Lincoln Financial Names Stable Value Business Leader

February 22, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Bill McLaren joined Lincoln Financial Group as Stable Value business leader for the company's Retirement Plan Services Product and Solutions Management team. 

In this new role, McLaren is responsible for leading efforts to identify and further grow Stable Value opportunities for the retirement plan services business. He is also responsible for Stable Value product development and positioning along with establishing business initiatives for investment only opportunities in the market.

McLaren reports to Eric Levy, senior vice president and head of Retirement Plan Product and Solutions Management.

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McLaren comes to Lincoln with several years of financial services and insurance industry experience. Prior to this role, McLaren was an independent Defined Contribution Stable Value consultant where he focused on expanding the understanding of the stable value asset class within the 401(k), 457, 403(b) and defined benefit markets. He also held several stable value-related positions with Prudential Retirement and was most recently vice president of sales with expertise and specialty knowledge in Stable Value including Guaranteed Interest Contracts (GICs), Institutional Book Value Wraps and Investment Only businesses.  

McLaren holds FINRA series 7 and 63 designations, is life insurance licensed in all 50 states and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree from Rider University.

More Than Half of Small-Business Owners May Not Have Optimal Retirement Plans

February 22, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Fifty-three percent of U.S. small-business owners many not have the retirement plan that best fits their needs. 
 

According to a survey from Fidelity Investments, when asked a series of basic questions about their retirement plan features and benefits, small-business owner respondents on average only answered 66% correctly. For example:

•  Half who use a Self-Employed 401(k) did not know the maximum annual employer contribution allowed for this plan;

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•  Nearly two-thirds (60%) with SIMPLE-IRAs were not aware that employer tax filing is not required; and

•  More than half (55%) using a SEP IRA did not know that the plan is funded solely by employer contributions.

In addition to uncovering a knowledge gap among respondents who currently have a retirement plan, 100 small-business owners who do not have a retirement savings plan were surveyed. The top reason (34%) cited for not having a retirement plan is the perception that it is too expensive.

 

 

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