Category Archives: Retirement Plans

The truth about index funds and fee disclosure

I’ve always been a big fan of index funds, probably more so when exchange-traded funds became a thing. From experience, most funds fail to meet the benchmarks. Yet, I grew up in the retirement plan business when it was claimed … Continue reading

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Plan sponsors unaware of PEPs

While the issues concerning Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) in pricing and audits are slowing its growth, another headache is that potential adopters of these plans are unaware of their existence. According to a paper by the Center for Retirement Research, … Continue reading

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DOL creates online filing system for abandoned plans

The Department of Labor (DOL) has created an online system for qualified plan termination administrators to submit abandoned account information for benefits, including 401(k) plans. The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced the new system to allows administrators meet requirements … Continue reading

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Plan Sponsors Should Get Their Own Football

When I was in college in the early 1990s, I was heavily involved in student politics. I would go and buy things that made me look important even when I wasn’t. I got the beeper that no one called and … Continue reading

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July buys Sunwest Pensions

July Business Services, LLC purchased Sunwest Pensions, a retirement plan recordkeeper and Third Party Administrator based in Tempe, AZ. This strategic merger enables July to further enhance its services and expand its client base by adding over 500 plan clients. … Continue reading

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Mutual fund fees have been slashed

In the old days, no one factored mutual fund fees when it came to 401(k) fees. Thankfully, fee disclosure changed that. 401(k) plan participants now incur far lower fees for holding mutual funds over, according to a study from the … Continue reading

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Choose quality over popularity

I’m not very popular, never have been, and never will be. It’s probably my personality or just not wanting to go with the flow, but I’m not a popular guy. Ask my family, ask my former bosses. While I won’t … Continue reading

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You need a change of culture to change

Long-term businesses in the retirement plan business don’t die overnight. It takes a very long time as we see with Sears, the goodbye takes a long time. A dying business can change course, but the problem is that there essentially … Continue reading

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Don’t get political

As long as I remember, any political discussion gets a little heated. Thanks to social media, any political discussion seems volatile. Based on my writings and how I think, you might get an idea of my politics. While I may … Continue reading

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Congress always has proposed legislation that will never make it to law and this thrift savings plan idea is one that is just an awful idea. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), a sponsor of a controversial bill to create a Thrift Savings-like plan for private sector workers, said he’d reduce 401(k) savings to pay for the legislation. Hickenlooper has proposed the Retirement Savings for Americans Act (RSAA) and he said that he would lower 401(k) tax incentives and contribution limits to pay for the program. Supporters of RSAA say it would help low- and middle-income Americans build wealth and save for retirement. RSAA would require the federal government to pay matching contributions for workers, but only those who participate in the plan. The proposed 5% match under RSAA would encourage plan sponsors to terminate their 401(k) in favor of the federal plan. Plus based on Social Security, the Federal government doesn’t have a great scorecard for retirement savings.

As they once said in This is Spinal Tap, there is a fine line between stupid and clever. I can assure you that Michael McKeon who played David St. Hubbins in the movie and co-wrote it, was not in plan … Continue reading

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