Financial Scams
Just as technology advances, so do the tools cybercriminals use to target people’s savings. Wire fraud, identity theft, and email scams continue to threaten security and are growing in number and sophistication. At the time of this writing, criminals are using the heightened fear around COVID-19 to steal email credentials through scams that appear legitimate […]
Building a Better Retirement Benefit: Consider Adopting Auto Features
The use of auto features in 401(k) plans has continued to climb in popularity over the past decade. In fact, auto features such as automatic enrollment and auto escalation are considered best practices in 401(k) plan design as ways to help boost participation and employee savings rates.1 Many large 401(k) retirement plans offer auto features. […]
Are ESG Funds a Good Fit for Your Plan’s Investment Menu?
Should You Include ESG Funds in Your Retirement Plan? Maybe, Maybe Not. ESG, or environmental, social and governance funds, can be appealing to many investors, including millennials. These funds may be viewed as a proactive way to encourage reluctant and under-prepared millennials to save for retirement. But is it a good idea to include ESG […]
Retirement Plan Share Classes: Understanding the Basics
Share Class ABCs: Choose Wisely Choosing mutual funds for your retirement plan’s investment lineup can feel like wading through a sea of alphabet soup. Fund companies typically offer multiple share classes, each sporting its own unique letter. A shares, C shares, I shares, R shares — what does it all mean? Luckily, you don’t have […]
Effective Governance May Lead to Better Retirement Plans
Participant-driven lawsuits are on the rise, and employers are facing heightened scrutiny of the way they manage their retirement plans. In today’s continually-evolving regulatory and legal environment, it’s more important than ever to make sure your organization’s retirement plan is both effective and compliant. A well-structured retirement plan governance program can help you pursue these […]
Cyber Attacks Are on the Rise, Is Your 401(k) Plan Protected?
Cyber-crime is on the rise worldwide. As a result, growing numbers of organizations are taking critical steps to protect their valuable electronic data from hackers and other cyber criminals — a process known as cybersecurity. It’s serious business, and a trend retirement plan sponsors and committees should pay attention to. In 2015, IBM’s chair, president […]
Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities after the DOL Fiduciary Rule
The DOL Rule is Dead On June 21, 2018 the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Conflict of Interest Rule—more commonly referred to as the “DOL Fiduciary Rule”—thus killing the rule entirely. Despite this news, the death of the DOL Fiduciary Rule does not alleviate a […]
The Financial Marathon
A Marathon for Everyone Recently, I went to cheer on a friend running in her first marathon. The excitement of watching thousands of people accomplish such an amazing goal was an experience like no other. I waited at the last bend before the finish line so I’d have a good vantage point for cheering my […]
Plan Fiduciaries, do you need support?
Should we have a retirement plan committee? If you are an employer or employee who has decision-making authority over your company’s retirement plan, there is a strong chance that you are a 401(k) plan fiduciary. You have a legal obligation to operate the plan solely in the interests of the plan participants (people with retirement […]
Tax Cuts & Jobs Act
Policy Highlights The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) overhauls America’s tax code to deliver tax relief for workers, families, and job creators. By lowering taxes across the board and modernizing our international tax system, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help create jobs, increase paychecks, and make the tax code simpler for […]
