"Plan sponsors should take this ruling as an opportunity to review and strengthen their beneficiary designation procedures ... First, ensure that plan documents clearly articulate the methods by which participants may designate or change beneficiaries ... Second, train HR personnel to recognize informal beneficiary change requests ... Third, consider implementing confirmation systems that notify participants when beneficiary changes have been successfully processed ... Fourth, consider conducting a beneficiary designation review and audit." [Packaging Corp. of Am. Thrift Plan for Hourly Emps. v. Langdon, No. 25-1859 (7th Cir. Feb. 2, 2026)] MORE >>
"In all four of its amicus curia briefs, the DOL has explained its position that, where a plan allows forfeitures to be used to offset employer contributions or pay plan expenses, there is no breach of fiduciary duty where a plan fiduciary decides to use forfeitures to offset employer contributions." MORE >>
"By shifting many administrative and fiduciary duties to a pooled plan provider (PPP), employers can spend less time managing plan mechanics and more time focusing on their business and employees. That said, a PEP does not eliminate employer responsibility entirely ... [It] creates a clearer, more efficient division of responsibilities that often offers employers greater peace of mind." MORE >>
"[A]rtificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain are seen as major catalysts in plan administration and participant experience. AI is anticipated to enhance personalized financial guidance, predictive modeling, and customized communications." MORE >>
"The net financial position of the single-employer insurance program is projected to increase significantly over the next 10 years ... The net financial position of the multiemployer insurance program is likely to remain positive for more than 40 years." MORE >>
"[T]he confidence boost tied to having an advisor is actually most pronounced among lower-balance savers. In other words, professional guidance may be especially impactful for younger employees who are still in the early stages of building wealth. That matters, because Gen Z is already engaging with retirement saving." MORE >>
"The risk that receives the least amount of attention is likely a cognitive decline ... Studies have shown that financial literacy peaks in the mid-50s and declines steadily thereafter, even among those without diagnosed cognitive impairment. The ability to evaluate complex financial investment decisions, recognize fraud, and manage tax-efficient withdrawals diminishes exactly when the stakes are the highest." MORE >>
"[T]he main advantage of delaying until later in the year is a bit of extra tax-deferred compounding.... The big benefit to taking RMDs as soon as possible is to ensure that you don't forget and risk a penalty. ... Taking distributions semiannually, quarterly, or monthly, with those distributions equaling the full-year RMD amount, helps ensure that you receive a range of prices for the assets that you sell." MORE >>
"[T]he court held that the plaintiff had Article III standing to seek plan reformation under Section 502(a)(2). The court emphasized that the plaintiff plausibly alleged a concrete injury -- reduced monthly benefits -- and that reformation of the plan's actuarial assumptions could redress that injury.... The court reaffirmed that Section 502(a)(2) claims are inherently representative and must be brought on behalf of the plan. Enforcing an individual-only arbitration clause would therefore operate as a prospective waiver of a statutory remedy[.]" [Duke v. Luxottica U.S. Holdings Corp., No. 24-3207 (2d Cir. Feb. 5, 2026)] MORE >>
"Here is an example showing the results of comparing seven plans for a small business. The owner was willing to spend on staff an amount equal to 5.0% of their total combined payroll.... The results show the differences that can be obtained from various plan designs." MORE >>
"This summary focuses on the responsibilities and role of ERISA fiduciaries in managing plan investments.... [1] Evaluate and update the investment structure ... [2] Draft and periodically review the Investment Policy Statement (IPS) ... [3] 404(c) and QDIA oversight ... [4] Review and monitor investment manager performance ... [5] Monitor and benchmark plan fees ... [6] Managed accounts evaluation and monitoring ... [7] Oversee required employee communications ... [8] Review overall plan utilization ... [9] Review defined contribution trends and overall plan effectiveness." MORE >>
"HR 7362, the Form 5500 Filing Simplification Act ... would extend the deadline for filing the form by almost three months.... This effectively would mean that the deadline for calendar-year plans to file the Form 5500 would be Oct. 15, not the current July 31." MORE >>
"Social Security constitutes half of income for the typical older adult. Income from retirement plans ... represents about a fifth of income on average.... The typical employee contribution rate to a defined contribution savings plan is between five and six percent and the typical employer contribution rate is just under three percent.... Retirement savings represent about a quarter of financial assets on average for the typical working adult, while home equity represents about a third." MORE >>
"Delphi Technologies ... was spun off from General Motors (GM) in 1999. In May 2009, Delphi's pension plans were terminated, and responsibility for the payment of plan participants' benefits was turned over to the [PBGC]... Some participants in Delphi pension plans whose benefits were reduced by PBGC claimed that their pension plans were wrongly terminated and have sought relief via both judicial and legislative processes." [IF12171 updated Feb. 5, 2026] MORE >>
"Nearly 70% of remote and hybrid workers say their work-life balance has improved over the past year, with a similar share reporting lower work-related stress compared with office-based work. Job confidence remains strong as well: 75% of workers feel secure in their roles, and close to 80% report high job satisfaction." MORE >>
"The question now before the Court is whether plaintiffs alleging imprudence based on underperformance must plead a 'meaningful benchmark' at the motion-to-dismiss stage and, if so, how closely the comparator must align with the challenged fund's objectives, risks, and strategy.... Briefing and oral argument will occur this spring and a decision is expected in or before June 2026." [Anderson v. Intel Corp. Inv. Policy Comm., No. 22-16268 (9th Cir. May 22, 2025; cert. pet. granted Jan 16, 2026, No. 25-498)] MORE >>
"The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals awarded a deceased retirement plan participant's assets to his ex-wife, ruling that [the participant's] faxed beneficiary change request did not meet the [retirement] plan's formal requirements for changing beneficiaries.... Although the appellate court's three-judge panel agreed that his actions clearly showed intent, it ruled that his action was not similar enough to processes set forth in the plan documents to qualify." [Packaging Corp. of Am. Thrift Plan for Hourly Emps. v. Langdon, No. 25-1859 (7th Cir. Feb. 2, 2026)] MORE >>
"[EBSA] filed four friend-of-the-court briefs in circuit courts alone in January, putting it on track to outpace the number the agency has filed in recent years.... The DOL is on track to easily outpace the seven briefs it put out in 2016, the most it filed annually in ERISA cases over the past ten years[.]" MORE >>
"[T]wo former DOL officials have now weighed in supporting the plaintiffs in an ERISA litigation suit.... [T]he brief hearkens back to the environment pre-ERISA, and the history with the Studebaker-Packard Corporation's bankruptcy, and subsequent loss of pensions by its workforce that (eventually) provided the impetus for [ERISA].... They write that the suit 'plausibly alleges a concrete and particularized injury: a non-speculative, materially increased risk of nonpayment that is fairly traceable to the challenged fiduciary decision and redressable through ERISA's remedial provisions, including equitable relief.' " [Konya v. Lockheed Martin Corp., No. 24-0750 (D. Md. Mar. 28, 2025; on appeal to 4th Cir. No. 25-2061)] MORE >>
"Individual plan participants entangled in 401(k) excessive-fee and investment-underperformance lawsuits had a median recovery of just $67.79 in 2025, even as law firms representing plaintiffs averaged $1.59 million per case in fees ... While supporters of such complaints argue that litigation (and the threat of litigation) deter misconduct and force better plan practices, critics say the figures show workers gain little, while employers face mounting costs that ultimately shrink retirement benefits and plan services." MORE >>
"Plan sponsors rely on providers because they cannot realistically master this level of detail themselves.... Providers who want to avoid being swept into the catch-up mess should focus less on marketing readiness and more on structural honesty. First, stop oversimplifying.... Second, document limitations clearly.... Third, help sponsors build internal processes.... Finally, resist the urge to promise protection." MORE >>
"That estimate is contained in [Fidelity's] 2026 State of Student Debt study, which shows that, under Fidelity’s student debt repayment program, participants receive an average of $1,900 in employer contributions based on their student loan payments. ... [T]he average student loan borrower takes more than 10 years to repay their loans – if that individual received an employer contribution through the program for 10 years, that $1,900 annual contribution could grow to nearly $200,000 at retirement age." MORE >>
"71% of employed TDF investors feel confident about reaching their retirement goals, compared with just 58% of non-investors.... Among those with TDF options available within their employer-sponsored retirement plan, 83% of employed participants and 86% of retirees said they currently invest in TDFs, with the majority citing ease of use, built-in diversification, professional management and automatic rebalancing as their top reasons for investing in TDFs." MORE >>
"Recordkeepers are expanding into wealth management, managed accounts, and participant-level services -- areas once reserved for advisors.... These dynamics risk becoming co-option -- where advisors, dependent on recordkeepers for referrals, technology, and even marketing support, lose their independence. When that happens, plan sponsors and participants may face higher costs, less transparency, and weaker fee negotiations." MORE >>
"All baby boomers will be older than 65 at the start of the next decade ... That's a big pipeline of retirees, many who will be seeking guidance on managing their retirement nest egg. And it creates an opportunity for you to position your practice as the go-to source for comprehensive retirement income solutions and develop a more loyal and committed client base." MORE >>
