The first half of 2020 has seen a dramatic increase in stock market volatility. After beginning the year by gaining 4% through mid-March, the S&P 500 lost roughly 35% over the next four weeks. Four months from that bottom and the index now sits at break-even for the year. While it is always a good […]
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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 […]
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Prior to 2010, Roth conversion were subject to a $100,000 AGI limit which prohibited some from taking advantage of the tax free growth of a Roth IRA. Since that restriction was removed, Roth conversion have become increasingly popular. Tax rates, historically remain at very low levels enticing many to opt to pay their taxes in […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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BENCHMARKING YOUR 401(K) FUNDS Benchmarking is a retirement plan best practice that allows plan sponsors the opportunity to “take a peak under the hood” of their 401(k). The process allows you to compare your plan to similar plans, measuring key metrics such as participant saving and participation rates, fee reasonableness and service providers. Benchmarking should […]
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As a plan sponsor, you are no stranger to the annual retirement plan review. And believe it or not, it is that time of year again! Although you may meet quarterly or semi-annually with your advisor, a yearly plan assessment is an opportunity to evaluate the health of your plan. Many times, the focus of […]
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Simply stated, benchmarking is the process of reviewing and evaluating your company retirement plan. It involves taking a look at what you are offering your employees today and deciding if it’s appropriate or needs some updating. There are four main areas to focus on when assessing your retirement plan: Plan Design Service Providers Funds Fees […]
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