Deals & People August 14, 2014

The Principal Hires ESOP Consultant

The Principal Financial Group has hired Mike Parrett as vice president of consulting.
Reported by

Parrett, who takes on the VP role effective August 18, will provide advanced consulting to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), including financial analysis and transaction structuring. He will be based in the company’s Indianapolis office.

Jerry Ripperger, vice president of consulting at The Principal, believes that Parrett’s experience in finance and ESOPs will be “instrumental in strengthening our consulting practice to better serve our clients.”

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Parrett has nearly 30 years of experience in finance, treasury and operations management. Before joining The Principal Financial Group, he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Herff Jones, Inc., where was responsible for overseeing the company’s merger and acquisition activity, as well as finance, treasury, insurance and risk-management functions.

In addition to the perceived risk and added fiduciary burden, PEI says most recordkeeping platforms are unable to accommodate these guaranteed income products at this time. For these resons, as well as the low participant utilization, lack of portability, high participant cost and increased administrative complexity of these solutions, PEI suggests that plan sponsors wait for regularity clarity and guidance to emerge. Patient plan fiduciaries should also benefit as the investment marketplace evolves to better meet apparent demand for income solutions—whether in-plan or out.

Data & Research August 14, 2014

Supporting Family Can Hinder Retirement Readiness

Providing financial support for family members is throwing a wrench in some Americans' plans for retirement.
Reported by

Fifty-six percent of Americans are providing some form of financial support to either their elder parents or young adult children by means of housing, living expenses and transportation, according to a recent survey by financial education nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling. For employees indicating they play a financially supportive role in a parent or child’s life, nearly 20% are unable to pay off their debts or are accruing more debt because of it. In addition, 12% have delayed retirement.

“In today’s economy, many middle-aged consumers are getting hit twice as hard when it comes to financially supporting family members,” says Steven Trumble, president and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, based in Boston. “Amid rising college tuition costs and the sharp increase in elder care services, some consumers are forced to make tough financial decisions and delay their own financial goals.”

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According to the survey, 81% of those supporting aging parents and 59% of those assisting adult children indicated they help financially with living expenses and bills, while very few cited support for paying credit card debt. When it comes to student loans, nearly 25% of parents are financially contributing to their child’s college debt.

“Whether it’s an aging parent or a child returning from college, the expenses can hit hard and have a long-term effect on your own financial situation,” says Trumble. “By working together to determine a financial plan that works for everyone, consumers can help prevent future financial damage, while also providing their loved ones with the short-term support they need.”

The survey is the most recent in a series of online polls asking consumers about topics related to money management, budgeting, identity theft, and spending habits. More information about the survey, including an infographic, can be found here.

American Consumer Credit Counseling (www.consumercredit.com) is a provider of free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management.

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