Retirement Plan Consulting

Beneficiary designations are a critical yet often neglected aspect of retirement plans. Many participants mistakenly believe that their retirement plan assets will be distributed according to their will or trust. However, retirement accounts are governed by their own rules, meaning the named beneficiary on the account will typically inherit the funds, regardless of other estate planning documents.

Do you ever hear the term “safe harbor” thrown around in a lot of different contexts, but you aren’t sure what it means? If that’s the case, you aren’t alone. The term safe harbor comes up a lot with retirement plans. Congress created safe harbors to make plan sponsors feel “safe” and relieved from liability, but sometimes it requires a reminder to recall what these safe harbors really are.

Considering that more than 40% of employers now match employee contributions to retirement plans, taking advantage of this opportunity is crucial for improving your financial security. Even if your employer's contribution is modest, neglecting to participate means leaving money on the table.

Effective retirement plan communications do more than just meet DOL requirements; the best ones engage, educate, motivate, and empower participants. Optimize your communications to connect with employees on a personal level, encourage informed decisions, and foster more active engagement with their retirement plan and their financial future.

Target date funds are in high demand these days. According to a recent Sway Research study, total TDF assets reached $3.5 trillion in 2023 — a record level. Moreover, mutual fund target dates began 2024 slightly ahead of collective investment trusts, holding $1.76 trillion in assets compared to $1.71 trillion in CITs, TDF assets in CITs are expected to overtake assets in mutual funds this year as fiduciaries continue to look for ways to reduce fees and access innovative solutions.

Sound investment decisions are rarely made under the weight of worry. The field of behavioral finance points to a number of cognitive distortions that feed on investor fear and can plague participants’ decision-making while compromising their retirement readiness.

Outsourcing allows companies to focus more on their core businesses, rather than spending time on areas outside their expertise. For retirement plan sponsors, outsourcing services makes sense for these reasons as well as others.

A recent Vanguard report sheds light on the pressing challenges faced by retirees across different income brackets. The findings reveal that lower income workers allocate a significantly larger portion of their pre-retirement income to meet their daily needs, leaving them with a substantial shortfall in retirement readiness — even when factoring in Social Security benefits.

As the winter season blankets our surroundings, it's the perfect time to conduct a comprehensive review of your financial situation.

Revisions made to the 2023 Form 5500 relate to SECURE Act amendments made to ERISA. The changes are intended to improve reporting of financial information and plan expenses.