News Archive

Professional services firm Aon announced April 25 that it has completed its acquisition of NFP, expanding the firm’s presence in the large and fast-growing middle-market segment. The deal comprises funds affiliated with NFP's main capital sponsor, private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP... READ MORE

Alera Group is on a tear. In late March, the Illinois-based independent insurance and financial services firm launched a small market retirement plan solution with Vestwell and Franklin Templeton for employers with fewer than 100 employees—the goal is to bring "large-plan services [to]... READ MORE

The right mix for retirement funding doesn’t necessarily mean million-dollar portfolios, but should include advice that allows “chunky spending,” addresses employment outlook, avoids unpleasant retirement surprises, and analyzes living arrangements, a new report suggests.   In fact, it looks as if... READ MORE

After plunging to levels not seen since the so-called Great Recession, a new survey picked up on a burst of optimism in retirement confidence. And the picture of retirement FROM retirement looks pretty good. In fact, two-thirds (68%) of the workers and three-fourths (74%) of retirees surveyed were... READ MORE

Betterment has entered into an agreement with Goldman Sachs to acquire the digital investment accounts of the investment bank's Marcus Invest, as announced on Monday. Betterment will integrate Marcus Invest's accounts into its operations. The company currently manages over $45 billion in assets and... READ MORE

It’s said that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again—but if you’re suing in federal court, you had better make your case. The suit in question this time—which was last decided in favor of the fiduciary defendants almost exactly a year ago—had alleged that the Georgetown University 403(b)... READ MORE

On Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Labor (DOL) released its final Retirement Security Rule—also called the Fiduciary Rule—that it said will “protect the millions of workers who are saving for retirement diligently and rely on advice from trusted professionals on how to invest their savings... READ MORE

It’s been said that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. But what if it’s a figment of your imagination? “Crisis” is a word much bandied about these days, most particularly as a label applied to retirement—by foes and fans alike. Indeed, while not so long ago headlines posed that premise as a... READ MORE

Spring cleaning is well underway. But that need not be limited to closets, kitchens, and garages—it can serve retirement plans and their administrators too. And one such prime function is addressing missing participants.  Missing participants—former employees whose benefits remain in the plan but... READ MORE

A federal court decision in an excessive fee case starts off by noting that “the late, renowned attorney-investor Charlie Munger once quipped that ‘the big money is not in the buying and selling, but in the waiting.’” In case you were wondering, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton goes on to... READ MORE

As the SEC ramps up its enforcement of the Marketing Rule’s stricter requirements, a newly released risk alert warns advisers that they are still coming up short in several areas.   Published by the SEC’s Division of Examinations, the alert shares preliminary observations concerning compliance... READ MORE

It’s a bit of a surprise. Ted Benna is joining a fintech. The man who’s (literally) been in the 401(k) space since the beginning is embracing technology in a bid to help close the coverage gap. For the one or two retirement plan advisors who don’t know, Benna first identified the 401(k) as a... READ MORE