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

Hardship Withdrawals & Loans: What’s Allowed—& What’s Not

By Fred Barstein / Communication, Compliance, Emergency Savings, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Hardship Withdrawals & Loans, Health & Wellness, Retirement Plan Fees, Retirement plan management, Retirement Savings Concern

Hardship withdrawals and 401(k) loans allow employees to tap into their retirement savings in certain situations, but they come with different rules and consequences. Hardship...

ERISA Advisory Council: 3 Ways to Transform Plan Defaults

By Fred Barstein / DC Plan Sponsors, DOL, DOL Guidance, erisa, ERISA Advisory Council, Financial Wellness, IRA Roll overs and Roll ins, Retirement Income, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

The ERISA Advisory Council (EAC) has delivered a roadmap for enhancing qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs) that could reshape how retirement plan sponsors approach retirement...

Plan Participants Want Lifetime Income Options But Few Plans Offer Them

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, auto enroll, Auto Portability, Collective Investment Trust, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee happiness, esg funds, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, investment, Life expectancy, Lifetime Income Options, Retirement Income, retirement income annuity, Retirement Savings Concern, Target Date Fund

Although 93% of 401(k) participants say it’s important for their plans to provide lifetime income options like annuities, most plans still only offer lump sum...

Addressing Hourly Workers’ Financial Challenges is Key to Retention and Productivity

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Artificial Intelligence, auto enroll, Behavioral Finance, benefit education, Communication, Digital Tools, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Literacy, financial stress, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Retirement Savings Concern, retirement security

Six in 10 hourly workers are struggling financially, with many working multiple jobs just to stay afloat. For retirement plan sponsors, this harsh reality creates...

Effective Retirement Plan Design Can Help Boost Participation and Savings Rates

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, auto enroll, Auto Portability, benefit education, DC plans, Economy, Emergency Savings, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Ideal Plan, investment, participation, Plan Participation, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, Savings Rates

Retirement Plan Design Participation Savings

Although retirement planning is a top priority for many Americans, significant barriers persist. Nearly one in four workers with access to employer-sponsored retirement plans don’t...

Rethinking Retirement as Older Americans Stay in the Workforce

By Fred Barstein / Aging Workforce, Changing dynamics, Communication, DC plans, diversity, Financial Wellness, Life expectancy, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Savings Concern

The traditional concept of retirement continues to evolve as a significant majority of older Americans remain in the workforce well into their golden years. A...

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 Inclusion Is an Opportunity for Employers to Support Financial Security

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, auto re-enroll, benefit education, benefits committee, Client connection, diversity, Emergency Savings, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, Inclusion, Retirement Savings Concern

Financial inclusion is about ensuring all individuals have access to essential financial tools and services that enable them to build financial stability and well-being. For...

Longevity, Early Retirement Create Unique Challenges for Retirement Plan Sponsors

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, benefit education, benefits committee, Benefits integration, Communication, Compensation, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Digital Tools, Diversity equity inclusion, Early retirement, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, employer match, Fiduciary, financial literacy, Financial Security, Financial Stress, financial stress management, financial uncertainty, Financial Wellness, Healthcare & other benefits, inflation concerns, Mobile apps, multi-generational workforce, participation, Retirement Income, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern

Problem Solution Buttons Show Answers And Guidance

As life expectancy continues to increase, employers are grappling with how to help their workers properly plan and save for longer retirements. According to John...

The Case for Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, AI, Changing dynamics, Communication, Cyber Security, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, DOL, Employee engagement, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Retirement Committee, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, Secure Act Changes

Remember when managing a retirement plan was simpler? Ah, the good old days. Today’s retirement plan sponsors face an increasingly complex web of ERISA requirements,...