited in a recent Employee Benefit News...

From Auto-Enroll to Outcomes: The Power of Day-One Guidance

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, automation, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, boosting 401(k) contributions, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee feedback, Employee happiness, Employee training, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, payroll integration, Plan design, Plan Participation, Retirement Readiness

In a world where auto-enroll is table stakes, real outcomes still hinge on intentional onboarding and a documented process. That means giving new hires clear...

Smart Strategies for Multi-Generational 401k Communication

By Fred Barstein / 401k Advisor, Adaptability, AI for Retirement, benefit education, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Gen Z, generational gap in retirement planning, Millennial saving, multi-generational workforce, one-size-fits-all, Retirement Readiness, Social media, Student Loan Debt

While it’s likely obvious to retirement plan sponsors who’ve been paying attention, one-size-fits-all participant communication strategies aren’t effective. And the challenge is becoming more complex. ...

Plan Sponsors Want More From Retirement Advisors, and Here’s Why

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, 401k plan, Client connection, collaboration, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Future Self, recordkeeping, Recordkeeping, Retirement Advisor Specialist, Retirement Committee, Retirement Income, Retirement planning, Retirement Readiness, Target Date Fund

Plan sponsors want better retirement savings outcomes for their employees and are looking to advisors for solutions. The disconnect between what participants need to save...

RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable: Convergence and Plan Growth Take Center Stage

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Adaptability, Authenticity, Client connection, Communication, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Retirement Income, Retirement Readiness

The largest and most oversubscribed RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable to date took place at Broadridge’s New York City offices just ahead of the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards. ...

Six Red Flags That Signal Your 401(k) Advisor Isn’t Worth the Cost

By Fred Barstein / 401k Advisor, 401k News, 401k plan, Benchmarking Fees, Client connection, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, Financial Wellness, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement planning, Retirement Readiness, Target Date Fund

After 25 years of benchmarking retirement plans across Oklahoma, Terry Morgan, AIF, CPFA of OK 401k has seen some patterns that have become impossible to...

The Hidden Risks of a “One Size Fits All” Retirement Plan Approach

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, Client connection, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Ideal Plan, one-size-fits-all, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Readiness

A “one size fits all” approach to retirement plans can be surprisingly detrimental because it overlooks the diverse financial situations, goals, and risk tolerances of...

Plan Sponsors Face Wave of New SECURE 2.0 Requirements in 2025-26

By Fred Barstein / Compliance, DOL, erisa, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Plan Participation, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Readiness, SECURE 2.0, SECURE Act, Secure Act Changes

Plan sponsors are feeling the weight of SECURE 2.0’s ongoing rollout, and 2025 and 2026 bring no relief from the compliance pressures that have been...

Plan Sponsors Face Wave of New SECURE 2.0 Requirements in 2025-26

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