Ted Godbout

Under Pressure to Reduce Fees, Passively Managed TDFs Finding Favor

By Ted Godbout | 4/11/2018

Potentially fueled by the desires of plan sponsors to reduce fees, there continues to be a move toward passively managed target date funds, according to an analysis by Mercer.In its “Target Date Funds – Highlights and Trends, 2017 Survey Update,” the firm notes that passively managed TDFs continued... READ MORE

Investors Considering Alternative Investments Amid Market Volatility

By Ted Godbout | 4/10/2018

Recent market volatility and doubts about how long the bull market will last have increased demand for alternative investments strategies, according to a recent survey of institutional investors.Based on responses from more than 400 institutional investors and family offices, the latest Context... READ MORE

Nearly 1 in 4 Advisors Switched Firms in the Past 5 Years

By Ted Godbout | 4/10/2018

Today’s financial services landscape looks far different than it did five years ago, with regulatory shifts, industry consolidation and firms exiting the broker protocol. But movement among advisors still continues, according to new survey results from Fidelity.Findings from the latest Advisor... READ MORE

New York Takes Aim at Active Share Disclosures

By Ted Godbout | 4/9/2018

Following an industry-wide investigation of mutual fund disclosures and fees, New York State’s Attorney General reached agreement with several large mutual fund firms to make information relating to their actively managed equity funds readily accessible and is calling on others to follow suit.... READ MORE

Social Media Usage by Advisors ‘Critical’ for Gaining New Clients, Survey Finds

By Ted Godbout | 4/5/2018

New survey results suggest a clear success rate by advisors who use social media for marketing, building relationships and obtaining new clients, compared to those who don’t use any platforms.The fifth edition of Putnam Investments’ Social Advisor Study found that 86% of those using social media... READ MORE

Individual Account Ownership Key Differentiator in Net Worth

By Ted Godbout | 4/4/2018

Not only do individual account assets make up a large portion of the financial assets of those who own them, but those with individual accounts have significantly higher net worth levels than those without them, according to new research by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.Based on an... READ MORE

New York State Enters Private Retirement Savings Push

By Ted Godbout | 4/3/2018

Following in the footsteps of several other states, the Empire State is moving forward with its own voluntary retirement savings program for employees who are not offered a plan through their employer.At a March 30 press conference, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that he had reached an agreement... READ MORE

New Code of Ethics and Conduct Standards Approved by CFP Board

By Ted Godbout | 3/31/2018

Under a new, expanded scope of the fiduciary standard, CFP professionals will be required to act in the best interest of the client at all times when providing financial advice. The new Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct was announced March 29 by the Board of Directors for the Certified... READ MORE

Is an IRS Overhaul Next on Capitol Hill?

By Ted Godbout | 3/30/2018

Twenty years after the last major overhaul of the IRS, key members of Congress on both sides of the aisle believe the agency is long overdue for a makeover and needs to return to its “service first” mission.House Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Ranking... READ MORE

$50 Change in HSA Limit May Be More Costly Than First Thought

By Ted Godbout | 3/28/2018

Members of Congress and industry groups are raising concerns that the simple $50 reduction in the 2018 health savings account family contribution limit may end up costing a lot more than first presumed.Following enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the IRS announced March 5 Revenue Procedure... READ MORE

Volatility Doesn’t Deter Investor Optimism, Wells Fargo Finds

By Ted Godbout | 3/28/2018

Despite recent volatility in the stock market, investor optimism remains at a 17-year high, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index.Used as a broad measure of U.S. investor confidence in the investing climate, the first quarter 2018 Index of +139 is... READ MORE

Many Retirees, Pre-Retirees Not in Tune with Their Risk Tolerance Level

By Ted Godbout | 3/27/2018

Many retirees and pre-retirees worry about market losses derailing their retirement savings, yet they often pursue aggressive investment strategies that do not necessarily reflect their risk tolerance level, according to a new report.MassMutual’s Retirement Savings Risk Study found that... READ MORE

Women’s Retirement Optimism Takes a Hit

By Ted Godbout | 3/26/2018

Concerns over Social Security coupled with larger-than-expected health care costs has dimmed the retirement dreams among a large cohort of women, according to annual survey results by the Nationwide Retirement Institute.The June 2017 online survey of 1,012 U.S. adults ages 50 or older who are... READ MORE

Use of Roths in 401(k) Plans Doubled in Past Decade, PSCA Survey Finds

By Ted Godbout | 3/26/2018

The number of 401(k) plans offering a Roth option has more than doubled over the past 10 years, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America’s (PSCA) 60th Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans.Nearly two-thirds of plan sponsors now provide a Roth 401(k) option, with more than 63% of... READ MORE

50 Years from Now, What Will Life Be Like for Millennials?

By Ted Godbout | 3/23/2018

If you’re a young Millennial, can you imagine what you and the world will be like when you’re 80? To get a better sense, a new study examines how the largest generation in the current U.S. workforce envisions progress over the next 50 years.Being at the center of changes being driven by technology... READ MORE

Study: Interest in Guaranteed Lifetime Income Solutions Gaining Momentum

By Ted Godbout | 3/23/2018

Concerns about health care costs and running out of money in the later stages of retirement has led to increased interest in guaranteed lifetime income solutions, the findings in a new survey show.In fact, 73% of survey respondents now consider guaranteed income as a highly valuable addition to... READ MORE

Half of Americans Still Don’t Grasp Benefits of HSAs

By Ted Godbout | 3/21/2018

A new survey finds that only 51% of Americans consider themselves knowledgeable about the workings of health savings accounts (HSAs), suggesting that there is much work to be done to educate consumers, advisors and employers on the benefits.A common misconception is that many Americans remain... READ MORE

401(k) Stakeholder Priorities Not Always in Tune

By Ted Godbout | 3/20/2018

New research reveals that there are surprisingly different perspectives among plan sponsors, recordkeepers and plan participants regarding the top priorities in evaluating the success of a 401(k) plan.The first quarter 2018 issue of The Cerulli Edge – U.S. Retirement Edition finds, for example,... READ MORE

Can Automation Help Solve the Missing Participant Problem?

By Ted Godbout | 3/20/2018

As workers become more highly mobile, frequently changings jobs and homes, the task of finding missing plan participants can be a time-consuming and difficult process for plan sponsors, particularly in light of the Department of Labor sharpening its focus on efforts taken by sponsors to find... READ MORE

401(k) Costs and Mutual Fund Expense Ratios Continue Downward Trend

By Ted Godbout | 3/16/2018

Since 2009, total 401(k) plan costs have decreased whether measured on a plan-, participant- or asset-weighted basis, according to the latest report in the BrightScope/ICI Defined Contribution Plan Profile series.Based on BrightScope’s total plan cost measure, which includes all fees on the audited... READ MORE

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