Get the latest retirement plan industry news, education and tips you need to know to help navigate your fiduciary responsibilities. Contact your Plan Consultant with any questions.
Employees can easily latch onto media-hyped, generalized one-size-fits-all retirement savings numbers without a clear understanding of whether those figures align with their personal financial circumstances. So what is retirement savings planning not?
By the second quarter of this year, the number of “401(k) millionaires” rose 2.5% from Q1, marking a record high according to Fidelity. At the same time, retirement savers overall experienced three consecutive quarters of growth — and that’s good news for many investors. However, a Vanguard analysis of its plans also shows a concerning trend: The percentage of savers who took hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts increased twofold over a three-year period, climbing from 1.7% in 2020 to 3.6% in 2023.
Housing? Check. Life insurance? Check. Dining out? Check. For most retirees, these types of line items are fairly predictable and factored into their monthly budget. But when it comes to health care, the situation can change dramatically. These expenses are often unpredictable and underestimated — and this wild card can disrupt an otherwise carefully planned retirement, leaving many seniors vulnerable.
Although the costs of retirement benefits have generally decreased due to fee compression, smaller plans are still at a disadvantage. Smaller plans pay more per participant due to fixed costs, while larger plans benefit from economies of scale even with greater total costs.
Employees in the HR and benefits departments handle many responsibilities, such as managing a company's health care benefits or supervising the retirement plan. As a result, it’s common for these employees to experience times of overwhelm, stress, and burnout. It is crucial for plan sponsors, who are frequently overseeing these teams, to understand the difficulties that HR and benefit departments encounter daily, and to avoid compromising their fiduciary duties to these workers.
According to ComPsych, the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs, anxiety is the No. 1 presenting issue of employees seeking counseling, exceeding self-referrals for depression, stress, relationship issues, family issues, addiction and grief. The direct consequences of untreated anxiety impact both employees and employers alike.