More sophisticated plan participants who can afford to hire their own adviser. They don’t ask more from the plan. They ask for less, in hopes of gaining more control over their own destiny. For a variety of reasons, this isn’t as easy as some participants would like it to be.
Tag "plan participant"
Just as these changes come bearing down, so, too, does a need for greater hand holding. Pressures within the provider industry, however, appear to be reducing the number of available hands.
This doesn’t mean you shoot haphazardly for the stars when you can have the moon. After all, you’ve got to know your limitations. Seeking unreachable goals will only make your retirement seem hollow and pointless.
If you’re a fiduciary of the acquiring plan, you want to make sure you’re not burdened with any unknown liabilities. If you’re a fiduciary of the acquired plan, you want to make sure the merger process doesn’t introduce new liabilities.
It’s not just plan sponsors and plan participants that need convincing. The entire retirement plan infrastructure must also get on board. That doesn’t mean the hurdles can’t be overcome.
The decision to retain and service company retirees appears (at first blush at least) to be a no-brainer. But that includes a very important assumption.
Clearly, you wouldn’t pay more for 2 apples if you could get 3 for the same price, but would you pay more to get 2 oranges instead?
Perhaps it’s time to cut the cord of “financial wellness” and take your tonic of financial reality. Accept the schoolmarm for the discipline she brings, because that remains the most honest way to the riches of a satisfying retirement.
Perhaps 401k plan sponsors should also focus plan participants’ attention on these 5 overlooked factors the can thwart their ability to attain the freedom of financial independence.
When is a “problem” not really a problem? And what can be better than success, even if no one knows about it.
