Blogs

How Will You Embrace the Automatic Age? Since the beginning of time, there have been several ages that reflect society propelling itself forward in physical, intellectual and technological ways. First, there was the Stone Age. Then came the Iron and Bronze Ages (not to mention the Golden Age and the Age of Enlightenment). Welcome to the Automatic Age Section 101 of SECURE Act 2.0 requires new 401(k) and 403(b) plans to automatically enroll participants, with the initial automatic enrollment amount being at least 3% but not more than 10%. Each year, that amount must be automatically increased...

Dealing with inflation’s negative effect on employee retirement planning An August 2022 survey from Nationwide Retirement Institute found that 40% of workers age 45 and older plan to delay their retirement due to inflation and rising living costs. That figure is double the percentage of workers who said they delayed retirement last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the current inflationary environment presents a host of retirement plan challenges for both employers and employees, tackling the trend with prudent and sensible solutions remains the best course of action. Inherent Costs to...

A recent survey confirms that there is no single path to retirement. Franklin Templeton’s June 2021 “Voice of the American Worker” survey confirms that retirement today feels “less cookie cutter than it used to be,” according to 82% of those polled. The survey found that individuals can benefit from personalized guidance to achieve their financial goals — an area where a financial advisor can help. The survey also showed that many participants are looking to their employers for more tools and resources. But most of all, the survey found that the way participants think about retirement is...

A recent survey of retirement plan participants shines a light on their positive perspectives — which can help inform plan changes you may be considering. Released in October of 2021, American Century’s 9th Annual Survey of Retirement Plan Participants found that more workers are optimistic about their futures in 2021 than they were in 2020. Not surprisingly, following more than a year of dealing with the pandemic, participants are now more positive about saving, risk and expectations. Because it’s the start of a new year, now may be an opportune time to discuss the findings with your plan...

The list of employee financial concerns includes stressful personal situations that distract employees’ attention from the work at hand. Thirty-nine percent of employers say that’s the item of most concern to employees, followed by increasing health care costs at 34% and the expenses and pressures of caring for family members (24%). Lackluster retirement savings come in sixth on the list, with 18% of employers choosing it as either the number one or number two issue for their employees. Reasons employers offer financial wellness programs To address these employee concerns, many employers — 70%...