In another sign of the importance of DC plans, the Fed reported in its triennial Survey of Consumer Finances that DC plan balances accounted for 61.4 percent of families’ total financial assets in 2010, up from 58.1 percent in 2007, as median net worth declined 38.8% and income declined by 7.7%.... READ MORE

The DC Record Keeper Consolidation List details significant deals in the defined contribution market since 1999. It is provided in three parts:• 1999-2002 (click here);• 2003-2005 (see below); and• 2006-September 2012 (click here).To download a pdf file of the comprehensive 1999-2012 list, click ... READ MORE

There are three practical lessons from the March 2012 decision in the case, Tussey v. ABB, as outlined by NAPA Net ERISA Conductor Bob Rafter:1. make Investment Policy Statements as broad as possible so that there can be little room to second-guess the plan sponsor’s actions;2. while selecting a... READ MORE

It might have seemed like a good idea to offer 401(k) participants a smorgasbord when it comes to designing the right plan to help them retire successfully. But behavioral finance shows us that participants are plagued by inertia and irrationality. Bank of America Merrill Lynch provides a... READ MORE

The Profit Sharing Council of America (PSCA) has released its 55th Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans. The results of the 2012 survey — which reports on the 2011 plan-year experience of 840 plans representing 10.3 million participants and $753 billion in assets — demonstrate continued... READ MORE

The National 401(k) Record Keepers list includes vendors that provide record keeping services at the national level. This means that they have significant presence in all regions, whether measured by plans under management or by sales personnel. There are about 600 so-called “Record Keeping TPAs”... READ MORE

Guardian Life has hired industry veteran Stephen Davis to run sales at their retirement plan division, replacing Dale Magner, who departed earlier this year. Most recently Davis was at The Hartford, where he represented their mid market services to advisors. Previously he held a similar position at... READ MORE

An Investment Company Institute study released last month, “Who Gets Retirement Plans and Why, 2011”, found that nearly three-quarters of those likely to save for retirement have access to a retirement plan through their employer or their spouse’s employer. Of that group, 93 percent participate.... READ MORE

You may want to put one or both of these upcoming disclosure-related webcasts on your calendar:What Plan Committees Must Do with 408(b)(2) DisclosuresNow that service providers to ERISA-governed retirement plans have provided written disclosures about their services, fiduciary status and... READ MORE