Retirement

DOL offers stock-appraisal guidance for companies that sponsor ESOPs

05/12/2015

The U.S. Department of Labor has developed appraisal guidelines to help employers that sponsor Employee Stock Ownership Plans make informed decisions about legally buying and selling company stock.

Proposed rule would combat retirement plan conflicts of interest

04/28/2015

The U.S. Department of Labor has released a proposed rule designed to protect 401(k) and IRA investors by cracking down on conflicts of interest in the retirement plan marketplace. The proposed rule would update and close loopholes in the nearly 40-year-old Employee Retirement Income Security Act, which governs employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Feds crack down on 401(k) hardship withdrawals

04/23/2015

Both the IRS and U.S. Department of Labor are increasing their enforcement scrutiny on companies that allow employees to take inappropriate hardship withdrawals from their 401(k) plans.

Retirement crisis worsens, no rebound from recession

04/20/2015

The U.S. retirement savings crisis continues to worsen, and the typical working household still has virtually no retirement savings, according to a new report by the National Institute on Retirement Security.

As military-leave season nears, plan now for reservists’ absence

04/17/2015

Summer is usually when employees who belong to the National Guard and military Reserves give their two weeks of duty to Uncle Sam. Some military-connected employees may be deployed for longer periods of time. Now is the time to prepare for their absence.

What’s the best way to receive 401(k) information?

04/13/2015

When it comes to learning how to manage their defined-contribution retirement benefits, employees are old-school.

Percentage of older workers delaying retirement falls

03/26/2015

The improving economy is bolstering dreams of retirement for many Americans. The number of workers age 60 or older who say they are delaying retirement has reached a post-recession low of 53%.

401(k) rollovers lose billions due to conflicts of interest

03/18/2015

American workers who rollover 401(k) retirement savings into individual retirement accounts lose at least $8 billion per year because of conflicts of interest created by financial advisors’ reliance on commissions, according to a new Department of Labor report.

Most employers auto-enroll 401(k) participants

03/10/2015

Looking for a no-cost way to help employees save more for retirement? Consider making enrollment in your 401(k) automatic for all employees. They’ll have to affirmatively opt out if they don’t want to participate.

Women trail men in retirement savings growth

02/13/2015

Women invest 6% to 12% more than men in defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s, according to the Vanguard investment firm’s “2014 How America Saves” report.