"In recent years, more than 40 states and several cities have considered requiring employers that do not maintain a retirement plan to offer a retirement savings program to their employees.... The apparently intractable access problem ... History and background ... Should any mandate be state or federal? ... Other potential drawbacks of Auto IRAs ... Early research findings ... The racial wealth gap ... Selected features of state programs ... Should employers continue to be involved in providing retirement benefits? ... Why are small firms less likely to offer a retirement plan?"  MORE >>

"An adviser's message to his peers is to not fear including ESG factors in investment analysis.... [Todd Kading, of LeafHouse Financial in Austin, Texas,] speculates that the DOL contacted his firm wanting to investigate its ESG screening process because it had done no research prior to issuance of the new rule.... This led to nearly a year of back and forth with the DOL."  MORE >>

"[T]here are some 24 million forgotten 401(k)s holding assets in excess of $1.3 trillion. If left unattended for too long, old accounts can be converted to cash -- and even transferred to the state as unclaimed property -- forgoing their future growth potential."  MORE >>

"[S]ince ERISA Section 4213(a)(1) does require reasonable actuarial assumptions that can be challenged in court, and the newly proposed regulations under ERISA Section 4213(a)(2) give the plan actuary a permitted range of assumptions, (i.e., plan termination assumptions or ongoing funding assumptions or anything in between) a court could logically read these regulations and Section 4213(a)(2) to require that when an actuary chooses an interest rate in the permitted range, it must be a reasonable choice."  MORE >>

"Within the last year some employers have offered their workforce the opportunity to make defined contribution investments in various cryptocurrencies.... [The] biggest concern with the continued guidance issued is that all of the cryptocurrencies are lumped together. There is still a great misunderstanding by many in the government as well as many fiduciaries and money managers as to what makes Bitcoin unique and stand-alone compared to all other cryptocurrencies."  MORE >>

"Predetermined formulas are subject to too many variables to remain valid over a reasonable period. The formulas can also set in motion an automatic withdrawal process that might not be sustainable over long periods or periods of great upheaval."  MORE >>

"Broward is one of the few public school employers who went through the complicated process of taking their plan out to bid. They did a pretty good job, but they don't want anyone to know about it for some reason. This is baffling; it's also a mistake."  MORE >>

"[1] Financial advice & guidance.... [2] Student loan assistance.... [3] Health savings accounts (HSAs).... [4] Auto-enrollment and employer retirement matching."  MORE >>