SECURE 2.0 Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Three Common 401(k) Audit Mistakes and Why Good Intentions Aren’t Enough

By Fred Barstein / 401k audit, 401k plan, Compliance, DC Plan Sponsors, erisa, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Stress, Financial Wellness, Governance, Recordkeeping, SECURE 2.0

Most 401(k) compliance mistakes don’t come from bad actors. They come from good people who don’t realize their system or thought process is missing a...

BlackRock DC Report Highlights Five Trends Transforming the 401(k) Into a Personal Pension

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 401k plan, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Health & Wellness, participation, Recordkeeping, Retirement Committee, Retirement Income, SECURE 2.0

Saving matters, but it’s only part of the equation. The harder challenge is helping individuals turn those savings into income they can count on for...

SECURE 2.0 Self-Certification: Why Easier Hardship Withdrawals Are Driving Plan Leakage

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Changing dynamics, DC plans, Emergency Savings, Employee engagement, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Stress, Financial Wellness, Hardship Withdrawals & Loans, investment, SECURE 2.0, SECURE Act

SECURE 2.0’s self-certification rules mark a consequential shift in how hardship withdrawals are accessed, with meaningful implications for plan sponsors. By eliminating the need for...

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...

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...

IRS Issues New Guidance for SECURE 2.0 401(k) Student Loan Match

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefit education, benefits committee, Change, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Economy, Emergency Savings, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Financial Wellness, ira, IRA Roll overs and Roll ins, Legislation, Plan design, SECURE 2.0, Secure Act Changes, Student Loan Debt

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently issued new guidance regarding a SECURE 2.0 Act provision that aims to provide significant benefits for employees repaying...

SECURE 2.0 Expands Sponsors’ Ability to Self-Correct Retirement Plans

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Audit, Committees, Compliance, Compliance Video, Fiduciary, Legislation, Regs and Regulators, SECURE 2.0, Secure Act Changes

Retirement plan compliance is a top priority for employers. However, shifting regulations present challenges for plan sponsors when it comes to maintaining compliance and avoiding...

Financial Wellness Benefits Have Become “Table Stakes”

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, benefit education, benefits committee, Communication, Company Contributions and Vesting, Compensation, Convergence, debt relief, Diversity equity inclusion, DOL, Economy, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial stress management, Financial Wellness, Future Self, Health & Wellness, hiring, Inclusion, inflation concerns, investment, Job growth, Legislation, Lifestyle Benefits, millennials, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Happiness, SECURE 2.0, Secure Act Changes, student loan debt

Financial Wellness Benefits Table Stakes

Economic and market indicators appear to be stronger than anticipated. Stocks are up, unemployment is down, wages are growing faster than the rate of inflation,...

SECURE 2.0 Saver’s Match Would Help Make Retirement Savings More Inclusive

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, benefits committee, Communication, diversity, Diversity equity inclusion, Employee feedback, Employee happiness, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Stress, Financial Wellness, Inclusion, Millennial saving, multi-generational workforce, Retirement Readiness, Retirement Savings Concern, SECURE 2.0

SECURE 2.0 includes a government saver’s match provision that would help boost retirement savings for many Americans, including those in specific demographics. Set to take...

Navigating the New Landscape: How Will SECURE 2.0 Impact Plan Compliance?

By Fred Barstein / 401k audit, Audit, Compliance, Fiduciary, investment, Legislation, Prudent Expert, Regs and Regulators, SECURE 2.0, SECURE Act, Secure Act Changes

SECURE 2.0 introduced significant changes to employer-sponsored retirement plans. These changes aimed to enhance retirement savings, ensure more widespread access to workplace retirement plans, and...