In Practice

Protecting retirement assets from risk is the most important concern for Americans of every age, according to Charles Schwab’s quarterly Retirement Pulse Survey.

American workers realize they are behind in saving for retirement and are adjusting their expectations accordingly.

 NFP Advisor Services Group published a study that tells advisers how to maximize the value of their practice across various time horizons in advance of succession.   

 The language advisers use is critical in reaching senior citizens to explain investment products, according to the research firm Hearts & Wallets.   

Many American workers find it appealing to have a guaranteed income in retirement—the younger the employee, the greater the attraction.

 Target income replacement ratios should be higher than the 70% to 75% conventionally accepted as a rule of thumb, the Retirement Advisor Council contends.     

 A majority of women act as chief financial officers of their households, making most of the financial decisions or sharing responsibility.   

Advisers and plan participants can learn from the experiences of current retirees.

Households relying on Social Security benefits to cover health care costs should expect medical bills to consume 61% of their Social Security payments by 2027.  

 Forty-nine percent of Americans say they are not contributing to a retirement plan, according to a survey from LIMRA.     

“Overly complex” and “overwhelmed” are two of the feelings expressed by investors in the MFS Investing Sentiment Survey.  

 Two groups of participants—women and Gen Y members—are increasing their savings in defined contribution plans, according to MassMutual Retirement Services.   

Despite efforts by employers to educate workers on their 401(k) offering, most workers are not taking full advantage of their plans.

 Service members who work with an adviser cited financial know-how and moral fiber as the top attributes they look for, a survey found.   

More than half of high-net-worth Americans (59%) lack confidence in their advisers’ ability to help manage health care costs in retirement.

A research paper from Russell Investments explores the impact of adding "real assets" to a defined contribution (DC) plan menu.

U.S. workers and their employers have different views about whether employees will have to work for income in retirement.

A report from Financial Finesse detailing employee communications received online and to its call center shows increased concern about retirement preparedness.

Women have distinct challenges and special needs when planning for retirement.

Advisers can help retirement plan sponsors with the task of creating the most effective plan for participants and maintaining a plan compliant with various regulations.