"By December 31, 2026, plan sponsors of certain qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) and defined benefit plans, must amend the plans to incorporate required and discretionary changes under the [CARES] Act, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, and the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022."  MORE >>

"the Fourth Circuit reversed a district court's class certification order in an ERISA fiduciary-breach lawsuit involving a defined contribution retirement plan. The court held that claims brought under ERISA Section 502(a)(2) seeking recovery for investment losses in participants' individual accounts constitute individualized monetary claims and therefore cannot be certified as mandatory classes under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(1)." [Trauernicht v. Genworth Fin. Inc., No. 24-1880 (4th Cir. Mar. 10, 2026)]  MORE >>

"How do we know if our plan is still competitive for attracting and retaining the right employees? ... How do we know if plan fees are reasonable? ... Are our investment options appropriate for our employee population? ... Are we meeting all of our fiduciary responsibilities? ... We want better participation, where do we start? ... Is it time to review or change our retirement service providers? ... What should we do next?"  MORE >>

"Target-date strategies have grown into one of the largest segments of the US retirement market.... Although the category has expanded rapidly, the market remains highly concentrated among a small group of asset managers. The five largest providers control roughly 80% of all target-date assets, underscoring the dominance of established firms in employer-sponsored retirement plans."  MORE >>

"Formal phased retirement programs that offer a reduced or flexible schedule and a lighter workload have been few and far between. Last year, just 7% of firms surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offered a formal program. A larger share -- about 2 in 10 -- offered an informal phased retirement program where workers typically create their own plan with their manager."  MORE >>

"[T]he IRS has received several comment letters from investment managers and their advocates calling for greater diversification in the permitted investments, including more international exposure.... Meanwhile, Annamaria Lusardi, a finance professor at Stanford University ... argues that keeping the accounts simple -- rather than introducing complex global investing options -- will lead to better outcomes for first-time investors."  MORE >>

"Utah will create a state-facilitated online marketplace where private retirement plan providers can list IRA and plan options. Employers can log in, view offerings in a simplified, standardized format, use a comparison tool to filter and compare options, and choose what works for them.... [T]he exchange offers only automatic enrollment."  MORE >>

"A bill before the [Rhode Island] state House would create tax credits for employer-provided retirement plans to put auto-enrollment in place.... The credit attributable to any eligible employee would not exceed $100 per employee per taxable year, and the aggregate credit allowed to any eligible employer would not exceed $10,000. per taxable year."  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 >>

"Nearly 83 million Americans lack workplace retirement savings coverage -- including independent and gig workers and employees who lack access to an employer sponsored retirement plan -- leaving half the U.S. workforce without a clear path to financial security. Establishing national IRA standards with automatic enrollment features can meaningfully close this significant retirement coverage gap."  MORE >>

"When Trump promised a match of up to $1,000 on savings, to begin in 2027, he apparently was buying in to the 'saver's match' -- a government matching deposit of up to $1,000 per person per year for lower-and moderate-income savers who contribute to plans or IRAs.... Congress enacted a truncated version, but the credit has still been claimed annually by as many as 10 million savers. Eventually, the 2022 bipartisan Secure 2.0 legislation expanded it, effective 2027 ... renaming it the 'saver's match.' "  MORE >>

"Given the recent U.S. military engagement in the Middle East, a number of U.S. reservists may be called up for active duty. There are certain steps employers can take now to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and prepare for potential impacts, especially in industries that tend to have large numbers of service members."  MORE >>

"While health and voluntary benefits are attracting growing attention, 401(k) plans remain the most frequently targeted ERISA plans.... Settlements remain significant but individual participants typically receive modest payouts ... Excessive fee and imprudent investment cases in 2025 averaged just over $3 million, while tobacco surcharge claims averaged nearly $5 million. Participants generally received $55-$70 per person, with plaintiffs' attorneys taking roughly one-third. Over the past five years, total settlements across ERISA cases have exceeded $1.3 billion."  MORE >>