Master trusts face tighter regulation in the UK
Britain's experience with 'master trusts' could help inform US policymakers who are on the brink of allowing plan providers to set up similar types of plans in this country....
401(k)/IRA
Ten most popular ‘former’ 401(k) providers
Nearly half (46%) of former plan participants did not take any action with regard to rollover options in 2017 and 43% intend to leave their assets in-plan this year,...
Securian to offer “unitized model portfolios” to 401k plans
The unitized portfolios are positioned as more customizable than target date funds as qualified default investment alternatives in 401(k) plans.
Ascensus’ TPA empire continues to grow
'This addition to Ascensus TPA Solutions goes a long way toward helping us build a national TPA,' said Jerry Bramlett, head of TPA Solutions at Ascensus.
Inside new target date funds, Lincoln offers risk-adjustment options
Morningstar Investment Management LLC will provide the glide path, portfolio construction and ongoing management for each of the portfolio strategies.
US sends ‘myRA’ accounts to Retirement Clearinghouse
The Treasury Department will transfer the remaining unclaimed IRA assets in the canceled Obama-era workplace savings program from Comerica Bank, the original custodian.
A new concept for defined contribution plans: The Retiree MEP
'Within an open multiple employer plan would exist a guidance platform--the Retiree MEP--where participants could receive objective information about retirement saving and distribution,' said Ted Goldman, Senior Pension Fellow...
Ascensus acquires two TPA firms
Continental Benefits Group, Inc., and 401kPlus will be folded into Ascensus' TPA Solutions division, Ascensus announced this week.
Turning the 401(k) on Its Head
Executives at State Street Global Advisors, Transamerica, Securian, and Prudential discuss their strategies for developing multiple employer 401(k) plans for small companies and helping to close the 401(k) ‘coverage...
Vanguard pulls S&P500 fund from its own 401(k)
'The current problem with the Index 500 fund is that over 25% of the fund is in technology stocks,' a former Vanguard employee told the local press.
Honorable Mention
A.M. Best sees private equity firms dominating life/annuity M&A; Merrill Lynch penalized for deceiving customers on RMBS sales; MetLife and Brighthouse may release up to $116 million to owners...
Securian creates ‘open MEP’
'Open multiple employer plans' are defined contribution plans that many unrelated small firms can join. Legislation to ease their formation is pending in Congress.
Auto-escalation begins in the UK, with ‘close monitoring’
In the UK, the minimum contribution to auto-enrolled defined contribution plans will reach 8% in April 2019, including a 3% mandatory employer contribution.
Unequal plan coverage persists, report shows
'In 2016, the participation rate was just 47.3% of family heads with annual family income of $10,000 – $24,999, compared with 89.9% for those with annual...
Fiduciary rule litigation isn’t over
AARP wants the entire panel of Fifth Circuit judges to review the ruling by the three-judge panel, which ruled 2 to 1 against the DOL fiduciary rule.
The link between 401(k) litigation and in-plan annuities
Fear of litigation has made 401(k) plan sponsors leery of innovation, including the adoption of annuities as investment options, these authors suggest.
Principal Financial to join Washington State ‘Retirement Marketplace’
Providers already on the Marketplace include Finhabits, which offers individual IRAs, and Saturna Trust, which offers a solo 401(k) for the self-employed.
People with pensions conserve their savings: EBRI
'Instead of spending down, a large number of retirees are continuing to accumulate assets throughout retirement,' writes Sudipto Banerjee of T. Rowe Price, who prepared the report on decumulation...
A ‘SideCar’ Account for UK Plan Participants
NEST, Britain's public-option defined contribution plan wants to let participants people access some of their retirement money for emergencies more easily.
‘Excessive fee’ case against Yale to continue
Yale is among more than a dozen universities to be sued over the past 30 months for allegedly failing to reduce the costs of their 401(k) plans and...
