Capital One Adds 401(k) Platform to Small Business Solutions

Spark 401k is designed for businesses with fewer than 100 employees to deliver a retirement planning experience that offers the benefits available to larger companies.

Capital One launched Spark 401k, providing low-cost, all-exchange traded fund (ETF) 401(k) plans to small business owners and employees.

Spark 401k is designed for businesses with fewer than 100 employees to deliver a retirement planning experience that offers the benefits available to larger companies. These benefits include the ability to build a retirement nest egg with tax-deferred dollars, reduce business taxes, and recruit and incentivize employees.

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Spark 401k leverages the technology and expertise behind Capital One’s ShareBuilder 401k. Spark 401k also provides access to low-cost ETFs that keep investment expenses less than 1%, helping employees further grow their nest egg.

“Today, only 13% of small businesses offer a retirement plan and while many say they want to provide a plan, they often put it off because they think it will be too expensive, burdensome or complicated,” says Stuart Robertson, president of Capital One Advisors 401k Services, which oversees ShareBuilder 401k and Spark 401k. “We designed Spark 401k to make retirement planning easier and more accessible for small businesses. With its online plan management and direct access to licensed 401(k) advisers and customer success managers, Spark 401k can help small business owners plan for the future—for themselves and their employees—while they pursue their primary passion, running their business.”

With small businesses increasingly relying on mobile technology, Spark 401k provides owners a streamlined, digital experience to easily determine which plan best suits their needs. Spark 401k provides three types of 401(k) plans and oversees each plan’s investment fiduciary responsibilities for no additional cost.

More information is at www.spark401k.com.

DC Plans Dominating Not-for-Profit Market

However, still more not-for-profit employees have access to DB plans than do for-profit company employees.

More than one-third (35%) of not-for-profit employees have access to a defined benefit (DB) pension, compared to 16% percent of for-profit workers, according to LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute (LIMRA SRI) data.

Findings from the LIMRA SRI Not-for-Profit Sector Employees 2016 Consumer Survey Update show nearly 40% of not-for-profit employees report not being knowledgeable about investments or financial products—the same percentage that is not confident that their money will last through retirement.

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The data reveals defined contribution (DC) plans are the most widely available retirement planning benefit even among non-profit employers. In the education sector, 86% of employees participate in a DC plan, while 36% have access to a DB plan. Among governmental employers, DC plan participation is at 88%, and access to DB plans is 38%. DC plan participation is a little lower for non-governmental and non-education not-for-profits, at 82%, while access to DB pensions is significantly lower, at 23%.

Tied into all of this, the LIMRA SRI research finds 62% of non-profit employees anticipate Social Security will comprise a significant portion of their retirement income. More than one-quarter (27%) suggest they will work full-time beyond the traditional retirement age, while 25% plan to work part-time.

The LIMRA SRI survey shows, overall, 58% of non-profit sector employees are confident about their retirement finances. Just 12% feel very knowledgeable about finances generally, while 49% feel “somewhat knowledgeable” in this area. The remainder are split between “not at all” and “not very” knowledgeable.  

Additional survey findings are reported here

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