More and more 401(k) advisors are eyeing the 403(b) market as a good place to expand their practices. If that describes you, there’s a once-a-year opportunity coming up at the end of this month: The... Read More
Advertisement
Technical competence
BY Fred Barstein | 5/24/2013
It’s not surprising that DB plans — mostly run by professional managers who are not emotionally attached — perform better than DC plans, but the gap in 2011 was the greatest since the mid-90s,... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 5/17/2013
With so many observers pining about the good old days when everyone had a pension plan, and the anti-401(k) faction looking to turn the DC system into a government-sponsored DB plan, perhaps it’s... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 5/16/2013
Interactive retirement calculators are growing in popularity as they become increasingly sophisticated and easy to access. These online-based calculators, often available on DC companies’ home pages... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 5/9/2013
A recently released LIMRA study on ERISA 403(b) plans highlights that this $485 billion market is one that advisors and providers focused on 401(k) plans should consider. While 403(b)s — about two-... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 5/2/2013
Using 401(k)s as the bellwether for a new world driven by increased connectivity, noted author and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman writes that the DC system embodies a world in which each... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 4/26/2013
In reaction to this week’s “Frontline” program on 401(k)s, EBSA’s Phyllis Borzi reiterated that participants should pay close attention to the fees they’re paying and the type of advisor they’re... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 4/25/2013
In the aftermath of the attack by the PBS “Frontline” program on the 401(k) system, which focused on fees and charged that plan participants are being taken advantage of by Wall Street and advisors,... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 4/25/2013
Noted thought leader Michael Kitces makes a very interesting point: Advisors who focus on or lead with the fact that they are fiduciaries can actually destroy trust. Advisors who focus too much on... Read More
BY Fred Barstein | 4/23/2013
New research by ASPPA shows that middle- and lower-income Americans benefit more from retirement tax incentives, mostly due to the non-discrimination rules in DC plans. Putting aside the fact that... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/17/2013
As the retirement plan environment continues to shift from a defined benefit to a defined contribution system, there is great concern about whether participants will outlive their retirement savings... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/8/2013
Advisor Matthew Hutcheson’s trial — he’s charged with 17 counts of wire fraud — began last week and is expected to run through the middle of April. Hutcheson, once a spokesperson for fiduciaries in... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/5/2013
While most people thought that the battle over the definition of fiduciary under ERISA would be confined to the qualified plan market, it seems that the real battle may be fought over IRAs. Moving to... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/3/2013
The retirement industry in general and 401(k) plans specifically have been the subject of tough questions and much scrutiny, with many calling 401(k)s “a failed experiment.” Robert Richter, past... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/3/2013
Since the introduction of electronic filing in 2009, the IRS and DOL have been more aggressive in using the Form 5500 and schedules to identify plans for audits and investigations. Last year, for... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/3/2013
The number of claims against fiduciaries has increased threefold since the 1990’s, according to the North American Professional Liability Insurance Agency — with plan sponsors now surpassing the... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/2/2013
In what could be a landmark case, a federal bankruptcy court in California has ruled that the City of Stockton should be allowed to move forward with its Chapter 9 proceeding over the objections of... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/2/2013
It's not surprising that using an adviser can improve a person's odds of having enough money for retirement. What might be surprising is that using an online calculator can help even more. According... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 4/1/2013
Add the Congressional Black Caucus to the growing list of groups questioning the DOL’s expansion of the definition of fiduciary. In a letter (free registration required) to the acting Labor Secretary... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/29/2013
Highly compensated participants in a plan that fails coverage or nondiscrimination requirements for a plan year face more serious tax consequences than if the plan is disqualified for another issue.... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/27/2013
On the heels of this week’s Stockton, CA, bankruptcy case, which was caused in large part by the city’s growing pension liabilities, there are reports that an Alameda county administrator will retire... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/26/2013
According to research by Aon Hewitt, about half of participants with account balances of less than $5,000 were forced out of their plans in 2011, up from just one-third of such participants in 2005.... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/25/2013
What’s the fastest-growing advisory channel? According to research by Cerulli involving 8,000 investors age 35-64 with over $100,000 in income, online firms are the leading channel, increasing AUM... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/20/2013
Sponsors of 401(k) plans experience a great deal of Section 415 compliance problems due to the many types of contributions being made at various times during and after the plan year. For example:•... Read More
BY NAPA Net Staff | 3/15/2013
While it may appear simple, it’s important to know about the investment guidance that the DOL’s Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA) is providing to workers in participant directed... Read More
Recent Comments