Administration

Mercer has outlined key investment issues it says DB plan sponsors should focus on in the new year.

Over one-third of companies have increased outsourcing of benefits functions in the past two years.

Leading-edge employers already know “retirement plans are not enough” when it comes to improving employees’ long-term financial outlook, according to a new Mercer study. 

Discussing the governor’s pension reform initiatives, the treasurer said there is no investment strategy that will solve the problem; the state must pay off unfunded liabilities.

While only one-quarter of plans are in the red zone, those plans account for half of participants.

Plan sponsors want more than a payout annuity provider when they go looking for an insurer. 

The growing movement leads to better returns and outcomes, experts say.

Communicating with defined contribution retirement plan participants when certain life events occur can help them with retirement readiness.

 

Plan sponsors that work with an adviser get more information, more service, more everything, a survey says. .

Inertia is a term usually reserved for retirement plan participant behavior, but plan sponsors can also drag their heels.

Many of the problems facing the U.S. retirement system today are far from local phenomenon, says Fredrik Axsater of State Street Global Advisors.

Analyses from three investment managers shows small decreases in corporate pension plans’ funding status.

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether and how to implement automatic enrollment before making it a done deal.

Technological advances in data collection, engagement make the strategy more viable as the default strategy for 401(k)s, experts say.

The plan did not get a good reaction from the governor.

Trends show more small and medium-sized companies are seeking pension buy-outs, LIMRA says.

Though not without their struggles, education and retirement system initiatives in other countries can be examples for the U.S.

There are benefits of converting pre-tax retirement plan accounts to a Roth account, but plan participants, and perhaps even sponsors, don’t understand them.

Institutional investors of all types found relief from market headwinds.

U.S. defined benefit plans saw an improvement in funded status in October.