Products May 16, 2017

Ascensus Enhances Digital Experience for Plan Sponsors and Participants

Among the updates are more options for customizing views and taking action.
Reported by

Ascensus, a retirement plan and college savings services provider, has launched enhanced digital experiences for its retirement plan clients and their employees. 

Ascensus says it conducted in-depth user research, surveying employers, employees, third-party administrators, and financial advisers to learn what users really wanted from their retirement plan technology. This research indicated that employers visit their retirement plan website to complete specific tasks related to plan activity, such as submitting payroll, running reports, and approving pending items. When employees visit their retirement account website, they want to quickly and easily track their retirement savings progress.

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The main focus of the updates was to centralize these items, streamline interactions, and make it easier for users to find what they need. Key enhancements include:

  • Intuitive home dashboards that highlight popular performance metrics and tools;
  • Easy-to-understand language and visual aids that make information clear and meaningful; and
  • More options for customizing views and taking action.
“We’ve made it even easier for our clients and their employees to find information so they can quickly take action and get back to their day,” says Steve Schweitzer, Ascensus’ senior vice president of marketing, product, and digital. “These enhanced experiences are simple by design—stripping away unnecessary complexity and giving users the tools to efficiently plan for the future.”
Break from the Grind May 16, 2017

Top 10 Baby Names of 2016

Reported by

Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reveals the top 10 names for boys and girls, which sometimes shows how America’s trends and culture have diversified.

So, what were the most popular names of 2016? Coming in at number 10 are Harper and Ethan. At number nine, Emily and Elijah, with Elijah cracking the top 10 for the first time!

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Here is a list of the top 10:

  • Noah (male), Emma (femaile)
  • Liam, Olivia
  • William, Ava
  • Mason, Sophia
  • James, Isabella
  • Benjamin, Mia
  • Jacob, Charlotte
  • Michael, Abigail
  • Elijah, Emily
  • Ethan, Harper

This is the fourth year Noah has been at the top of the most popular boy’s names, and the third year that Emma has been at the top for females. Liam and Olivia have held the second spot for three years now.

William moved up from No. 5 to No. 3 this year, and Ava moved from 4 to 3. Mason moved down from No. 3 to No. 4, as did Sophia. James moved up from No. 7 to No. 5, while Isabella remained in 5th place.

Benjamin jumped from No. 10 last year, to No. 6 this year, while Mia remained in 6th place. Jacob fell from No. 4 to No. 7, and Charlotte rose from No. 9 to No. 7.

Michael moved up a spot from 9 to 8, but Abigail fell from 7 to 8. Elijah moved into the Top 10 from 11th place last year, while Emily fell from No. 8 to No. 9. Ethan fell from No. 6 last year to the 10th spot this year, and Harper maintained its No. 10 position.

More information is here.

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