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How to switch from a SIMPLE IRA to a Safe Harbor 401(k) | SECURE 2.0 Made it Easier
Small businesses with a SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRA may want to switch to a Safe Harbor 401(k) due to the higher contribution opportunities and flexible plan design options. Fortunately, the passage of the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022 has made it easier for employers to make this switch. SIMPLE IRA vs. […]
Read StoryPooled Employer Plans (PEPs) vs. SIMPLE IRA
There are now many different retirement plan options for employers. It is becoming more common to see Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) and SIMPLE IRAs evaluated against one another. Both types of plans can be good options for the right situation. We take a look at the differences between the two plans here: PEP SIMPLE IRA […]
Read StoryFinally, the Pivot
It was something that investors were waiting over a year for – an announcement from the Federal Reserve (“Fed”) that they no longer expected to raise their benchmark Fed Funds Rate. This announcement, which happened on December 13th, also included some bonus information for investors in the form of more expected rate cuts in 2024 than previously thought.
Read Story2023 Retirement Plan Litigation Highlights
Employers across the country sponsor more than 625,000 401(k) plans. These plans provide millions of Americans with access to build equity and wealth in preparation for retirement. Due to a lack of oversight and poor practices, the first lawsuits targeted 401(k) plans about 15 years ago.
Read StoryRetirement Plan Investment Menu | Taking a look into the Industry Average
We are often asked how a plan’s investment menu compares to the industry average. In this article, we have highlighted a few aspects of the menu that we believe are not only interesting but important considerations for a fiduciary.
Read StoryA Refresher on Retirement Planning
As the end of summer approaches and children head back to school, many adults could take a moment for a refresher course in planning for retirement. Making the commitment to save for retirement in your employer-sponsored retirement plan is a wise move that puts you on the path toward reaching your retirement savings goals.
Read StoryEducation & Financial Wellness – Roles in a retirement plan
There are many factors that come into play for plan sponsors when designing and maintaining a successful retirement plan for your employees. Things like oversight, plan design, provider coordination, payroll processing, and continuous decision making – the list goes on and on.
Read StoryShould local small businesses have a retirement plan?
Some (maybe most) small businesses have started to consider offering higher wages but what other benefits should be offered? What about a retirement plan? A retirement plan may seem like a standard benefit but these plans have been out of reach for most small businesses for a long time.
Read StoryCan local small businesses offer a retirement plan? New tax credits could make a big difference
Retirement plans can provide employers with an essential tool for recruiting and retaining their workforce. Yet, many small employers struggle with the costs of establishing and the complexities of maintaining a retirement plan. With the passage of the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022, small employers have increased tax credits available to cover the startup costs of a workplace retirement plan and to make employer contributions to that plan.
Read Story401(k) Plan Costs Continue to Decline
Great news for plan participants and plan sponsors! According to the latest annual edition of the “401k Averages Book”, total costs for 401(k) plans declined an average of 3 basis points in 2022.
Read StorySECURE 2.0 Brings Significant Changes to Retirement Plan Administration
On December 29, 2022, the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) officially became law as part of a larger omnibus spending bill. SECURE 2.0 builds on earlier reforms to the retirement plan system made in 2019 by the Setting Each Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act). Like its predecessor, SECURE 2.0 is […]
Read StoryFinal ESG Regulation Published in the Federal Register
The highly anticipated final ruling from the DOL regarding its consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors within sponsored retirement plans has finally been unveiled and formally published in the Federal Register. In short, the final ruling gives plan fiduciaries the option to consider climate change and other environmental, social and governance factors when they […]
Read StoryRetirement Plan Fiduciary Mistake – Focusing Solely on Past Investment Performance
Fiduciaries are not responsible for delivering the absolute best investment performance. They are responsible for following a prudent decision-making process that is reasonable and well-documented, and for making decisions with the best interest of participants in mind. Focusing primarily or solely on past investment returns could result in the following fiduciary mistakes: Ignoring the fact […]
Read StoryFed Rate Hikes
Everyone has felt the impact of high inflation in 2022. Whether it was on a major purchase, filling up at the gas station, or picking up some necessities at the grocery store, the rise in prices has certainly been noticeable. This jump in inflation to levels not seen since the early 1980s has also resulted […]
Read StoryCommon 401(k) Plan Mistakes – Your Plan isn’t Competitive
In today’s labor markets, much is said about offering competitive benefits. As employers compete for talent, retirement benefits have come more to the forefront as a way employers can offer an enhanced compensation package to potential employees or to retain existing ones. However, some retirement plans have been left to languish in recent years. Maybe […]
Read StorySummer Market Update
Summer is finally here, but there is no vacation on Wall Street, as equity indices have continued their decline from the first quarter. The second quarter was much worse than the first, as investors have changed their focus from the path of Fed interest rate hikes to whether these hikes will spark a recession. From […]
Read StoryThe Dreaded “R” Word
If you are following the markets in 2022, it is hard to avoid all the recession talk. In addition to general investor anxiety this year, there have been several events that also warrant a closer look at the recession topic. A few are: US Real Domestic Product decreased at an annualized rate of -1.5% in […]
Read StoryCommon 401(k) Plan Mistakes – Running the Plan Based on your Employee Handbook
Employee handbooks are great for communicating an employer’s basic policies and procedures. However, a retirement plan sponsor will always want to check the actual plan document to confirm proper plan operations. When it comes to retirement plans or benefits in general, an employee handbook will not get into some of the details, and this can […]
Read StoryACA | Is the IRS going to fix the “family glitch”?
The IRS has made a proposal that may help many families access additional ACA marketplace subsidies, and employers will predominantly be unaffected. If you are intrigued, read on. The IRS issued a proposed rule on April 5, 2022 to close a loophole in the ACA policy affecting subsidies in the ACA marketplace. Currently, a family […]
Read StorySmart Investing: Be Wary of Forecasts
Forecasts are everywhere, all of the time. The problem with forecasts, as you know, is that they are almost always wrong. While forecasting is used in many different areas of life, including politics and sports, the two most common areas you’ll hear about forecasting are weather and financial markets. Meteorologists, something I actually wanted to […]
Read StoryIRS Issues New Proposed Rules for ACA Reporting: Some Good News and Some Bad News
In late November, the Department of Treasury released proposed regulations regarding the Section 6055 and 6056 Employer Reporting requirement under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The regulations added a proposed permanent extension to distributing 1095 forms to individuals, but also upheld a more stringent requirement around the accuracy of ACA form filings to individuals and […]
Read StoryAutomatic Retirement Plan Features
Within the past several decades, the amount of information available to everyone has exploded, not only overloading our senses, but introducing many new little decisions that have to be made on just about everything – often in areas we know very little about.
Read StoryDon’t Fall for These Retirement Planning Myths
When it comes to saving, the most important thing you can do is to START. Saving for retirement early gives you the power of compounding allowing your savings to grow longer. And once you start saving, don’t stop!
Read Story5 Ways to Reduce Your Tax Burden in 2021
Believe it or not, the end of the year is fast approaching, but there is still time to potentially reduce your tax burden for 2021. Below are some year-end tax saving ideas: Fund your retirement plan.Within your employer sponsored plan, are you making the largest contribution you can? Are you at least maximizing the employer […]
Read StoryThe Fed and You (Part 2 – Maximum Employment)
This article is the second half of our two-part series on the Federal Reserve. You can find the first half here. Last quarter, we described what the Fed is, how it operates, and what value it provides to the United States economy. We then focused on one of the Fed’s two mandates, inflation. This quarter, […]
Read StoryThe Do’s and Don’ts of your 401(k) fund lineup.
Do’s Have stated goals.Your internal investment committee should have a conversation about the overall goals of the menu. Talk to the group about what funds make up the lineup and how many funds are offered. Once your goals are established, they should be documented in meeting minutes or the Investment Policy Statement. Documentation serves as […]
Read StoryWill your employees have enough to retire?
A common retirement income replacement benchmark is 80%. In other words, a typical retiree at age 65 will need 80% of his or her pre-retirement income in order to maintain a similar lifestyle in retirement. Having their employees reach an adequate income replacement ratio is important to our clients for a variety of reasons. Many […]
Read StoryAre you setting up your employees for a successful retirement?
Your employees need to be able to retire—both for their own good and for the good of the company. As an employer, you want to help your employees reach their goals and build a secure, comfortable future for themselves. And in a time when economic and financial anxiety feel more present than ever before, they […]
Read StoryThe Fed and You (Part 1 – Inflation)
The Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) plays a vital role in both the U.S. economy and in economies around the world, but you rarely get to see the members, and they only meet eight times a year. Who are they, what exactly do they do, and how do their decisions affect your money? The Federal Reserve […]
Read StoryFinancial Resolutions for the New Year
Very few things in life are as important as getting your financial house in order. While many New Year’s resolutions dissipate rather quickly, consider making some financial resolutions a priority and you will be one step closer to getting your financial house in order. 1. Write down your most important financial goals: This can be […]
Read StoryA first half like no other
If we would have told you in January that in the first half of 2020 there would be both a decline in the equity market that invoked comparisons of the Great Depression as well as a rally that was reminiscent of the tech boom of the late 90’s, all by the mid- way point […]
Read Story4 Financial Planning Items to Revisit During Tough Times
There is a financial adage that says, “Markets hate uncertainty”. It’s true – uncertainty causes stress. If there’s one thing that 2020 has served up in abundance, it is uncertainty and its accompanying feelings of fear, dread, and stress. However, it is precisely times like this that can become pivotal turning-points in an individual’s financial […]
Read StoryFAQ: Retirement Investing Through a Pandemic
How much money have I actually lost? While it is certainly not fun to see the value of your retirement account drop – often drastically – during market downturns, your perceived loss is only “on paper” until you sell your investments. Only when you sell your investments does your loss become truly realized. It may […]
Read StoryCOVID-19 and the Affordable Care Act
With the COVID-19 pandemic stretching to all corners of the United States, group health plans have felt the impact of workforce shutdowns and restrictions as well as new laws passed by Congress. It’s important for employers and group health plans to consider the impact of these recent workforce and legislative changes within the scope of […]
Read StoryThe CARES Act and Health Plan Impacts
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), which was subsequently signed by the President. The provisions of the CARES Act impact many areas, including economic assistance for individuals and businesses, support for the healthcare system in the fight against the coronavirus, and provisions impacting retirement […]
Read StoryDefined Benefit Plan Changes Due to COVID-19
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed on March 27, 2020, in light of the substantial impact of the coronavirus. The CARES Act included some relief provisions for tax-qualified defined benefit pension plans. Delay of Required Contributions Under the CARES Act, an organization can delay until January 1, 2021, any required […]
Read StoryDefined Contribution Plan Provisions | The CARES Act
On Friday, March 27, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law. This law allows plan sponsors to expand retirement plan fund access for employees impacted by COVID-19 by making the following optional changes to their retirement plans. On Friday, June 19, the IRS released Notice 2020-50 which provided […]
Read StoryUpdate – Market Volatility and the Coronavirus (3.23.2020)
The spread of the novel coronavirus, specifically referred to as COVID-19, has evolved into a global pandemic. The center of the outbreak has shifted from China to Europe with the continent having a higher number of cases and Italy having the most deaths of any country. The number of confirmed cases in the […]
Read StoryInvesting for retirement in a volatile market
In times of uncertainty and rapidly moving markets, staying the course and focusing on the long-term is a best practice. While market volatility is not fun, a diversified portfolio is well positioned to minimize damage. As we have said in the past, we want to avoid making short-term decisions with long-term money. With an ever-changing […]
Read StoryRetirement Plans: Investment Committee Checklist
The fiduciary landscape is changing, and processes once seen as “good enough” no longer check all of the right boxes. Use this straightforward checklist to ensure the investment committee is covering its bases. Plan Investments Review funds to ensure the lowest cost share class is utilized Review the size of the investment menu offered to […]
Read StoryDefined Benefit Plans and the SECURE Act
Background The SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act of 2019 was signed into law on December 20, 2019. The goal is to provide retirement security through expanded workplace plan coverage, protections for older, longer service employees, reduced employer administrative burdens and various other provisions. Most provisions of the SECURE Act pertain to […]
Read StoryThe SECURE Act for Individual Investors
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, better known as the SECURE Act, was signed into law on Friday, December 20th, 2019. This is the first major piece of retirement legislation in over a decade. It has been characterized as “monumental and sweeping” given the rule changes associated with Traditional IRAs. Here are […]
Read StoryBuilding a Successful Investment Committee
The standards plan fiduciaries are held to seem to be rising. A critical step in meeting your fiduciary responsibility is to start an investment committee or strengthen your current one. These high-level investment committee basics break down what a successful committee looks like. Committee Structure Size: Typical committee size ranges from 3 to 9 members. The […]
Read StoryReminder Regarding your Plan’s PBGC Premium
Background The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premium increases to both the single-employer Flat-Rate and Variable-Rate premiums continue in 2019. PBGC premium rates are scheduled as follows: [one-half-first] How will this affect your plan? Your PBGC premium payment may increase in 2020 and future years due to these changes and […]
Read StoryCould your hands-off approach be harmful to your retirement plan?
When our family was young and busy, I had a laissez-faire approach to lawn maintenance. One spring, I saw a rather pretty flowering vine-looking thing growing out the side of one of our forsythias, and I kind of ignored it—for a few seasons. For those unfamiliar with Pennsylvania, just so you know—despite all of your […]
Read StoryMaking Adjustments Prior to Retirement
Now that you have planned your goals for retirement, you may realize you need to make investment adjustments to meet these goals. What do I do if my income does not cover my anticipated expenses? There are many ways to address this, but here are a few examples of what could be done to improve […]
Read StoryPlan Sponsors, Could You be Crippling Your Participants Retirement?
After well over four decades of general tomfoolery and dangerous pursuits, including dirt bike and sled jumps, snow and water skiing, backpacking, rollerblading, and volunteering to help lead a church junior high group, all activities during which I’ve had some absolutely spectacular wipeouts, you would have thought I’d sustained quite a few serious injuries by […]
Read StoryTop 5 Financial Planning Tips: Are you prepared?
Are you prepared if you lost your job? If your spouse was injured? If you have a family emergency? All of the scenarios above will impact your personal financial plan, but too often it is left neglected or moved down on the priority list until something happens to shake things up. We’ve summarized 5 tips […]
Read StoryYour Retirement Vision
How much do you need to save for retirement? This can be a difficult question to answer. It’s often an estimate based on a lot of unknowns. That doesn’t make it any less important. Where do you see yourself in retirement? Will your expenses be higher or lower than they are now? Are you planning […]
Read StoryPlan Sponsors, Are You Leaving Important Questions Unanswered?
As some of my readers know, I am a huge fan of the Ford Mustang. I have owned several, my dad has had a few, and I love them. But the Mustang was almost seriously compromised in the 1980s. In response to the 1979 fuel crisis, Ford was going down a path to replace the […]
Read Story401(k) recordkeeping RFPs | 4 Questions to ask your future provider
According to research performed by the Callan Institute, 1 in 5 plan sponsors intend to conduct a recordkeeping search in 2019. So maybe you’re one of those plan sponsors that are thinking about a search this year? Maybe you see a search coming later down the road? Whatever the case may be, if you are […]
Read StoryRetirement is a journey, not a destination
You have likely been saving, investing, and planning for retirement for years, if not decades. Having a workable and flexible financial plan is essential as you approach the end of your working career. But retirement readiness also includes non-financial planning or life planning. What are you going to do once you reach your goal? Retirement […]
Read StoryHow Do You Measure Up to the Competition? Plan Benchmarking.
Why should I benchmark my plan? As an organization that must compete for employees in today’s marketplace, you want to know how your benefits measure up to the competition. You want to ensure that it gives participants a chance of successfully achieving a good retirement. And as a fiduciary, you want to confirm that your […]
Read StorySaving For Summer – A Review!
If you haven’t been following our social media (check us out on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter!), every week this summer we’ve been putting out some savings tips that you can follow to pinch every penny you can, while still enjoying the warm weather and sunshine! With summer coming to a close we decided to recap […]
Read StoryHow Successful Plan Sponsors Trim the Excess Stuff
The older I get, the less I like having “stuff.” Okay, so I have this thing with awesome cars, my camping gear habit borders on compulsion, and maybe I still have a Hot Wheels collection from when I was a kid stashed away in the attic. Or maybe it’s in the master bedroom, come to […]
Read Story5 Ways to Cut your Healthcare Costs
Healthcare costs are a growing concern across the United States. But are you evaluating all of the ways to pocket just a little extra money and trim down some of your expenses? Below you’ll find 5 strategies you can try to make healthcare costs seem less daunting. Use in-network providers when possible. An in-network provider […]
Read StoryMeet Our Summer Interns!
On May 20, 2019, Conrad Siegel welcomed four summer interns to our team. Hayden, Ashley, Craig, and Madison have shown great initiative and a sincere interest in learning. In addition to all of the work they completed, the interns were able to learn about each of the firm’s lines of business, attend the Health […]
Read StoryPlan Sponsors, Here’s What Happens When You Assume
Assumptions can be good. For example, I like to assume that every driver on the road is going to do something that’s completely bonkers, especially if their rear bumper is plastered with stickers, or they have a terrifyingly loud aftermarket exhaust resonator that looks like an empty Chock Full o’ Nuts can. This perspective has […]
Read StoryThe Trouble With Tariffs
There has been a lot of news about tariffs over the past year, but let’s take a look at the mechanics of them and how they may affect you, the consumer. Tariffs are a type of tax applied to imports into a country by that country. For example, the U.S. has implemented a 25% tariff […]
Read StoryHow Successful Plan Sponsors Address Basic Responsibilities and Standards
Basic Fiduciary Responsibilities and Standards Prudence and Process – the Two Pr’s The ERISA application of fiduciary duty and prudence is much more stringent than the common law understanding. An ERISA fiduciary must act as a prudent expert in his or her applicable area of discretion over the plan – using the care, skill, prudence, […]
Read StoryHow Successful Plan Sponsors Identify Plan’s Fiduciaries
Identifying Your Plan’s Fiduciaries The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) has a clear set of responsibilities and duties for those individuals and entities who act as plan fiduciaries. It is important that plan sponsors and fiduciaries take these requirements seriously and understand their own responsibilities as well as those of the other […]
Read StoryFee Benchmarking Made Easy
A topic that we get asked about a lot is how to understand the true cost of a retirement plan, and then how to compare that cost to the market. This is not just a “nice to know” kind of thing; it is fundamental to the role of a plan fiduciary under ERISA. Why should […]
Read StoryInvestment Options for Your HSA
What is the #1 barrier to early retirement for many? Healthcare! Health insurance is the main reason folks aren’t retiring as early as they otherwise would like to. While there are plenty of healthcare options (albeit pricey ones) for those on the brink of retirement, what can those that are 10+ years out do now […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors – Don’t Think, Just Do!
So if you have been watching this space, you know that I love camping. Some weeks ago, I had shared that my son and I had just purchased packs because we thought we might give backpacking a try. That’s kind of like buying water skis when you don’t have a boat, but our up-front investment […]
Read StoryESOP Repurchase Obligations – The Basics
Employee accounts in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) are primarily invested in employer stock. In ESOPs that hold non-publicly-traded stock, when an active employee elects to diversify or a former employee requests a distribution, because there is no ready market for the stock, employer stock is sold and payment is made to the participant […]
Read StoryElectronic Filing For the 2019 Act 205 Forms
Update on Process to File Act 205 Forms The Municipal Pension Reporting Program (MPRP) within the Department of the Auditor General is planning to release a system on April 1, 2019 for the electronic filing of the actuarial valuation reports for municipal pension plans effective for the 2019 reporting year. The deadline for the form […]
Read StoryHow to Communicate the VALUE of your ESOP!
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a popular road to employee ownership for many organizations, but is often misunderstood by plan participants, which tends to diminish the effect the ESOP can have on a company’s culture. How should you as a plan sponsor communicate the value of the ESOP to your employee-owners, to better […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors: Information Overload!
For living in the information age, you’d think we’d have a better handle on it. We’re surrounded by volumes of information that is supposed to help us make better decisions, but unless we can corral, evaluate, and prioritize it, we’re just left with a lot of noise. And it is very hard to get away […]
Read StoryUnderstanding ESOP Plan Provisions
ESOP. A qualified Defined Contribution, employee retirement plan, for the exclusive benefit of plan participants/beneficiaries. To learn more about the basics of ESOP’s check out our previous post here. Once you have some insight on the basics of an ESOP it’s time to gain an understanding on more of the details, ESOP plan provisions. [one-half-first] […]
Read StoryOther Considerations in Retirement
Aside from your finances there are many other things to consider in retirement. It’s not just about how you’re going to get there but how you’re going to spend it! Here are a few key areas you should also examine before retirement: Leisure activities. What will you do with your free time? It is easy to […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors: Make the Features Fit
I drive a Mustang GT to work every day. It is loud, it has well over four hundred horsepower, and is ever-so-slightly obnoxious. By normative standards, it makes little sense for a retirement plan consultant in his mid-forties with a wife, two kids, a dog, and a thing for going camping to drive this car […]
Read StoryInvestment Vehicles
Rapid advances in technology have greatly changed the manner in which the world invests. Gone are the days of sending in trade orders by wire, phone, or mail to a broker-dealer for completion. A single individual now has the ability to place real-time orders from anywhere he or she has internet access. Along with the […]
Read StoryInvestment Committee Basics
Your retirement plan’s Investment Committee is most likely composed of individuals with extremely busy schedules and a small amount of time dedicated to discussions surrounding your plans investments. So how do you make the most of their limited availability? We’ve put together a list of some tips, tricks, and best practices to make sure your […]
Read StoryYour Health Savings Accounts FAQs
Health Savings Accounts offer many advantages, but also require account holders to meet and maintain certain eligibility criteria. Here we will highlight some of the frequently asked questions, advantages, and requirements of Health Savings Accounts. Everyone’s situation is different, and individuals are encouraged to seek additional information from the resources mentioned below. Who is ELIGIBLE […]
Read StoryLongevity In Retirement
One of the major risks you will probably face when it comes to your retirement is longevity. Longevity is the prospect of outliving your retirement resources and an important factor to consider when planning for retirement. So what can you do to reduce your chances of outliving your retirement resources? Annuitize a portion of your […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors: High-tech or Old School?
My son and I are taking up backpacking. Or, at least at this point in time, we think we are. It has been decades since I have gone, and most of our gear is of the heavier car-camping variety, so we are more or less starting from scratch. However, we just got backpacks, so now […]
Read StoryDéjà Vu All Over Again
Investment fads are nothing new. When selecting strategies for their portfolios, investors are often tempted to seek out the latest and greatest investment opportunities. Over the years, these approaches have sought to capitalize on developments such as the perceived relative strength of particular geographic regions, technological changes in the economy, or the popularity of different […]
Read StoryKnow Your Fiduciary Role!
Those who oversee qualified plans are either very familiar with the role they play for their employee retirement plan, or do not clearly understand the significance of their fiduciary duties. It is important to know your job within a qualified plan. Plan fiduciaries should understand the instrumental part they play and take the responsibilities afforded […]
Read StoryESOPs: The Basics
What is an ESOP? An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a tax-qualified defined contribution retirement plan that primarily invests in the sponsoring company’s stock. ESOPs are primarily used to provide a market for the shares of a departing owner. Through the creation of an ESOP, the departing owner, the company, and plan participants can […]
Read StoryA New Year of Market Forecasts: Making Sense of the “Noise”
It’s a new year, and likely more than a few of us are happy to put the last one behind us. Economic and market forecasts now occupy the headlines and it can be hard to make sense of all the “noise”. As David Booth, Founder & Executive […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors: Get your participants ENERGIZED about savings!
I have been accused of being addicted to coffee. While my modest two-cup-a-day intake makes this largely undeserved in my opinion, I acknowledge that I pack a “boy scouts camping trip coffee emergency kit” with my gear for when someone forgets to pack the stove-top percolator or some other crucial input into my personal morning […]
Read StorySources of Retirement Income
Whether your retirement is in sight or many years off, taking the time to consider your sources of income during retirement can alleviate some of the burden in planning for retirement. Here are some of the most common sources of retirement income: 1. Social Security Your Social Security benefit depends on how much you earned […]
Read StoryFinancial Resolutions for the New Year, Part 2
Very few things in life are as important as getting your financial house in order. While many New Year’s resolutions dissipate rather quickly, here are a few MORE resolutions to get you one step closer to getting your financial house in order. 1. Be prepared for a financial emergency: Having an emergency fund can save […]
Read StoryTelemedicine: Managing Expectations of Savings
If you are involved in managing your organization’s healthcare benefit offering, you have almost certainly been approached by one – or many – different vendors about offering telemedicine benefits. Telemedicine is increasing in popularity and adoption, and like any growing area in employee benefits the market is becoming flooded with vendors and brokers trying to catch […]
Read StoryHigh-Impact Financial Resolutions for 2019
It’s that time again. With all of the newness that the New Year brings, there is no better time than the present to look at your financial life and take some solid steps towards a better financial future. Here are several principles and ideas to get you started. Change one or two small habits to make […]
Read StoryReminder Regarding your Plan’s PBGC Premium
Background The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premium increases to both the single-employer Flat-Rate and Variable-Rate premiums continue in 2019. PBGC premium rates are scheduled as follows: [one-half-first] How will this affect your plan? Your PBGC premium payment may increase in 2019 and future years due to these changes and several other contributing factors: The […]
Read StoryConrad Siegel- 2018 Internship Experience
On May 21, 2018, Conrad Siegel welcomed three summer interns to our team. Patrick, Katie, and Grant have shown great initiative and a sincere interest in learning. In addition to all of the work they completed, the interns were able to learn about each of the firm’s lines of business, attend the Health and Welfare […]
Read StoryInexpensive Ways to Promote Your 401(k) Plan to Employees
As you know, something really simple and inexpensive (or even free) can sometimes make a huge difference. For example, I would argue that the quality of the tomato can make or break a cheeseburger. There are some very simple and inexpensive ways to increase awareness of your retirement plan that as a bonus can be […]
Read StoryTax Reform- an unexpected opportunity to boost retirement savings
While it is most likely too early to quantify the impact of tax reform on your business, it is important to be aware of the various ways it could be used to benefit employees, should you choose to go that route. Tax reform potentially presents an exciting and unexpected opportunity for retirement plan sponsors to […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors – Be Prepared!
Several weeks ago, central Pennsylvania plunged into a deep freeze as a so-called “bomb cyclone” ravaged the East Coast. In the first week of January, I was staring out of my office window at single-digit temperatures, contemplating the fact that I was headed off to go winter tent camping with my son’s Scout troop […]
Read StoryMaking Sure You Are Financially on Track- Before and Through Retirement
Pre-Retirement A mistake that people often make is thinking they are on track for retirement, but never really crunching the numbers to know where they stand. It is important to plan for retirement accordingly, meaning that your nest egg is large enough to make sustainable withdrawals throughout your lifetime. To understand if you are on […]
Read Story5 Questions To Ask In Your Annual Review
If you don’t already, you should be meeting with your adviser for a broad-based review at least once per year. Meeting with your adviser on an annual basis can be easily overlooked. For some individuals, it is simply another annual event on their calendar that isn’t given much thought. But your annual review is an […]
Read StoryHigh Impact Tips for 401(k) Plan Sponsors: Does your plan have enough horsepower?
Before plunking some serious coin on a new car, most people compare things like comfort and convenience features, interior space, fuel economy, reliability, and ownership costs across various makes, models, trim packages, and dealers. Those who know my gearhead tendencies know that I just go for a horsepower rating that is as close to ludicrous […]
Read StoryLong-Awaited Changes to IRS Mortality Tables
Update on Mortality Tables The IRS has released final regulations on the applicable mortality tables used by pension plans for 2018. The proposed tables are based on the Society of Actuaries mortality tables released in 2014 and the MP-2016 improvement scale. Many plan sponsors are already using versions of these tables for accounting calculations. How […]
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