Reader Responses December 17, 2018

SURVEY SAYS: Favorite Holiday Song 2018

Last year, we fielded our favorite holiday movie survey, so this year it is time for our favorite holiday song survey.

Reported by

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “What is your favorite holiday song?”

Angels We Have Heard on High, Away in a Manger, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Feliz Navidad, Frosty the Snowman, Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, Here We Come A-Wassailing, Jingle Bells, Let it Snow!, Please Come Home for Christmas, Santa Baby, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and The First Noel were not chosen by any responding readers. Do They Know It’s Christmas?, Here Comes Santa Claus, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Silver Bells, The Hannukah Song by Adam Sandler and The Twelve Days of Christmas were each selected by 1.2% of respondents.

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I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, O Come All Ye Faithful and What Child Is This (Greensleeves) were selected by 2.4% of readers. All I Want for Christmas Is You, Carol of the Bells, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and Silent Night were each chosen by 3.6% of respondents.

“Other” responses included Sleigh Ride, Christmas Wrappings, On This Very Christmas Night, The Chipmunk Song and Jingle Bell Rock.

That leaves the top picks:

  • The Christmas Song (“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . .”) – 4.8%;
  • Do You Hear What I Hear? – 6%;
  • White Christmas” (“I’m dreaming of a . . . “) – 6%;
  • Baby It’s Cold Outside – 7.2%;
  • Mary, Did You Know? – 7.2%; and
  • O Holy Night – 20.5%.

I also asked NewsDash readers whether their favorite song changed from the 2016 survey. One-third (33.7%) indicated they don’t remember, 20.5% said it didn’t, 7.2% said it did, and 38.5% did not participate in the 2016 survey.

Readers who chose to leave comments expressed how they loved holiday songs and it was difficult to pick a favorite. Others gave reasons for the favorite they picked. There were several comments about Baby It’s Cold Outside. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “My favorite time of year because all the music genres come together and sing the most beautiful songs. If only our world would come together like our music can!”

Many thanks to all who participated in the survey!

Verbatim

It is difficult to pick a favorite. There are so many great holiday songs! Love Trans-Siberian Orchestra and their rock influence on traditional Christmas music.

I love the oldies versions best: Andy Williams, Eartha Kitt, Dean Martin, Elvis and all those who have gone to the great toy shop afterlife.

Hate Hippo song. Hippos are killers.

Love classical music this time of year. Handel, anything by Tchaikovsky.

Love the holiday music channels.

I think Mariah Carey’s version of “All I want for Christmas” has become the iconic Christmas song and that is reflected in my vote, but I have to admit that Adam Sandler’s “The Hannukkah Song” and Bob and Doug McKenzie’s “12 Days of Christmas” are probably my FAVORITE holiday songs.

On the radio the other day, they did a survey. Would you rather work in an environment where you had to hear Jingle Bells over and over, or wear a Santa suit to work every day. Overwhelmingly, people opted for the Santa suit. It just goes to show that there is a very limited repertoire of Christmas songs, and people get tired of them very quickly.

I love them all!!

I love any song performed by the Pentatonix!

Incredible music, but it is absolutely transcendent if done by the few vocalists that can actually hit those notes

How can you go wrong with a Christmas Chipmunk.

I like all Christmas music, but I really don’t want to hear any of it until after Thanksgiving! Don’t rush the season please.

Underappreciated Christmas song: Santa’s Beard by the Beach Boys

I love the remakes that are available. Have you ever heard TSO’s version of Carol of the Bells? That places a positive spin on holiday music.

I love a lot of Christmas songs. My favorite tends to be the one I’ve heard most recently.

Chose Baby It’s Cold Outside just because I’m sick of the PC police.

I love most Christmas songs, but picked the Hippopotamus one because it is fairly new to me, it’s fun, and I don’t hear it very often! If you aren’t familiar with it, Google it. It is by Gayla Peevey. 🙂

I have like a top 5 list…sometimes it changes from year to year, depending on how often and how early Christmas music is played. The reason for my pick this year….reminds me of relatives and Christmases past….good memories to cherish during the holiday season….

O Holy Night brings tears of joy and peace every time I hear it.

Because it pisses everyone off 🙂

“Jingle Bell Rock” is a toe-tapping, hip-swishing tune that never fails to put me in a good mood!

I prefer the funny Christmas songs, but don’t mind all Christmas songs playing in the background.

Silent Night is my favorite song. The perfect place to sing or hear it is in the sanctuary of my church. Otherwise those Trans-Siberian Orchestra songs definitely get the blood flowing and make me dance in my car and get strange looks.

Baby It’s Cold Outside, but I guess that song is taboo now…

Must be sung by Nat King Cole.

They are FANTASTIC! I rarely listen to music except for Christmas, and despite hearing them for hundreds of times before I still enjoy them!

They’re all good, EXCEPT Dominic the Donkey! According to my Italian friends, there is NO Italian donkey!

Every time I hear White Christmas by Bing Crosby I see my father sitting in his chair listening to the 45 rpm record player & it warms my heart with holiday memories.

My favorite time of year because all the music genres come together and sing the most beautiful songs. If only our world would come together like our music can!

NOTE: Responses reflect the opinions of individual readers and not necessarily the stance of Strategic Insight or its affiliates.
Investing December 14, 2018

Diverse Stakeholders Look to Boost In-Plan Retirement Income

Continued net flows out of the DC system, driven by Baby Boomer retirements, could cause more provider consolidation and redoubling of efforts by recordkeepers to keep assets in DC plans. 

Reported by

The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) has published its annual review of top retirement industry trends for plan sponsors, providers and advisers to watch in 2019.

Thanks to the work of various stakeholders, IRIC says it expects a growing number of plan sponsors to evaluate and adopt retirement income solutions and decumulation strategies for their defined contribution (DC) plans.

Get more!  Sign up for PLANSPONSOR newsletters.

“The continued decline of defined benefit plans along with the Social Security trustees again projecting that both Social Security and Medicare face long-term financing shortfalls puts more pressure on define contribution plans to become income generators for future retirees,” says Bob Melia, executive director of IRIC. 

According to Melia, DC plans are well positioned to significantly add to American’s financial security by adopting retirement income solutions that are currently available in the market today. Beyond this, legislative changes that could come into play next year—say with the passage of either the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act or the Automatic Retirement Savings Act, among others—would likely drive greater interest and adoption of guaranteed income options for DC plans.

IRIC’s analysis suggests fee compression will continue “in all areas of the marketplace.” At the same time, the advocacy organization says continued net flows out of the DC system, driven by Baby Boomer retirements, could cause continued consolidation and redoubling of efforts by recordkeepers to keep assets in DC plans. 

“Such recordkeepers could improve their revenues and increase the security of its participants by offering institutional income solutions as part of defined contribution recordkeeping services,” IRIC suggests.

Beyond a deeper focus on retirement income solutions, IRIC believes health savings accounts (HSAs) will continue to enjoy greater attention and adoption among employers.

“DC recordkeepers that integrate with HSAs will have an advantage as the definition of retirement security broadens to include health care costs late in life,” IRIC says. “Additionally, the further integration will reinforce the trend of open enrollment including 401(k) plans, giving participants better tools for deciding how to invest HSAs assets while encouraging accumulation of HSA savings for retirement.”

IRIC concludes a broader and more comprehensive view of retirement security can also help DC providers to consolidate retirement assets in the participant’s DC plan and offer draw-down strategies that increase the security of the participants who take advantage of such services.

With the prospect of slower growth and greater volatility in 2019, IRIC says the way participants react to these challenges could drive greater proliferation of, and demand for, products offering downside protection. This means participants may be more interested in stable value contracts, insurance products such as deferred annuities and guaranteed income benefits, alternative funds and real asset funds, IRIC says.

“All eyes will be on Washington and the new Congress next year as any retirement legislation could drive plan sponsor interest in offering guaranteed income options to their 401(k) plan participants,” says Martha Tejera, an IRIC member with Tejera Associates. “The bills that have been introduced signal bipartisan support for plan sponsors to adopt retirement income strategies. Additionally, plan sponsors have been taking a more proactive role in offering employees financial wellness tools, which are philosophically aligned with the intent of retirement income solutions.”

Another IRIC member, Dana Hildebrandt of Willis Towers Watson, says the increased attention paid to lifetime income “definitely presents opportunities” for all industry stakeholders.  

“In terms of products, specialized non-guaranteed (investment-only) lifetime income options emerging in the DC landscape represent a simple, straightforward compliment to annuities and guaranteed products as income options,” she says. “In terms of flexibility, amending plan documents to allow for periodic payments and systematic installments may allow recordkeepers to retain assets under management while providing participants with institutionally priced funds as they draw down their nest egg. This could benefit participants immensely as keeping assets institutionally invested through the draw down phase will allow them to receive the benefits of that pricing.”

For more research and information about IRIC, visit www.iricouncil.org.

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Break from the Grind December 12, 2018

SURVEY SAYS: What is your favorite holiday song? (2018)

Last year, we fielded our favorite holiday movie survey, so this year it is time for our favorite holiday song survey.
Reported by

This week, I’d like to know, what is your favorite holiday song?

Get more!  Sign up for PLANSPONSOR newsletters.

You may respond to this week’s survey by 6 p.m. Pacific time today at https://www.research.net/r/Z22H2T8.
Investing December 14, 2018

Diverse Stakeholders Look to Boost In-Plan Retirement Income

Continued net flows out of the DC system, driven by Baby Boomer retirements, could cause more provider consolidation and redoubling of efforts by recordkeepers to keep assets in DC plans. 

Reported by

The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) has published its annual review of top retirement industry trends for plan sponsors, providers and advisers to watch in 2019.

Thanks to the work of various stakeholders, IRIC says it expects a growing number of plan sponsors to evaluate and adopt retirement income solutions and decumulation strategies for their defined contribution (DC) plans.

Get more!  Sign up for PLANSPONSOR newsletters.

“The continued decline of defined benefit plans along with the Social Security trustees again projecting that both Social Security and Medicare face long-term financing shortfalls puts more pressure on define contribution plans to become income generators for future retirees,” says Bob Melia, executive director of IRIC. 

According to Melia, DC plans are well positioned to significantly add to American’s financial security by adopting retirement income solutions that are currently available in the market today. Beyond this, legislative changes that could come into play next year—say with the passage of either the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act or the Automatic Retirement Savings Act, among others—would likely drive greater interest and adoption of guaranteed income options for DC plans.

IRIC’s analysis suggests fee compression will continue “in all areas of the marketplace.” At the same time, the advocacy organization says continued net flows out of the DC system, driven by Baby Boomer retirements, could cause continued consolidation and redoubling of efforts by recordkeepers to keep assets in DC plans. 

“Such recordkeepers could improve their revenues and increase the security of its participants by offering institutional income solutions as part of defined contribution recordkeeping services,” IRIC suggests.

Beyond a deeper focus on retirement income solutions, IRIC believes health savings accounts (HSAs) will continue to enjoy greater attention and adoption among employers.

“DC recordkeepers that integrate with HSAs will have an advantage as the definition of retirement security broadens to include health care costs late in life,” IRIC says. “Additionally, the further integration will reinforce the trend of open enrollment including 401(k) plans, giving participants better tools for deciding how to invest HSAs assets while encouraging accumulation of HSA savings for retirement.”

IRIC concludes a broader and more comprehensive view of retirement security can also help DC providers to consolidate retirement assets in the participant’s DC plan and offer draw-down strategies that increase the security of the participants who take advantage of such services.

With the prospect of slower growth and greater volatility in 2019, IRIC says the way participants react to these challenges could drive greater proliferation of, and demand for, products offering downside protection. This means participants may be more interested in stable value contracts, insurance products such as deferred annuities and guaranteed income benefits, alternative funds and real asset funds, IRIC says.

“All eyes will be on Washington and the new Congress next year as any retirement legislation could drive plan sponsor interest in offering guaranteed income options to their 401(k) plan participants,” says Martha Tejera, an IRIC member with Tejera Associates. “The bills that have been introduced signal bipartisan support for plan sponsors to adopt retirement income strategies. Additionally, plan sponsors have been taking a more proactive role in offering employees financial wellness tools, which are philosophically aligned with the intent of retirement income solutions.”

Another IRIC member, Dana Hildebrandt of Willis Towers Watson, says the increased attention paid to lifetime income “definitely presents opportunities” for all industry stakeholders.  

“In terms of products, specialized non-guaranteed (investment-only) lifetime income options emerging in the DC landscape represent a simple, straightforward compliment to annuities and guaranteed products as income options,” she says. “In terms of flexibility, amending plan documents to allow for periodic payments and systematic installments may allow recordkeepers to retain assets under management while providing participants with institutionally priced funds as they draw down their nest egg. This could benefit participants immensely as keeping assets institutionally invested through the draw down phase will allow them to receive the benefits of that pricing.”

For more research and information about IRIC, visit www.iricouncil.org.

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