Because things happened so fast, everyday folks could see in real time how long-term financial systems unfold. In the end, this may have been the greatest lesson of all, and it came courtesy of living in the real-world economic laboratory that was 2020.
Tag "Coronavirus"
If plan sponsors assume things can return to the pre-Covid normal, they risk exasperating existing problems. They’re there and cannot be ignored.
If plan sponsors want to alleviate retirement angst among plan participants, they need to ensure they provide full transparency regarding factors that extend beyond the plan. Plan sponsors have an obligation to explain their retirement benefits within the context of these outside factors.
Unless state-sponsored efforts can defy the stultifying reality of any political process, they are unlikely to pivot fast enough to overcome the fast-paced offerings coming from these private sector offerings.
Many see the quarantine as a test run for retirement. There are those who view this “test run” and say they never want to retire. How do you dissuade them of this notion that they’re practicing retirement right now?
With the large influx of employees working from home, telecommuting may be here to stay. Companies need to rethink how they’ve addressed 401k communications in the past. One never knows when the “new” normal will appear.
Now is the time for 401k plan sponsors to seize their fiduciary mantle and provide the guidance and tools plan participants need to dodge emotional decisions that could ruin their chance for a comfortable retirement.
