Do you know how much your retirement plan costs? The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) obligates plan fiduciaries to defray reasonable expenses of administering the plan, yet surveys show that many employers do not really know what fees they are paying for the plan, have not reviewed fee disclosures in the last…
Despite market downturn, plan participants stay the course Finally, some good retirement news! Despite the increased market volatility and belt tightening caused by inflation, most 401(k) and 403(b) participants are sticking with their retirement plan. The Investment Company Institute surveyed recordkeepers representing over 40 million participant accounts. The results show[1] that participants are still contributing,…
Do you really know what benefits your employees want? When it comes to employee benefits, a defined contribution plan is the second most desired benefit after health insurance. A recent survey from the Transamerica Institute asked employees and employers about the most valued benefits and 89% of employees said a retirement plan was somewhat or…
Employers are Essential for Improving Retirement Savings The U.S. Census Bureau recently released it’s The Wealth of Households: 2019 report. Digging into the stats underlying the report makes for a fascinating read for a data geek like me but I wanted to focus on what the report revealed about retirement savings. Only 58.8% of households…
3 Assumptions ERISA Makes About Plan Sponsors Many plan sponsors do not understand the full weight of their fiduciary duty towards the employees participating in the company retirement plan. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) lays out standards of conduct for plan fiduciaries. Built into the standards are several assumptions the Department…
What if my retirement plan doesn’t offer faith-based funds? The opportunities for Christians to align their investments with their faith values have never been better! Beacon Wealth Consultants has helped Believers with biblically responsible investing for over 25 years and many individuals and families have discovered the joy and freedom that comes with planning and…
Stop Checking Your 401(k) Balance! The ongoing volatility in the stock market and relentless onslaught of negative economic news is raising investor anxiety. If you are feeling worried about your 401(k) performance, let me offer you some advice: stop checking your account balance! Most 401(k) providers allow participants to easily check their account online. But…
Can a Pastor Have a 401(k) and a 403(b)? Bi-vocational pastors make up a sizeable minority of pastors in America – 26% according to a 2019 Barna survey. This means that 26% of pastors have another paid or unpaid role in addition to pastoring a church. For those employed by a church and another employer…
Are you personally liable for your retirement plan? Does your company retirement plan have a named fiduciary investment manager in the plan documents? If it doesn’t or if you don’t know then chances are that it’s you. Under Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the plan sponsor is the principal administrator and investment manager…
3(16), 3(21), or 3(38) Fiduciary – What’s the Difference? When it comes to your company retirement plan, there are several different fiduciaries with which your company can partner. But knowing the differences can be confusing at best and at worse can mean thinking you have reduced your liability when you really haven’t. Each one is…