September marks the start of the heavy DC plan selling season. Advisors’ chief concern: Plan sponsors will delay making a decision, for myriad reasons. Though it’s easier to get an AOR change than it is to switch record keepers, any type of decision can cause some plans to delay unless there’s a... READ MORE

Some advisors say that education in DC plans should be completely eliminated other than as a fiduciary hedge, arguing that instituting automatic features is more effective. But that sounds counterintuitive, since planning for retirement is such an important activity for everyone. Putnam’s Bob... READ MORE

Over the weekend, my daughter shared with us an insurance quote she’d received. It had been a while since I had focused on such things, but I was struck first by how much it was. It was for insurance in a different state, so we worked through the particulars, trying to be certain that we understood... READ MORE

As part of the NAPA DC Fly-in Forum Sept. 17-18, top NAPA advisors from all over the country will spread out all over Capitol Hill to lobby members of Congress and their staffs. This very important advocacy project will help educate Congress on the impact of various pieces of legislation, such as... READ MORE

A federal bankruptcy court ruled this week that the city of San Bernardino’s bankruptcy filing may proceed amid arguments by CalPERS, the state pension fund. A city of 210,000 residents 60 miles east of Los Angeles, San Bernardino was the first entity to stop paying CalPERS, although it recently... READ MORE

In last week’s Question of the Week we asked, “As participants enter their retirement years (about age 65), what is their median balance in all DC plan accounts in their household, including those held by a significant other, partner or spouse?” Here are the responses, expressed as percentages:... READ MORE

Larger corporate pension plans are moving to riskier investments, according to recent research by Fitch Ratings. Assets in “Level 3,” which include thinly traded and hard-to-value investments like real estate, rose to 8.5% of total assets, up from 7.8% for the same period a year ago. Sixty-six of... READ MORE

According to an analysis by EBRI, if President Obama’s budget proposal to cap retirement savings were to go into effect in a higher interest rate environment, one-third of current workers and 75% of small business owners could be affected. The proposal would cap savings for those who reach an... READ MORE

The ERISA consultants at the Columbia Management Retirement Learning Center Resource Desk regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs and qualified retirement plans. A recent call with a financial advisor in Ohio is representative of a common... READ MORE

In a highly unusual move, T. Rowe Price has permanently banned 2,000 participants in the American Airlines 401(k) plan administered by J.P. Morgan from trading in the four funds available on the menu. News of the ban was uncovered by Reuters.The move was caused by an investment newsletter, “... READ MORE

A recent long-distance move by a family member required that I rent a vehicle larger than the passenger cars that we generally rely on for transportation at my house. There were a number of considerations: cost, availability, the opportunity to drop off the vehicle at the other end, and the actual... READ MORE

Compared with the maturity of most American industries, the defined contribution industry has just passed through adolescence. Over the last decade we’ve witnessed significant milestones that have improved plan quality for employers and participants alike — from the migration to open architecture,... READ MORE