Definition of Participant Governs Nonqualified Plan Payments
A group of retirees should not have received a lump-sum payment from a nonqualified plan at a change in control because they were not “participants” as defined by...
Tag: Plan design
Some DC Plans Not Taking Advantage of QDIAs
Half of plan sponsors do not take advantage of qualified default investment alternative safe harbor protections, a survey finds.
Getting Auto-Enrollment Implementation Right
Implementing automatic enrollment without thinking through plan design can result in compliance and administrative issues.
Helping Participants Save More, Invest Better
The current average 401(k) participant deferral rate is 7.2%, and that is simply not high enough, according to Joe Ready, director of Institutional Retirement and Trust at Wells...
Small Savings Steps Can Boost Retirement Readiness
What can a small salary deferral increase do for retirement plan participants? Quite a lot, according to Fidelity’s projections.
Most DC Plan Participants Leave Balances Untouched in 2014
Fewer participants changed their defined contribution plan asset allocations in 2014 than in 2013.
talking points
Talking Points
Tired of giving the same old presentations? Use these nuggets of information to spruce them up.
servicing strategies
Plugging Plan Leaks
Many 401(k)s contain a feature advisers don’t want participants to use
Cap on Savings Raises Industry Hackles
President Obama’s proposed budget once again looks to cap retirement plan savings to about $3 million per investor.
What Advisers Recommend for Withdrawal Solutions
The quest to help participants manage their assets after the accumulation phase continues.
Council Asks DOL to Reconsider Open MEPs
The 2014 ERISA Advisory Council made several recommendations to the Department of Labor (DOL) related to outsourcing employee benefit plan services.
Post-Termination Plan Amendment Impermissibly Reduced Payments
A federal appellate court has agreed with the PBGC that a retirement plan amendment adopted after the plan’s termination impermissibly reduced its benefit obligations to participants.
President Obama Proposes Retirement Tax Reform
The White House has released a statement outlining the president’s tax proposals.
Simple Is the New Black in Participant Engagement
Make it simple. Avoid jargon and complex graphics. And remind participants of the benefit they’ll receive—or give up—by participating in a workplace-based retirement plan.
ETF Offerings Can Boost Adviser Value Proposition
An increasingly competitive retirement plan services market is pushing advisers into new territory and could lead to greater adoption of exchange-traded funds in defined contribution plans.
After-Tax Accounts As a Path to Roth IRAs for High Earners
A new rule for retirement plan distributions makes way for high earners to get into Roth IRAs.
A New Way to Benchmark Retirement Plan Fees
A new company is providing a new way to benchmark fees paid by retirement plans.
Feasibility of HSAs as Retirement Savings Strategy
Recent reports have claimed health savings accounts (HSAs) can be a useful additional tool for retirement saving. But, how feasible is it that employees can accumulate savings in...
A 2015 Defined Contribution Checklist
Continuing an annual tradition, consulting firm Mercer has compiled a list of the top 10 recommended steps that defined contribution plans should take over the next year.