News Archive

"In 401(k) administration, a plan review is often most valuable when the employer’s business changes, even if the plan document itself has not. A plan that worked well last year can drift out of alignment when ownership, payroll, compensation, or workforce patterns shift. Periodic reviews help TPAs catch issues before they become failed testing, correction projects, or participant problems."  MORE >>

"There are few, if any, other industries in which costs have declined as precipitously as in defined contribution.... As a result of the hyperfocus on fees, record keeper service has deteriorated, and most wealth advisors and their broker/dealers stayed away from a high liability, low margin business.... But the upside of this race to the bottom has been the focus on the participant ... The DC platform has become the hub for providing advice on all aspects of a participant's financial well-being, including selecting the right benefits. "  MORE >>

"The retirement digital experience underwent notable changes in 2025, with an 87.3% increase in observed web experience updates from 2024....[F]irms rolled out new educational content and improved tools that help participants understand their retirement outlook.... [P]roviders reworked menus and modernized page layouts. Meanwhile, customer support features received the least attention -- something worth watching as AI-driven support tools continue to develop."  MORE >>

"Over the past decade, private equity has significantly accelerated consolidation across the retirement and benefits industries.... For plan sponsors, the key takeaway is not to avoid PE-backed firms -- but to ensure that evaluation processes remain objective, transparent, and well documented."  MORE >>

"As the stewards of retirement security for millions of people, pension leaders carry a profound responsibility. Yet many of these leaders are approaching retirement themselves, raising a critical question: who will lead next? Succession planning is the answer. It isn't only an HR exercise; it's a strategic imperative that ensures continuity, preserves institutional knowledge and safeguards the mission of pension plans."  MORE >>

"Wealth managers can face challenges when using AI to prepare client materials or conduct investment research ... But it's the more complex client-facing technology that poses the 'biggest fiduciary risk' ... FINRA's latest annual report ... included a new section on generative AI, stressing that while FINRA's rules are 'technology neutral,' they apply to AI just as they do to any other tool, including those that help with supervision, communications, recordkeeping and fair dealing."  MORE >>

"While there has no doubt been a convergence of wealth and retirement planning in recent years, these days there are increasing calls for retirement plan specialists to utilize their fiduciary expertise to help plan sponsors with another major benefits challenge -- health care."  MORE >>

"Many plan sponsor challenges may stem from unclear expectations rather than poor intent or lack of effort. When roles are not well defined, sponsors may assume something is being handled by a provider when it remains the sponsor's responsibility. Outsourcing administrative or investment functions does not remove fiduciary responsibility from the employer sponsoring the plan, even when multiple providers are involved. Sponsors who establish clarity upfront may be better positioned to manage risk and maintain compliance."  MORE >>

"Not only are many young Americans not even beginning to think about retirement yet, but studies also indicate millennials and Generation Z prefer to go online for financial advice rather than engage with a professional consultant. A possible solution is for advisors to leverage technology in tandem with their industry experience to reach more people."  MORE >>

"Contribution delays risk qualification failures, prohibited transaction issues, and fiduciary breach claims. Advisors can add value by helping ensure contributions are timely made, thus helping plan sponsors avoid costs, compliance issues, and participant complaints."  MORE >>

"[T]here are several advanced ways annuities can be designed to support clients with early retirement, including: ... An annuity ladder, which includes annuities with staggered maturity dates ... Those with significant assets and philanthropic goals may want to consider pairing a CRT with an annuity.... Annuity splits."  MORE >>

"Most advisors are using artificial intelligence (AI) to gain incremental efficiency by automating routine tasks, but the larger opportunity lies in redesigning workflows to enable proactive plan monitoring, true personalization at scale, and scalable expertise.... Differentiation is more likely to come from disciplined integration rather than speed, combining AI with human oversight, compliance guardrails, and validation protocols."  MORE >>

"[M]any advisors say they find it easier to turn plan participants into clients than acquiring clients through traditional channels.... 9% of advisors surveyed work with more than 20 plans, while 26% don't serve any defined contribution plans at all. Nonetheless, a majority are finding success by engaging participants through workplace retirement relationships[.]"  MORE >>

"What was once a glossless business has since become a prize for buyout firms, which see the steady growth of the $14 trillion market for US defined-contribution retirement plans as a potential source of juicy returns. ... Some buyout shops see profit in handling retirement plans and ancillary businesses. Others see higher-end wealth management and its more lucrative fees as an attractive target at a time when the rich keep getting richer."  MORE >>

"[M]any advisors and record keepers are looking beyond omnibus accounts to focus on and serve individuals in the plans they manage, leveraging worksite access and endorsement, whether explicit or implicit, by sponsoring employers.... Also driving the move beyond plan-level products and services is the need and desire for personalization.... Managed accounts are the next inevitable step, but only through better engagement, use of data and AI."  MORE >>

"Strategic use of guardrails, backup plans, and market stress testing can help firm owners make more confident and strategic decisions over time. Further, reducing low-reward risks while doubling down on growth-aligned ones allows advisory firms to scale more sustainably. Advisors who understand and intentionally shape their firm's risk profile are better equipped not just to survive, but to grow something uniquely molded to their long-term vision!"  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 >>

"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 >>

"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 >>

"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 >>

"For advisors who want to help plan sponsor clients begin proactively looking at plan providers' utilization of AI, here are six ideas: [1] Start doing due diligence ... [2] Understand a recordkeeper's AI priorities ... [3] Get knowledgeable about data-security risks ... [4] Learn about hallucination risks: ... [5] Look into protections if problems occur ... [6] Talk proactively about advisory firm's AI use."  MORE >>

"While ChatGPT can tell you that you need an MRI for your knee pain, it can't tell you that the imaging center five miles north charges $150 while the one downtown wants $1,800 for the exact same scan. ... ChatGPT Health can coach employees on diet, track workouts and explain medical terms. That's genuinely valuable for healthfulness and engagement. But when employees still don't understand their benefits coverage or how to find affordable, in-network care, we're only solving part of the equation."  MORE >>

15 pages. "Unlocking the potential to grow sustainably is a key challenge for many health insurers, especially in the face of high medical inflation driven by medical advancements, heightened geoeconomic uncertainties and ageing societies.... This article explores the use of a capital optimization solutions framework that aims to maximize strategic value from available capital resources while ensuring that firms' regulatory requirements and other business constraints continue to be met."  MORE >>

"Seventy-one percent of recordkeepers list PEPs as a major or moderate strategic priority and 63% believe the growth of PEPs will have a positive effect on their recordkeeping business.... 88% of recordkeepers say participant personalization is a major or moderate strategic priority, with 82% of recordkeepers planning to increase allocations of resources to participant analytics."  MORE >>