"The regulatory description also notes that the project will take into account recently enacted Section 344 of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, which requires the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study on the PEP industry and -- not later than five years after the date of enactment -- submit to Congress a report on the findings of the study, including recommendations on how PEPs can be improved."  MORE >>

"Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) offer employers a way to streamline retirement plan management, much like how most employers manage their health plans. By outsourcing administrative tasks, fiduciary responsibilities and compliance requirements to a Pooled Plan Provider (PPP), employers can simplify plan management while continuing to provide employees with competitive retirement benefits. This article explores how PEPs mirror the proven approach employers take with healthcare benefits and why ... they represent a logical next step in benefits management."  MORE >>

"Perhaps the biggest advantage of a cash balance plan is the ability to allocate significantly more than what's allowed in a traditional 401(k) or profit-sharing plan -- often more than $250,000 per year for older, high-earning participants.... The tax savings typically far outweigh the administrative cost of running the plan.... They're particularly efficient when layered on top of existing retirement programs such as profit-sharing contributions of 3% or more."  MORE >>

"Vestwell's track record up until now has often involved micro-investors in pine tree provinces and 37 state retirement plans ... Vestwell won the account of Delivery Service Partners (DSP), an independent contractor program Amazon founded in 2018.... Asked if Vestwell has an edge with other gig-worker corporate accounts like Uber, based on the Amazon account, [Vestwell founder and CEO Aaron Schumm] hinted more deals may be on the gig horizon."  MORE >>

"if there's a recurring theme in this industry, it's that too many plan sponsors are completely asleep at the wheel. They want the best for their employees, sure. But then they get cheap, they get controlling, and worst of all, they get complacent. That trifecta isn't just bad for business -- it's a roadmap to fiduciary liability and potential disaster. Let's call it what it is: negligence in slow motion."  MORE >>

"Banks, which seem to be a logical solution for smaller start-up plans, have mostly retreated from defined contribution record-keeping except for JPMorgan Chase.... So why has JPMorgan succeeded where so many other banks have failed, and will there be a resurgence?"  MORE >>

"Retirement plan benefits should not be viewed as a means to fund tax cuts or the Social Security system.... [This Committee] particularly urge[s] Congress and the Administration to consider the following recommendations: [1] Keep the rules stable ... [2] Keep the rules simple ... [3] Exempt SECURE Act and other recent statutory guidance from restrictions on issuing new regulations ... [4] Rothification should be voluntary ... [5] Permit 403(b) plans to invest in collective trusts ... [6] Support supplemental retirement savings ... [7] Support lifetime income options in 401(k) plans ... [8] Support Pooled Employer Plans ... [9] Establish a plan sponsor tax credit for enhanced employee financial education."  MORE >>

14-page chart summarizes House and Senate proposals, along with final provisions and effective dates.  MORE >>

"A consistently cited point of tension was how to balance disclosure of material information for investors with the burden placed on public corporations to satisfy detailed requirements. The notion of materiality itself also was a central question, with Commissioner Peirce noting that aspects of current disclosure requirements seem focused on public interest rather than investors."  MORE >>