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PLANSPONSOR NEWSDASH LOGO September 7th, 2022
Insight on Plan Design & Investment Strategy Every Weekday
Benefits
Inflation Has Altered Plan Sponsors’ Benefits Spend
Inflation Has Altered Plan Sponsors’ Benefits Spend
The higher cost of employer-sponsored benefits has driven HR executives to get innovative during this year’s open enrollment.
Investing
California Pension Fund Seeks to Halve Exposure to Carbon Emitters
CalSTRS will move 20% of its public equity portfolio to a passive, low-carbon strategy.
Most Read
Benefits
SECURE 2.0: What’s Effective This Year and What Plan Sponsors Need for 2026
Benefits
Plan Sponsors Move Forward (Slowly) With SECURE 2.0 Provisions
Compliance
Trader Joe’s 401(k) Plan Accused of Overinvesting in Single Fund, Mismanaging Forfeitures
MARKET MIRROR
Tuesday, the Dow lost 173.14 points (0.55%) to close at 31,145.30, the Nasdaq sagged 85.96 points (0.74%) to finish at 11,544.91 and the S&P 500 sagged 16.07 points (0.41%) to close at 3,908.19. The Russell 2000 dropped 17.43 points (0.96%) to close at 1,792.32 and the Wilshire 5000 dwindled 181.28 points (0.46%) to end the day at 38,999.14.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note decreased 1 24/32, bringing the yield up to 3.346%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond decreased 2 28/32, increasing the yield to 3.498%.
Compliance
Hearing Scheduled, Comment Period Extended on QPAM Exemption Proposal
The comment period of the DOL’s proposed amendment was scheduled to expire in late September, but the regulator says it will now accept comments through mid-November.
Metro Bank Founder, Wife Sued by DOL Over Profit-Sharing Plan Losses
The lawsuit suggests Vernon and Shirley Hill invested as much as 70% of a profit-sharing plan’s assets in the stock of Metro Bank PLC, where Vernon Hill was the founder and chairman.
SURVEYS
DC Survey Now Open
For more than 20 years, PLANSPONSOR’s annual Defined Contribution Survey has provided benchmarking data for nearly 50 industries/business sectors and for 401(k), 403(b), and other DC plans, as well as nonqualified plans. Represent your industry and plan type by participating, and you’ll receive a free benchmarking report.
SMALL TALK
ON THIS DATE: In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempted to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship Eagle in New York Harbor. It was the first use of a submarine in warfare. In 1813, the United States got its nickname, Uncle Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. In 1822, Brazil declared its independence from Portugal. In 1940, 300 German bombers raided London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. This bombing “blitzkrieg” (lightning war) would continue until May 1941. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos signed a treaty agreeing to transfer control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. to Panama at the end of the 20th century. In 1979, ESPN, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, debuted on cable TV. In 1984, American Express Co. issued the first of its Platinum charge cards. In 1996, actor and hip-hop recording artist Tupac Shakur was shot several times in Las Vegas after attending a boxing match; he died in a hospital several days later. In 1999, Viacom Inc. announced that it had plans to buy CBS Corp. In 2001, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants became only the fifth player in Major League Baseball history to hit 60 home runs in a season.
Industry Intel Roundup—Featured Webinars
PLANSPONSOR is pleased to present the next edition of our Industry Intelligence roundup. This week, we are featuring webinars sponsored by experienced providers in the industry. The content was created to educate, inform and offer ideas for plan sponsors regarding plan design, investing, administration and compliance.
SPONSORED BY: Lincoln Financial Group | February 4, 2025
Benefits at Work: How Financial Wellness Fuels Productivity
Today’s employees seek meaningful benefits that address their holistic health and financial well-being. To meet their expectations, 80% of employers surveyed agree that a well-rounded, competitive benefits offering is critical, according to our 2024 Small Business Owner survey. More than ever, small businesses need to invest in programs that strengthen employee productivity, loyalty, and morale. By joining this complimentary webcast, you’ll learn how to: • Engage today's workforce, including the changing values of millennials and Gen Z, lingering financial concerns, and the key factors driving talent attraction and retention • Gain a competitive edge for employees with comprehensive benefits, including voluntary employee benefits coverage, retirement savings plans, and financial wellness solutions • Provide benefits education and wellness programs to help employees take full advantage of their benefits • Deliver a holistic employee experience with simple plan administration by using a single-source benefits provider
SPONSORED BY: Edelman | December 17, 2024
Managed Accounts as QDIA: Which Approach Works Best for Your Participants?
Plan sponsors have multiple tools at their disposal to help deliver the right solution at the right time for their participants while maintaining their fiduciary responsibilities. Many plan sponsors have adopted managed accounts as a QDIA, whether for targeted segments of their participant population or as a broader approach. As the #1 DC managed account provider since 2008 (per Cerulli Associates), Edelman Financial Engines is excited to host this webinar and discussion. This webinar will cover: Different ways that plan sponsors use managed accounts as a default investment option, and the impact on participants, addressing legal and regulatory concerns with different default structures, how managed accounts and target date funds fit together in a Dual QDIA structure and insights from a leading plan sponsor that uses managed accounts as a default to understand their decision-making process and how the solution improves participant outcomes.
December 12, 2024
Plan Benchmarking
How do plan sponsors determine the right goals for their plans or measure plan success? What tools are available to benchmark retirement plans? What should plans be measuring and how often? What kinds of actions or improvements can measurements drive? These questions and more will be answered in PLANSPONSOR’s final editorial webinar of 2024.
SPONSORED BY: Income America | November 19, 2024
Changing the Conversation on Guaranteed Retirement Income
As retirement plans transition from supplemental savings vehicles to the primary income source for many retirees, plan participants’ perspectives on retirement have shifted significantly. This session will delve into the findings from American Century’s 11th Annual Retirement Survey, highlighting how these evolving views are influencing employers’ goals and strategies in designing their organizations’ plans. With income replacement becoming a critical focus for participants, plan sponsors are increasingly recognizing the need to align retirement plans with these expectations. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on guaranteed income solutions to better meet the evolving retirement goals of employees. By adapting plans to meet participants’ needs and incorporating sought-after design features, plan sponsors can drive deeper engagement and achieve better outcomes for their participants.
SPONSORED BY: Principal | October 30, 2024
Rethinking Retirement: Participant Engagement Trends and Best Practices
Dive into key participant behaviors and engagement trends that can reshape how we approach retirement planning. This presentation highlights the complexities participants face in understanding their eligibility and reveals misconceptions about their enrollment. We’ll explore targeted strategies to help boost participation rates and address certain generational gaps. In today’s saturated digital environment, participants are conditioned to ignore marketing-style emails. Discover best practices in how to refine your messaging and break through the noise. Finally, we’ll explore why the “easy button” plan features haven’t been working. By evolving messaging to meet participants where they are paired with best practice plan design features, we aim to drive deeper engagement and better outcomes. *Principal® Retirement Security Survey—Nonparticipants, December 2023. Intended for Plan Sponsor use only. PLANSPONSOR is not an affiliate of any company of the Principal Financial Group®. The subject matter in this communication is educational only and provided with the understanding that Principal® is not rendering legal, accounting, investment or tax advice. You should consult with appropriate counsel, financial professionals, and other advisors on all matters pertaining to legal, tax, investment or accounting obligations and requirements. Insurance products and plan administrative services provided through Principal Life Insurance Company®. Securities offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker-dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392. Principal®, Principal Financial Group®, and Principal and the logomark design are registered trademarks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a Principal Financial Group company, in the United States and are trademarks and services marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., in various countries around the world. © 2024 Principal Financial Services, Inc. 3893943-092024
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