Category: Retirement Plan Sponsors

Welcome to Hey Joel! This forum answers plan sponsor questions from all over the country by our in-house former practicing ERISA attorney. Hey Joel, Is it okay to use the same company for my plan’s record-keeping, 3(38) advisory services, and administration? ~ Consolidating in California Dear Consolidating, It may seem logical to bundle all of your retirement plan’s services with one provider – record-keeping, 3(38) advisory services, and administration. How easy would it be to have a one-stop shop…

Read More >

Recently the Bell vs. ATH Holding Company, LLC (a subsidiary of Anthem, Inc.) lawsuit settled. This is frequently referred to as the “Anthem Settlement” (the “Settlement”). The Settlement received quite a bit of attention from both the industry and mainstream press for a number of reasons, not the least of which include the size of the 401(k) plan ($5.1 billion), the size of the monetary settlement ($23,650,000), as well as inclusion of somewhat unusual non-monetary terms. The Anthem 401(k)…

Read More >

Kameron Jones, Senior Advisor As Americans look into the future and towards retirement, many understand that maintaining their health will be an important part of their overall quality of life after they stop working. However, uncertainty around healthcare costs – both now and in retirement – is a major financial worry among Americans preparing for retirement. So how can you help your workers reduce financial anxiety about retirement preparedness and increase the likelihood that they will be able to…

Read More >

Welcome to Hey Joel! This forum answers plan sponsor questions from all over the country by our in-house former practicing ERISA attorney. Hey Joel, One of my current employees recently received a notice from Social Security saying that they might be entitled to a retirement benefit. Is it my responsibility to track this money down? ~ Investigating in Illinois   Dear Investigating, Employers are required to file Form 8955-SSA with the IRS each year to report former participants with…

Read More >

Legislation to help Americans save more for retirement It’s no secret that Americans are not saving enough for retirement. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently reported that 48 percent of households aged 55 and over have no retirement savings. To address this issue, a new retirement-related bill is making its way through Congress, The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. Its purpose is to help Americans save more for retirement by creating new rules to…

Read More >

Morgan Davis, Plan Advisor As you bask in the glory of summer over the next couple of months, don’t forget the three F’s that define this cherished season — fun, Fourth of July, and fiduciary! While you’re enjoying the fruits of summer, don’t forget your fiduciary responsibilities! Ask yourself the following questions to make sure you are on top of your responsibilities and liabilities. Are you practicing procedural prudence when making plan management decisions? Do you clearly understand the…

Read More >

Adapt to the shifting priorities of modern workers to attract and retain the best talent Longevity, demographic changes and technological innovation have revolutionized the world of work. As many employers face a coming wave of baby-boomer retirements, the resulting gaps in unique skills, experience and institutional knowledge may be difficult to fill. Keeping mature workers engaged may help ensure that your company retains the employee knowledge necessary to compete.1 Going forward, successful workplaces will not only leverage the skills…

Read More >

By Jamie Hayes, CPFA, C(k)P®, AIF®, Senior Plan Advisor Millennials – they’ve infiltrated the workplace and bring expertise in social media, individuality, technology and hipster bars. But, what do they know about saving for retirement? Typically, younger people don’t make retirement savings a priority. Living expenses, student debt, rent or house payments, and other day-to-day expenses mean that retirement savings take a back seat. In fact, a Franklin Templeton Investments survey from January 2016 says that 40 percent of…

Read More >

Welcome to Hey Joel! This forum answers plan sponsor questions from all over the country by our in-house former practicing ERISA attorney. Hey Joel, What’s the appropriate number of members and positions for a retirement plan committee? ~ Plannin’ in Pennsylvania Dear Plannin’, There is no specific guidance on the appropriate number of committee members. It’s important to have committee members who can contribute to the topics to be focused on. When there is one committee, as opposed to…

Read More >

Many plan sponsors struggle with deciding how many investment options to offer in their retirement plans. While people generally like to have lots of options when making other decisions, having too many plan options can potentially lead to poor investment decisions by plan participants. In addition, increasing plan options can also increase plan costs, as well as the administrative paperwork associated with the plan. In a study on retirement plan options, researchers concluded that it is possible to present…

Read More >