401(k) Specialist Podcast 401(k) Specialist Magazine

The Department of Labor released its final “Retirement Security Rule” recently, which aims to raise the legal bar for financial advisors, brokers, insurance agents and others who give retirement investment advice.Noted ERISA attorney Fred Reish Esquire, Partner at Faegre Drinker, shares his thoughts on some of the rule’s key focuses and changes, along with implementation questions and potential hurdles to the rule becoming effective in September.Key Insights:Clarification of "Retirement Inves...

There’s a trend happening right now where asset managers are using a new strategy to help 401(k) plan participants manage their retirement spending: Target date funds featuring annuities.Morningstar recently did some really interesting research on this trend, and there are some compelling reasons to believe this type of solution could gain some serious traction in the coming years.Jason Kephart, director of multi-asset ratings for Morningstar Research Services LLC, was a lead author of the ne...

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic everywhere these days, including the financial services industry. We check in with artificial intelligence early adopter Liz Davidson, founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, who tells us about their award-winning AI-powered virtual financial coach named Aimee, and how AI really is turning into a game-changer for many retirement plan advisors.Financial Finesse is making great strides in this area, and she explains how they’re doing it and why AI has so muc...

The workplace retirement plan industry’s premiere event is just days away, with top professionals set to descend upon Nashville April 7-9 for the 2024 NAPA 401(k) Summit.We get a preview of the big event from two of the key people in charge of putting it together in Nevin Adams and John Sullivan, the former and current Chief Content Officers for the American Retirement Association.In addition to highlighting some of the topics and key must-see sessions scheduled for the event, we’ll check in ...

The 401(k) has been under attack on multiple fronts lately.Between calls for eliminating their tax advantages to prop up Social Security to Bernie Sanders pining for a return to pension plans, and momentum seeming to build for the TSP-like “Retirement Savings for Americans Act” that many in the workplace retirement market believe would constitute unfair competition from the federal government, it’s enough to have retirement plan advisors feeling a little defensive these days.Fortunately, plen...

Unlocking the Door to Broader Adoption of Guaranteed Lifetime Income in 401(k)s: Matt Gray and Todd LevyGuaranteed lifetime income remains a hot topic in the workplace retirement plan market and there are plenty of factors at play these days that are helping these solutions gain traction—and more widespread adoption—in 401(k) plans.Matt Gray, Assistant Vice President, Workplace and Middle Markets at Allianz Life, and Todd Levy, a “first mover” for lifetime income in DC plans who is Managing D...