With more money moving to passive strategies, there’s a subculture that falls under the rubric of “Smart Beta.” Smart Beta generally refers to non-market-cap-weighted, systematic strategies that aim to add value by improving returns and/or providing lower volatility compared with the market-cap... READ MORE

How does a company reduce their 401(k) match without decreasing or eliminating it? IBM found a way: by holding it until the end of the year — which means that people other than retirees who leave before the Dec. 15 trigger date don’t get a match that year. While IBM employees are unhappy, the... READ MORE

How times have changed. When the market was booming in the 1990s and parts of the 2000s, investors looked for ways to increase returns. Now, based on an online survey of 3,400 people age 55 or older conducted by AIG and Ken Dychtwald of Agewave, it seem that over 80% of investors seek safety. The... READ MORE

Americans are both curious and competitive, which ING is trying to leverage to help them save more for their retirement. New research data loaded on their INGCompareme.com website allows people to see how they are doing compared with peers across the country on a wide range of saving, spending,... READ MORE

Though the nation’s political pundits are talking more and more about going over the fiscal cliff as if it's likely, not just possible, it’s important to maintain perspective. With a deadline of Dec. 31, the fact is that plenty of time remains for negotiators to make a deal. In fact, for both sides... READ MORE

Providing individual advice to plan participants can be difficult for many reasons. Those who have figured it out, however, have shown great improvement in outcomes. The challenges include scale (working with low-balance participants), technology (moving money from one money manager to another... READ MORE

In its recently released 2012 financial report, the SEC indicated that, among other things, it will look to harmonize fiduciary standards for investment advisors and broker dealers that provide the same services. According to the report, “Looking Forward,” the SEC indicated it will “[m]ove forward... READ MORE

You can never underestimate the irrationality of participants. Assuming that they will act in their best interests – or even act at all – can lead to bad decisions about TDFs. Based on research utilizing their 1.5 million DC participants, JP Morgan is trying to determine how to best design plans... READ MORE

Here are the 10 most-read items on NAPA Net last month, listed Letterman-style:10. What my Nana Taught Me About Social Media 9. Financial Advice Makes a Crucial Difference, TIAA-CREF Finds 8. Creating the Ideal 401(k) Plan, Part 1 7. Will Congress Go After 401(k) Plans? 6. With Election Results... READ MORE