Products April 23, 2008

Great-West and Ceridian Introduce 401(k) Payroll Interface

Great-West Retirement Services has joined with Ceridian Small Business Services to introduce a payroll interface 401(k) service that allows employers to reduce the administration of their 401(k) plan.
Reported by

According to an announcement from Great-West, direct technology shared between the Ceridian Payroll platform for small businesses and the Great-West Retirement Services proprietary 401(k) recordkeeping system allows employee and 401(k) participant data to be shared and updated in the course of the employer’s normal payroll processing.

Bill Harmon, vice president of 401(k) sales for Great-West Retirement Services, said in the announcement that Great-West and Ceridian will market the service to their existing and prospective clients.

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Tom Connolly, vice president of business development at Great-West Retirement Services, added that the new service also enables advisers who sell Great-West Retirement Services products to better compete against other payroll service providers that offer 401(k) recordkeeping.

For more information, visit www.ceridian.com. More information about Great-West Retirement Services can be found at www.gwrs.com.

Products April 23, 2008

WealthCounsel Unveils New Web Site for Estate Planning Resources

WealthCounsel launched a new Web site portal designed to serve the informational needs of attorneys, financial professionals, consumers, and the news media on topics related to estate planning.
Reported by

The Web site portal features four separate sections that contain information tailored to each of the site’s main audiences. The site includes:

  • a glossary of estate planning terms and view a sample trust
  • the ability for consumers to locate a WealthCounsel estate planning attorney in their geographic area
  • a speakers bureau for allied professionals looking for a speaker at their meetings or conferences
  • useful information for visiting attorneys to download, or to subscribe to The Quarterly Counselor
  • a free listserv for financial professionals, attorneys, and the news media who may wish to engage in discussions on various estate planning topics

“As the nation’s population advances in age and as Baby Boomers become more aware of their own mortality, greater attention is drawn to the need to develop an estate plan before they become ill or incapacitated,” said Laura Wilson, executive director for WealthCounsel.

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Citing a 2007 survey of consumers that found that 55% of American adults remain without even a basic will, Wilson indicated that it is clear more needs to be done to educate consumers and their advisers of the benefit of proper planning. By launching the new portal at http://www.wealthcounsel.com, WealthCounsel hopes to serve as a resource for estate planning.

The portal also functions as the main login page where WealthCounsel attorneys enter the site to conduct daily business.

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