News Archive

"Key developments include: [1] Rapid growth in auto portability adoption. [2] Public support for auto portability from leading DC recordkeepers. [3] A reframing by industry thought leaders of the 'forgotten' 401(k) accounts issue through the lens of portability."  MORE >>

"Data from the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) found that participants say they lose out on $948 from their lack of personal finance knowledge, for a combined total of $246 billion in lost revenue. Further, close to half (48.6%) of survey respondents say that an inadequacy of their own financial prowess had led to losses of $500, while 14.6% report setbacks of $2,500."  MORE >>

"While 2025 saw an expansion of automatic savings features in defined contribution (DC) plans, an increased focus on managed accounts, and improved financial wellness programs ... [one consultant] sees the retirement industry moving towards a renewed focus on pooled employer plans (PEPs), incoming provisions created in SECURE 2.0 legislation, and a push towards participant engagement beyond auto-enrollment features in the new year."  MORE >>

"Gen Z is investing in their retirement, but anxiety -- not prudent financial planning -- is often the motivator.... Young workers have started their careers facing an unwelcoming job market, a student loan debt crisis, rising housing costs, and threats to Social Security. They're also tasked with securing a future that feels increasingly far away."  MORE >>

"International experience suggests that fiscal crises often serve as catalysts for politically difficult but necessary retirement program reforms. Across advanced economies, rising debt burdens and economic shocks have forced governments to confront unsustainable retirement programs, often prompting benefit restraint and the adoption of automatic stabilizers to limit the need for future political intervention. The lessons from these international reforms are especially relevant for the United States, as Social Security's finances deteriorate and the costs of delay continue to mount."  MORE >>

"The 2026 Roth catch-up rules require coordinated action across plan documents, payroll systems, and recordkeeping platforms. Employers should confirm that payroll can identify HPPs based on prior-year FICA wages, ensure timely Roth elections, and implement appropriate correction procedures. Early planning and clear participant communication will be essential to minimizing operational risk and maintaining compliance."  MORE >>

"11th Circ. hints at ERISA exhaustion rule repeal ... 2nd Circ. backs toss of NY tTeamsters' pension suit ... DOL drops 5th Circ. fiduciary rule appeals ... Wells Fargo escapes 401(k) forfeiture suit."  MORE >>

"[As] the deadline for Roth treatment of catch-up contributions nears ... organizations are focused on plan changes and processes for implementation. Seventy percent of plan sponsors are focused on that and the Jan 1, 2026, good faith implementation deadline. Sixty percent of respondents stated their priority next year is participant education, while nearly 30% are focused on other SECURE Act provisions[.]"  MORE >>

"Through 2025, the retirement industry continued to lay the groundwork for in-plan retirement income ... In 2026 ... the focus will shift from creation to broader adoption by plan sponsors. Consultants and advisors will implement standardized fiduciary evaluation frameworks, making it easier for plan sponsor committees to assess, compare, and adopt retirement income options."  MORE >>

"For plan sponsors and advisors, now is the time to get creative. Help employees manage competing priorities through flexible plans, clear communication, and personalized tools. That’s the best way to keep them on track and make retirement feel possible."  MORE >>

"Starting January 1, 2026, the rules change for anyone earning more than $150,000 in 2025. Every dollar you allocate in catch-up contributions has to go into the Roth side (not pretax) of your 401(k). This single curveball wipes out the upfront tax break you used to get on those catch-ups, which can easily add a few thousand dollars to your 2026 tax bill.... If you were counting on that catch-up deduction to keep your taxes in check, it's time to rethink the plan."  MORE >>

"The industry that encouraged workers to save is staring at a wave of retirees ready to begin drawing on these accounts. As retirees shift their mindset from saving to withdrawing, this introduces significantly different questions and responsibilities for plan sponsors, providers and advisers who have spent years working toward the accumulation side of the retirement equation."  MORE >>

"Retroactive adoption of cash balance plans is a powerful tax planning tool for business owners aiming to reduce taxable income while accelerating retirement savings. CPAs play a crucial role in identifying potential candidates for this type of plan and coordinating with plan administrators."  MORE >>

"Given the economic challenges and factors members of Gen X face ... 'saving for retirement is an outlier thought' for them. And that has ripple effects ... [T]hose who don't have retirement accounts are more gloomy about retirement than retirees, a sentiment fueled by fear of the unknown and uncertainty."  MORE >>

"[EBRI] has noted since the 2014 redesign of the CPS that its estimates have not been consistent with other data sources -- the CPS estimates have been much lower and have trended downward.... This Issue Brief examines the trend in retirement plan participation using the traditional pension questions from the CPS while looking at the impact of the new questions on retirement accounts."  MORE >>

74 pages. "This paper examines the roles of various designs of decumulation-only CDC plans, referred to as Dynamic Pension (DP) plans, in providing sustainable retirement income for retirees.... [T]he paper explores crucial design elements for DP plans, such as valuation interest rates, benefit- smoothing mechanisms, and pension annuity forms. [The] findings highlight the necessity of a comprehensive design strategy for DP plans, incorporating regular reviews and adjustments to ensure fairness, stability, and participant satisfaction."  MORE >>

"[A recent article explains] how the data actually supports the position that later retirement ages are actually better for health and longevity. If you accept the data and the analysis, then it is possible that the proverbial knowledge worker ... is better off retiring as late as possible, and not linking that to the invented construct of 65 as the proverbial age of retirement. And if you accept that, then maybe many of the rules around ERISA – such as required minimum distributions – are ill thought out, as vestiges of a belief that retirement, and the burning off of retirement assets, should occur on some sort of standardized timeline."  MORE >>

"Plan sponsors should be collaborating with their payroll vendors and recordkeepers to understand how mandatory Roth catch-up contributions will be processed for high wage earners ... [If] at least one applicable retirement plan within a controlled group permits super catch-up contributions, all controlled group retirement plans must also permit super catch-up contributions.... By February 16, 2026, each HIPAA covered entity and business associate must update its Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) ... Some section 409A corrections under Notice 2008-113 must be completed by year-end, making now the ideal time to identify and finalize correction of any lingering errors."  MORE >>

"From Roth catch-up contributions to new paper statement requirements and distributions for long-term care premiums, the coming year promises to test your adaptability and attention to your clients' needs. [Here] are some factors to consider or questions to evaluate to ensure compliance and deliver value."  MORE >>

"In its latest Private Pension Plan Bulletin, 'Abstract of 2023 Form 5500 Annual Reports,' EBSA provides data about and from the Forms 5500 filed in 2023, the most recent year for which full data is available in this format.... The report offers a look at some of the long-term trends [based on] the information gathered by the Form 5500 Series."  MORE >>

"As we look ahead to 2026, plan sponsors face a shifting landscape of regulation, fiduciary risk and opportunity, evolving plan design, and rapidly changing participant expectations. In many respects, this moment represents a continuation of change -- but with unusual force and urgency.... [P]lan sponsors will need to be proactive."  MORE >>

"[S]everal new laws will have significant implications for qualified retirement plans, including amendments that must be made by the 2026 plan year.... The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) also contains provisions impacting health and welfare plans, many of which are effective beginning January 1, 2026.... [M]any cost-of-living adjustments that are mandated by law will impact retirement plans and health and welfare plans in 2026.... [This article provides] plan sponsors with summaries of the key action items they should be considering, now and in the future[.]"  MORE >>

"The Final Catch-up Regulations largely confirmed what we were expecting, by clarifying Highly Paid Individual (HPI) determinations, employer aggregation, and correction mechanics. However, there were some twists thrown in that plan sponsors should be aware of as 2026 approaches. The language was confusing, but this post will break it down in simple terms with simple dates."  MORE >>

"Compensation is the heartbeat of a retirement plan. It drives contributions, testing, employer matches, limits, and eligibility. You could have the best advisor in the world, a TPA who isn't asleep at the switch, and a plan document written in such perfect ERISA-speak that it should be framed in a museum. None of that matters if compensation is wrong. And it's wrong a lot."  MORE >>

"Until plan assets are properly distributed, the IRS generally treats the plan as ongoing -- with continuing compliance, amendment, and filing obligations.... Poorly executed terminations can result in delayed distributions, missed contributions, late Form 5500 filings, and unnecessary fiduciary exposure. This article explains how to properly terminate a 401(k) plan under IRS rules[.]"  MORE >>