Blogs

Nearly one-third of retirement plan recordkeepers expect to increase their cybersecurity staff, according to a recent survey. According to findings in the latest Cerulli Edge U.S. Retirement Edition, the threat of retirement account fraud has increased in recent years — particularly during the remote work environment. As a result, 31% of plan recordkeepers intend to increase staffing capacity to address cybersecurity initiatives. According to the Cerulli report, the Internet Crime Control Complaint Center of the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported 791,790 cybercrime complaints in 2020 — a...

Life involves risk. One of them is retirement, and whether the money we save to fund it will last. Do your employees understand their risk, and actions they can take now to manage it? A recent survey found that retirement security may be threatened by these four risk factors: longevity, behavior, market conditions and inflation. The survey found a disconnect between each of these risks and participants’ actions. While that’s a concern, it’s also an opportunity to structure communications to clarify the connection. Risk #1: Longevity 2020, life expectancy for the average American is roughly 79...

Before the pandemic struck, sponsors of U.S. defined contribution plans were realizing the benefits of calling outside assistance for guidance. Even more seem to be doing so today. Relying on consultants and financial professionals for the very specialized help they provide can help sponsors weigh options. What’s more, it may provide a level of protection for those with authority over the plan, and may improve the plan’s performance. The 2020 Inside the Minds of Plan Sponsors survey found that 58% of plan sponsors rely on a consultant or financial professional — up 16% from the prior survey...

Tax season is upon us. While everyone’s financial situation is different, there are some basic guidelines to get you started. File Electronically This is the quickest way to get your tax refund. There are many online platforms that make filing your taxes safe and easy. You’ll need your account number and your bank routing number for a direct deposit. Personal Information The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will need to know who is filing and who is covered under your tax return. Be sure to have your social security number and date of birth ready for you and other members in your household...

The Challenges The client was frustrated with their plan provider because they were failing nondiscrimination testing on an annual basis. In addition to this issue, the plan had over 120 participants and thus was audited every year. Since the plan provider was running testing and census information without reviewing it for potential savings, these two issues cost the plan and its highly-compensated employees (HCEs) money. Due to the plan’s nondiscrimination testing failures, its HCEs either had to have money returned to them or the plan had to contribute additions to its non-highly compensated...