Trendspotting

Articles that appeared in the Trendspotting section of the magazine
Reported by PLANADVISER Staff
  • “Connecting to Clients:” Financial firms hone message to customers in crisis
  • Workplace retirement plans enjoyed an across-the-board participation hike in 2007—the first such increase since 1998. Employee Benefit Research Institute’s (EBRI) study of participation trends found the percentage of all workers participating in an employment-based retirement plan increased to 41.5% in 2007, up from 39.7% the year before. The percentage of full-time, full-year wage and salary workers ages 21 to 64 increased from 52.7% in 2006 to 55.3% in 2007, according to the EBRI data. [See more at “EBRI: Participation Rates See Increases.’]
  • “Top Web Sites for Advisers:” Asset management consultant kasina identified the 10 strongest Web sites within the intermediary channel based on criteria that fall into three distinct categories: availability of content, quality of content, and user experience.
  • “Pick Me!:” Advisers crucial to QDIA selection
  • “Request Granted:” Boeing 401(k) fee case sanctioned as class action
  • According to a survey by Horsesmouth LLC, when asked to predict where the S&P 500 will be in 12 months, the largest number of advisers (45%) said it would be up about 10%. Twenty-three percent of advisers said it would be up about 25%. Some advisers (18%) think the index will stay about the same, and others expect it will decrease by 10% (11% of advisers) or even 25% (3% of advisers). The survey of 2,275 financial advisers (all members of online service and adviser community Horsesmouth) was conducted online between October 3 and 7. [See more at “Advisers Think Bailout Will Work, Survey Says.”]