| | Benefits & Administration | | Cost of Retirement Income Jumped in 2014 | | A sharp rise in lifetime income costs means many
workers in their 50s and early 60s are less financially prepared for retirement
than they were 12 months ago, despite 11% gains in equity markets over the same
time period. Even a strong 14% return for the average 55-year-old retirement
investor examined by BlackRock couldn’t keep pace with the relative increase in
lifetime income costs.Read more > | | | PLANSPONSOR Research | | 2014 PLANSPONSOR DC Survey: Plan Benchmarking | | The difference between price and value is a
fundamental concept in finance and represents an important lesson for investors
to learn. It may be great to find a $5 watch, but the deal is less compelling
if the thing doesn’t tick. As managing principal at Retirement Benefits Group
in Irvine, California, Gary Josephs is often called on to discuss how the
price/value question applies to employer-sponsored benefits, especially in
regard to defined contribution (DC) retirement plans. He says the retirement
plan industry’s reinvigorated focus on fees has been a positive development
overall for plan participants, leading to better prices and greater
transparency. However, there is sometimes a tendency for plan sponsors to
overlook the best value in search of the lowest price.Read more > | | | Products, Deals & People | | A Financial Wellness Program with a Human Touch | | Carolyn Schneider, senior vice president of
human resources at Capella Healthcare in Franklin, Tennessee, is concerned
about the prospects for retirement for Capella employees. A couple of years
ago, Schneider was attending a women’s conference where Alexa von Tobel, CEO of
LearnVest, a financial education provider based in New York City, was
presenting. Schneider turned to Capella’s chief financial officer, who was also
attending the conference, and said, “This is something we need for employees.”
She says she felt LearnVest’s financial wellness program was not only a great
product but a way for the organization to meet its fiduciary responsibilities
to employees in a way that is cutting edge.Read more > |
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