Some key financial steps that you could take. Your twenties are the perfect time to save and invest. Do it now, and you will have a great ally—time—on your side. Think about doing the following things if you’re not doing them already. Put money into a retirement plan. Save and invest through a 401(k), [...]
Avoid these financial traps and save yourself money and stress in the long term. Americans are living longer, healthier lives, and this trend is affecting how they think about and plan for retirement. For instance, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the age at which workers expect to retire has been rising slowly over [...]
Still have money in a 401(k) at an old job? If you are preparing to change jobs, do you know what your choices are for managing the money in your current employer's 401(k) or retirement plan? Although many people choose to take a cash distribution, there are other options that may benefit you more. [...]
Here are a few tips on how to keep your 401(k) working for you. As more workers plan to continue working later in life, at more organizations, the ability to preserve their nest egg and keep it growing when they leave their current company is more important than ever. Here ís an easy-to-understand guide to [...]
For many defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors, offering target date funds1 as a qualified default investment alternative (QDIA) has become almost expected. A target date fund invests based on a particular date, such as the year of a participant’s projected retirement. For many defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors, offering target date funds1 as a qualified [...]
Employee participation and deferral rates in America’s qualified retirement plans remained strong in 2015. In fact, participation was up 5% from 2010, and average salary deferrals were nearly 7%. These trends show marked improvement in defined contribution (DC) plan uptake by U.S. workers, thanks to plan sponsors who’ve implemented plan designs intended to help improve [...]
Eighteen years ago, the retirement industry rolled out automatic enrollment to help combat employee inertia, increase participation in workplace retirement plans, and foster higher savings rates. Still, a surprising number of plan sponsors don’t offer it. However, employees say they value defined contribution plans, and they desire automatic enrollment and escalation features. A recent survey [...]
The scenario plays out over and over again in attorneys' offices: A family brings a parent's will to be probated. The will is complete, well-thought-out, and takes into consideration current tax law. But under closer examination, the attorney discovers that the deceased's estate plan doesn't work. Why? Because a substantial portion of the parent's assets [...]
Small-business owners are especially vulnerable to a dangerous investment practice: under-diversification. For many, their business represents the lion's share of their net worth. With fortunes riding largely on the success or failure of a single business in a single industry, business owners are exposed to heightened levels of investment risk. Recognizing that risk and understanding [...]
When you change jobs, it may be tempting to cash out your 401(k) plan. But doing this could derail your retirement savings just when it’s important to keep your money growing tax-deferred. Rolling over your assets to an individual retirement account (IRA) is one of the most popular options available to help keep your money [...]
