401(k) Roundtable

On previous episodes of the podcast we've heard from ERISA attorneys, consultants and various other specialists sharing their thoughts on how employers can mitigate their fiduciary risk.  Now, I am p…

More and more frequently when I see a news piece or industry article about 401(k) or workplace retirement plans, a key element is invariably fees.  Going one step further they also tend to highlight …

Its episodes like these that were one of my primary motivations for starting the podcast, examining current beliefs or messaging in the marketplace and applying contemporary critical thinking to exam…

Think for a minute about how much effort you and your retirement service partners have put into encouraging more employees to save and invest properly in your workplace retirement plan.  Now, turn th…

When we get the question of “What is the best strategy for me to save for retirement” and it comes for an entrepreneur, the answer is seldom as simple as it might seem.  So, where and how do you star…

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Target Date Funds (TDFs) have grown exponentially within the last few years. As a retirement plan fiduciary, it’s important to understand not only what a TD…

We turned the tables for the 75th episode of the 401(k) Friday’s Podcast.  Whether you are a regular listener or new to the 401(k) Fridays Podcast, this should give you some good context as you liste…

This is a replay of my conversation with Nicholas Dobelbower, Vice President and Practice Leader of Lockton's Global Benefits Practice.  Just a preview of things to come, your 401(k), it doesn’t work…

In our fast-paced world and ever evolving global financial markets, keeping your 401(k) investment menu consistent with the times can be challenging.  As the conversation swings to investments with a…

Employers and Retirement Plan Fiduciaries have the difficult task of selecting retirement plan advisors. The names and titles alone can be incredibly confusing! Of the 100,000 practicing advisors, 3,…

When I ask employers if they have the information they need on the soon to launch state run retirement plans, I get reactions that range from "What state plans?" to "Great, sounds like another scheme…

I'll have to admit, when I first heard of Don Barden and the "Perfect Plan" I was pretty skeptical.  What does "perfect" mean?  Who gets to judge "perfect"?  My analytical mind was going crazy.  Howe…

Debt impacts your employees ability to save for retirement, pursue other financial goals, their productivity and physical health!  You might be surprised to hear that based on Fidelity research, ther…

You ever go into a meeting thinking you are going to talk about one thing, but you pretty quickly realize that the person you are meeting with is going above and beyond your expectations? Well, that …

Over the years, and certainly recently there has been a lot of focus on the Department of Labor and their role in overseeing workplace retirement plans.  What some might not realize or fully apprecia…

This is the second episode of today's double header.  If you haven't listened to my conversation with Susan Mehlman at Moss Adams about the IRS and your 401(k) Plan, be sure to check that out as well…

This episode outlines how the relationship between behavioral finance and retirement plan design has evolved in recent years.  Stuart Ritter is fantastic and was definitely one of my favorite guests …

With almost 70 podcast episodes to date, we’ve had some amazing guests who have shared their experiences and perspectives to help employers better understand their retirement plans.  Out of all our p…

Automatic enrollment, automatic increases and investment default strategies, you’ve likely heard about these fundamental plan design features either from our prior guests on the podcast, current serv…

Have index funds dropped the proverbial mic, walked off the stage and declared victory in the decades long debate of active vs. passive investment management?  My guest, Sean Lewis, a CFA and Institu…