Tag: DC plans

The agency issued a supplemental statement in response to stakeholder concerns that private equity investments could be inappropriate for small DC plans.

DCIIA says it aims to provide practical steps consistent with fiduciary obligations.

DCALTA says its framework addresses the key implementation challenge identified by plan sponsors: operational aspects of daily valuation of private alternative assets that do not trade on an exchange.

An Information Letter addresses private equity investments as a component of a professionally managed asset allocation fund and outlines what plan fiduciaries should consider.

Willis Towers Watson’s Thinking Ahead Institute says defined contribution plan designs and communications will leverage technology to deliver a far more customized experience for participants.

A research report argues that even defined contribution (DC) plan participants in plans with a default investment do not have the financial acumen to know whether the default is right for them or whether they should opt out.

PLANSPONSOR’s 2018 Defined Contribution Survey found many start-up plans have not yet adopted plan design best practices and many are unsure about fees, but fortunately, nearly two-thirds employ the services of a retirement plan adviser or institutional investment consultant.

IFEBP looks at how emotional, social and cognitive factors can be used to help participants better prepare for retirement and suggests 10 ways sponsors can employ behavioral finance in their retirement plan.

Cerulli believes managed accounts will continue to gather assets as a customized solution for a targeted cohort of a plan’s overall participant population, as well as address decumulation and financial wellness concerns.

Participants who were age 60 or older when they retired were more likely to keep assets in the plan if it permitted installment payments, according to Alight Solutions.

According to a Cerulli report, fee sensitivity, concerns about performance and regulatory confusion are headwinds to environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment adoption in defined contribution (DC) plans.

A Vanguard study focusing on non-highly compensated employee (NHCE) behavior finds higher match thresholds are typically associated with lower plan participation and lower employee contribution rates.

In the first three quarters of 2018, only 2.2% of participant stopped contributing to their plans, ICI data shows.

With participants not panicking in Q4 2018 and the longer term trends resulting from automatic plan features, Fidelity Investments finds an overall improvement in average participant savings and account balances.

Notably, more than 60% of employers want to keep retirees in their plan, and they are looking to change their targeted communications to inspire action, Alight Solutions found.

Ten percent more employers than in 2016 that offer retirement programs are measuring the financial readiness of employees to retire, a survey found.