At PLANSPONSOR, our focus is to give plan sponsors all the information they need to fulfill their duties with respect to retirement plans. However, we recognize that other benefits intersect with the retirement plan benefit. For example, health benefits are costly to employers and often compete with retirement plans in employer budgets. In addition, health savings accounts (HSAs) are now being touted as a way to save and invest for retirement health care costs. Financial wellness programs and student loan repayment benefits can help employees manage current financial issues in order to save for retirement. Equity compensation plans can also be used for retirement savings or for dealing with short-term financial issues. And now, a new concept, sidecar accounts, is aimed at helping participants build an emergency fund so they are less likely to tap into retirement accounts for short-term expenses. This edition of PLANSPONSOR Weekend focuses on the other benefits that intersect with retirement savings.

The plaintiffs say the plan’s terms reduce benefits using “Early Retirement Factors” and “Joint and Survivor Annuity Factors” which result in plan participants receiving less than the actuarial equivalent of their vested accrued benefit, as required by ERISA.

Based on the conversations industry advocates are having in Washington, none of the leadership in the Senate or the House opposes passage of the SECURE Act.

Principal and Wells Fargo leadership have revealed their technology plans for serving the nonqualified and employee stock ownership plan sides of the combined business.

Editorial: Alison Cooke Mintzer alison.mintzer@strategic-i.com

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