401(k) Blog
The Real Retirement Gamble: It's Not What You May Think | April 30, 2013
In keeping with the expression, “there is no such thing as
bad publicity,” popular media is often a mixed blessing.
It raises awareness but not always the kind one might
prefer. I was reminded of this throughout my viewing of the
recently aired PBS Frontline Segment, “The Retirement
Gamble[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/retirement-gamble/],”
which turned out to be a decidedly mixed-bag exploration of
the today’s retirement industry. While there were messages
of worth, in the end, the meaning was missed, and
misleading.
See the latest journal >>
Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts - The Sequel | September 14, 2012
In a recent two-part blog series I described how
Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts (SDBAs) do more harm than
good within a well-designed 401(k) plan program. Of course,
Murphy’s Law, just after I reviewed the recently revised
Department of Labor guidance on SDBAs, the guidance changed
again. This warrants a brief update to: (1) discuss the
DOL’s changes to their changes, and (2) re-emphasize that
the dim view I take on offering SDBAs within a 401(k) plan
remains exactly the same, for the same essential reasons as
before.
See the latest journal >>
Timely Reminders on Participant Disclosures | September 6, 2012
Ever since last February, when the U.S. Department of Labor
(DOL) finally issued its “final-final” ruling on revised
disclosure regulations, *August 30* has loomed large on the
401(k) calendar of events: the day by which the vast
majority of plan sponsors owe 404(a)5 disclosure reports to
their plan participants. Are you ready?
See the latest journal >>
Plan Sponsor 408(b)2 Disclosure Update: Good Start, But Room for Improvement | July 18, 2012
As a 401(k) plan sponsor, have you met your 408(b)2
fiduciary responsibility? Now that July 1 has come and gone,
the ball is in your court. Your plan’s covered service
providers had until that date to provide you with the
following information:
See the latest journal >>
Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts in 401(k) Plans Part II: DOL Threatens 401(k) Plan Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts | June 27, 2012
In my last blog, we discussed some of the weaknesses I feel
are inherent to Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts (SDBAs) …
and that’s before we even got into what the Department of
Labor has said about them.
See the latest journal >>
