Today, many 401k plan participants have their retirement savings on “set-it-and-forget-it” autopilot. In a low inflationary environment, that might be OK. However, when the pendulum swings back towards inflation, this can leave them ill-prepared. What, exactly, can a 401k plan sponsor do within its fiduciary capacity to help plan participants incorporate inflation into their retirement planning calculus?
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Despite this, 401k plan sponsors can better protect their employees, even when it comes to personal data, because that data is only acquired within the context of the service provider’s relationship to the plan.
When is a “problem” not really a problem? And what can be better than success, even if no one knows about it.
Just because you don’t have a fiduciary duty to other employees doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue to think like a fiduciary.
You can squeeze a tube of toothpaste all you want, but that doesn’t change how much toothpaste it holds. Are we experiencing the same thing with 401k fees, or are they really dropping as much as we think? And, if they are dropping, are they dropping for the right reasons?
What’s the Goal? Last I heard it was preparation for retirement via tax preferred savings … but, looking around at what is typical industry practice, perhaps I have it all wrong.
Once a person enters retirement, the number of scenarios proliferate. Unless the plan sponsor is a financial professional, it’s going to be a challenge to quickly comprehend all these options.
This isn’t to say younger employees should be left out of this type of education altogether. They shouldn’t. It’s important the message is drip, drip, dripped from the beginning of the onboarding sequence.
While some may consider this heresy, the best option for a fiduciary managing a portfolio is to include a consistent percentage of assets outside the equity markets and in assets that preserve capital.
Familiarity may breed contempt, but it also makes you sloppy. Do you know plan sponsors that have forgotten they need to address these matters?
