
Enter Now for PLANADVISER’s 2023 Top Retirement Plan Advisers List
PLANADVISER is accepting entry forms for its listing of top retirement plan advisers.

Among Advisers’ Top Concerns? Another 401(k) Drop in 2023
A “state of the industry” report from recordkeeper Ubiquity finds financial advisers fear another year of poor investment returns that would hit client 401(k)s—as well as asset-based management fees.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans Increasingly Include Noncompete Clauses
Employers are leveraging NQDCs for retention use at increasing rates, with 30% having a noncompete provision.

Milken DEI Strategy Shows Asset Managers How to More Reflect Investors
Milken Institute report argues for enhancing DEI in the finance industry, lays out strategies.

Personalization Push Heightens Need for Advisers to Vet Cybersecurity
As advisers seek more participant personalization from retirement recordkeepers, they also need to ramp up their focus on cybersecurity from providers, according to industry participants.

Carson Partners with “Conflict Free” Vestwell on 401(k) Offering
Vestwell will provide financial advisory Carson Group with small and midsize business 401(k) and 403(b) plan programs for its investment and wealth management adviser network.

Age-Specific Changes Found in SECURE 2.0
SECURE increases the RMD age and expands the amount of catch-up contributions certain participants can make.

DOL to Consult Industry on How To “Facilitate” PEP Uptake
Among items on DOL/EBSA's agenda: speaking with retirement plan service providers, employers and employees on what regulators can do to help increase PEP growth.

IRS: Remote Notarization, a Pandemic Development, May Stay
The rule would codify relief from ‘physical presence’ rules for retirement plan elections that was first granted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advisory M&A
Alera buys Ascent Group, adds $2.8B in AUM; Heffernan snags Utah-based insurer; Marsh McLennan acquires HMS Insurance Associates; and more.

How SECURE 2.0 Will Affect New Plan Creation
The two main provisions affecting new plan creation are required automatic features and more generous tax credits.

FTC’s Noncompete Ban Would Hit Retirement, RIA Consolidation
A proposed ban on noncompete contracts by the FTC would likely have implications for the RIA firms some retirement advisories are acquiring to broaden wealth management capabilities.

Retirement Industry People Moves
Empower names Waddell head of new individual investor division that includes Personal Capital; Pentegra names new CEO as Pinto retires; Wiener to take over management of TIAA’s general account; and more.

After Committee Change, SECURE 2.0 Does Not Allow CITs in 403(b)s
The language required to allow CITs in 403(b) plans was dropped in the final bill after inter-committee negotiations.

Investment Service and Product Launches
The Standard Insurance launches four stable value funds; RightCapital adds SECURE 2.0 update to financial adviser planning platform; cryptocurrency platform Onramp Invest adds SMA solution; and more.

A Method for Comparing Retirement Plan Annuities
John Faustino, the head of Fi360, a Broadridge company, discusses new guidance to help advisers pitch in-plan retirement income annuities in a year when the products may be getting more attention.

Court Dismisses 403(b) ERISA Claim Against Employer, But Not the Plan’s Adviser
The sponsor, a Texas counseling service, was protected by a safe harbor provision, but the adviser might not be so fortunate.

Recordkeepers Beat Out External Managers for IRA Rollovers
While new research finds recordkeepers took the lead for overall rollover count in 2022, IRA providers outside of employer retirement plans kept their dominance for accounts of $250,000 or more.

Adviser Product Partnerships
Lincoln Financial expands employer wellness offers to student debt management; Docupace brings new productivity toolkit for advisers; digital bank Green Dot adds cash account from Wealthfront; and more.

ERISA Lawsuit Filed Against Ventura Foods
The suit alleges Ventura did not monitor high fees and underperformance of the funds in its investment menu.