In 2020, nearly 100 lawsuits alleging breach of fiduciary duty were filed. And with the number of 401(k) lawsuits on the rise targeting plans both large and small, sponsors are well-advised to consider taking additional measures to mitigate fiduciary risk where practicable. Here are a few to consider. Create and follow an IPS. While not...Read More

Our 2018 report on Bitcoin (BTC), and the conclusions therefrom, remain relevant today. In short, the prudence in adding Bitcoin to a retirement plan is questionable, at best. Please see our past Retirement Times article on BTC (link here) discussing the cryptocurrency and its supporting technology. Greater media coverage has caused BTC interest to grow...Read More

You can reduce the risk of fraud and loss to your retirement account by following these basic rules: REGISTER, SET UP AND ROUTINELY MONITOR YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNT Maintaining online access to your retirement account allows you to protect and manage your investment. Regularly checking your retirement account reduces the risk of fraudulent account access. Failing...Read More

Retirement income products, or in-plan annuity options, have been available for over a decade but their utilization has been stagnant due to concerns about price, portability, and convertibility. With the recent market volatility in 2020 and recent passing of the SECURE Act, we have seen an industry push towards the research, development, and implementation of...Read More

A newly proposed Senate bill by Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, would enable participants to continue saving for retirement while repaying their student debt even in the event that they can’t afford to make their own contributions to a 401(k) plan. This feature could be offered at the option of the employer and would apply...Read More

The tidal surge of funds flowing from actively managed funds into passive funds reached a tipping point in 2019, when Morningstar preliminary data indicated that passive U.S. equity assets would surpass active equity assets for the first time. This inflection point was widely anticipated. Over the prior decade, active domestic equity funds leaked $1.3 trillion...Read More

Health savings accounts (HSAs) have grown tremendously in popularity over the past few years. You’ve probably heard of them or maybe your employer offers one. This memo will uncover answers to common questions you may have about HSAs. What’s an HSA? A type of savings account that allows you to set aside money on a...Read More

Employees fail to enroll in their retirement plan for a variety of reasons. They may be intimidated if it’s their first time around or they might not fully understand and appreciate the benefits (or the downside of not participating). Some could be concerned about “locking up” their money — and others might worry so much...Read More

COVID-19 has posed a duel set of related challenges for plan sponsors and participants. For employees, the pandemic has pitted more immediate financial needs against prioritizing planned savings — and shifted the traditional focus of employee-sponsored financial wellness programs from the future to the present. And sponsors face the difficulty of effectively engaging remote workers...Read More