Implementing an effective employer contribution strategy requires plan sponsors to consider timing, costs and the workforce’s specific financial needs.

Several options could aid in recruitment, retention and financial wellness.

Employers are reconsidering the most important factors in setting their workers up for savings success.

Explaining the basics of the infrastructure underpinning 401(k) retirement accounts.

Implementation is still gaining steam for 2024 provisions such as offering additional emergency savings options and a match for student loan repayments.

When evaluating the array of benefits in the marketplace, plan sponsors must balance cost with the need to attract and retain talent.  

While 401(k) plan fees are a bigger ask for small plans, the savings benefits to participants still tend to be worth the price.

For some employers, offering a state-facilitated retirement plan is the best and easiest option, but for others, sponsoring their own plan or joining a PEP are more attractive.

For the smallest of employers, offering a state auto-IRA program provides minimal administrative and fiduciary burdens.

Sponsors have both legal and practical ramifications to weigh.

With their ability to provide personalized advice, managed accounts have become a more attractive retirement income solution, but the high fees attached to them continue to be a major criticism.

Plan sponsors have a number of factors to consider when comparing investment, insurance and drawdown options for their participants.

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the law, it is an opportune moment to reflect on its profound impact on the American retirement landscape and consider the opportunities ahead.

The director of benefits at Wayne-Sanderson Farms shares how offering an in-plan managed account service helped its employees older than 50.

Tax benefits and new credits aim to offset the cost of setting up new retirement plans and can be a ‘big win’ for plan sponsors.

Carl Gagnon, assistant vice president of global financial well-being and retirement programs at Unum Group, reflects on his tenure and provides insight into the future of plan design.

Experts discuss the trends of streamlining the investment menu and adding lifetime income options

A review of topics plan sponsors should consider as they review their plans before the 2024 enrollment season.

As defined benefit plan sponsors look to de-risk and offload pension liabilities, the selection of annuity providers has come under increased scrutiny in recent lawsuits.

Plan sponsors can consider plan conversions, similar to what IBM has done, hibernation or different investment strategies to reduce risk without transferring it.

The rise in yields in recent years have not boosted the size of the contracts.

Lowering premiums might spur some organizations to consider offering a defined benefit plan, which could be an additional form of income in retirement.

The long-awaited report makes no recommendations for changes.

Business-related degrees are important, but so are data management and soft skills.

Staffers have varying degrees of experience with retirement plans, so providing training and education is vital when managing a benefits team.

With fatigue and exhaustion on the rise among HR leaders, plan sponsors are tasked with managing the stresses that their benefits teams face while also prioritizing the needs of their participants.

Tax-exempt, church and governmental employers have a wide range of considerations when picking what retirement plan, or plans, to offer.

As higher education plan sponsors often work with small benefits staffs and oversee diverse pools of employees, administering a retirement plan tailored to all employees’ needs is a difficult task.

Optional SECURE 2.0 provisions and IRS determination letters can help plan sponsors position their plans to meet participant needs.

Government plans need more guidance from the IRS to address payroll-related complications that affect compliance with parts of SECURE 2.0.

Advertised as a more cost-efficient and less burdensome way for small employers to offer a retirement plan, pooled solutions may not be the perfect solution to the coverage gap.

Representatives from two different companies explain the process by which their firms chose their respective multiple employer retirement solutions.

What do the data say about the role MEPs and PEPs can play in getting more people access to employer-provided retirement accounts?

Defined Contribution Groups—DCGs—offer another option for sponsors seeking to simplify some administrative tasks.

A retirement plan committee should include a diverse range of individuals, as well as frequent fiduciary training and education, experts say.

Where to find education and training, how often to meet and how to confirm members are prepared to serve participants well.

Plan sponsors can find education and training for their retirement plan committees from several sources, but how best to build one and why are separate questions.

The issue of monitoring investments and plan fees is something that often comes up in retirement lawsuits and is therefore an important part of the fiduciary training process.

Standard benchmarking may not yet cover such offerings, but plan sponsors can monitor participant satisfaction, plans’ stated objectives.

Plan sponsors dig deeper into data to define and measure the success of their retirement plans against the backdrop of auto-enrollment.

When crafting messages for up to five generations of workers, a more succinct, informal approach can help ‘maximize the exposure.’

Plan sponsors and communications professionals examine the importance of reaching out to participants and how it can improve retirement savings.