Showing entries from 2019.
22
Apr 2019Finding the Right Words: Enhancing Retirement Plan Participant Communications
Could the actual words used within your employer communications be hindering participants' understanding? Two recent studies shed some light on what causes participant confusion and the importance of selecting the appropriate terminology for communication pieces.
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Apr 2019Chart of the Month: U.S. Equities Continue to Outpace Foreign Developed Markets
U.S. equities have substantially outpaced foreign developed markets; good news for retirement plan participants, who traditionally have a heavier allocation to U.S. stocks in their portfolio. However, it may be worthwhile for investors to consider increasing their international exposure.
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Apr 2019Classification Confusion: Understanding Equity Style
Retirement plans aim to offer a concise, yet diversified, set of investment options. Understanding equity style is vital to building a defined contribution investment menu that allows participants to create portfolios that reflect their investment preferences.
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Mar 2019The Defined Benefit (DB) Lawsuits: Why There May Be Widespread Implications
Several lawsuits have been filed recently claiming that the use of outdated mortality tables led to lower retirement pension plan benefit payments. While these suits were filed against large corporate plan sponsors, they could have far-reaching consequences
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Mar 2019403(b) Retirement Plan Fee Litigation: An Update
More than 20 private universities and five healthcare systems have been sued over retirement plan fees since 2016, making fee litigation an important topic for retirement plan sponsors. We review the common claims of the suits and provide an update on the status of each.
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Mar 2019Chart of the Month: Year-to-Date Recovery from Q4 2018 Sell-Off
Source: Morningstar Market Observations Risk assets have staged a remarkable rebound in 2019, with many asset classes erasing three quarters or more of the losses they experienced in the 4th quarter of 2018. While many of the factors contributing to the panic driven sell-off late last year remain …
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Mar 2019Trends in Target Date Fund Investing
With the adoption and popularity of target date funds (TDFs) on the rise, the diversity of offerings have grown. We explore the new world of TDFs, the emergence of trends and what retirement plan sponsors can expect to see in the future.
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Feb 2019Permissible Plan Expenses: What Can Plan Sponsors Pay from Retirement Plan Assets?
With the increased focus and litigation surrounding retirement plan fees, plan sponsors need to pay keen attention to any expenses paid from their retirement plan's assets to ensure they are permissible.
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Feb 2019Investors Looking to Take Advantage of Rising Money Market Yields Beware: Equity Wash Rules May Apply
Retirement plan participants who wish to take advantage of the recent rise in money market yields may discover that they are blocked from transferring assets from a stable value fund into a money market fund by equity wash rules.
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Feb 2019Using Financial Wellness to Attract and Retain Employees
Healthcare organizations typically have high turnover and high demand, and thus, attracting and retaining employees is paramount. How can retirement plan sponsors use financial wellness programs - and their retirement plans - to set their organizations apart?
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