Happy Friday, readers! This weekend’s mailing features timely articles and research on the topic of Client Service. We take a deep dive into the latest health care cost inflation figures and how DC plan clients view the intersection of health and wealth planning. Additionally, we offer a new take on the importance of education about hardship withdrawals and loans, and on the efforts by one advisory firm to increase the diversity of its staff and clientele alike.
The health care cost inflation projections contained in HealthView Services’ latest reporting are simply astounding; accounting for projected lifetime inflation, a healthy retired couple at 65 can expect $600,000 in health-related expenses alone.
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New research from Fidelity warns that plan sponsors’ increasing focus on health care is cutting back the amount of money and time they have to devote to retirement benefits; satisfaction with advisers is also up.
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One of the biggest downsides to taking out a hardship withdrawal is that it diminishes a participant’s ability to make the most out of compounding earnings. Moreover, it’s often difficult for a participant to put the amount of money withdrawn back in the plan.
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It is critical for plan sponsors and advisers to educate participants about the consequences of taking out a loan, Julie Stich, associate vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans tells PLANADVISER. “They need to keep the money in their plan to build up money over time through contributions and the compounding of investment returns,” Stich says.
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The principal of financial adviser inclusion and diversity at Edward Jones reflects on her job leading the advisory company’s revamped diversity efforts—informed by her own first career as an adviser in the field.
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