In Practice

Advisers focused on client retention take heed—spouses are increasingly influencing retirement income planning decisions, says Hearts & Wallets research.

Over three-quarters purchased their IRA through an investment professional.

While 66% of larger plans use automatic enrollment, only 51% of smaller plans do.

Nearly one in four say they would be willing to save more than 50% of their paycheck to have more money in the long run.

Cerulli says they are more receptive to comprehensive financial planning than Gen X or Boomer advisers.

With the health care industry facing many uncertainties, organizations are looking to attract top talent.

In a policy paper, Morningstar says state-run plans and multiple employer plans in their current form would create a more fragmented U.S. retirement system for employees.

Fifty percent of Gen Xers surveyed say they cannot start saving for retirement until they pay off their credit card debt.

Fifty-seven percent of employees surveyed do not want their employer to send personalized messages to people facing important financial decisions.

More than one in four now avoid the market and nearly half have altered their spending and savings habits.

More than one-third of retirees continue to grow their assets, BlackRock found.

However, they also do not live as long those with a higher socioeconomic status.

The number of participants taking hardship withdrawals remained less than 1%.

If the plan is not already automatically enrolling participants and escalating their deferrals each year, AB says, it should be.

Despite sometimes being thought of as “slackers,” data shows the Millennial generation is more financially responsible than other generations give them credit for.

Half of both Baby Boomers and Generation X are prioritizing paying off debt before saving for retirement, a survey found.

A lack of retirement savings is one of the two biggest contributors of financial anxiousness, a survey found.

However, debt held by those between the ages of 65 and 80 increased 40% between 2003 and 2015.

A survey from Millennial Personal Finance found most workers would rather use student loan repayment benefits than other work features. 

This year's survey from Transamerica of higher education plan sponsors shows a decline of 403(b) plans offered, and a dramatic swing in the popularity of 401(k) plans.