Thomas Hawkins

When the Auto Portability Simulation (APS) model was recently unveiled at EBRI’s 78^th Policy Forum, a lot of attention was paid to the “marquee” numbers, and rightly so.  I’m referring here to the $154 billion reduction in cashout leakage, as well as the $115 billion increase in plan-to-plan roll-ins that occur under the adoption of Auto Portability. 

 On May 12th, Retirement Clearinghouse President & CEOJ. Spencer Williams unveiled theAuto Portability Simulation(APS) at theEmployee Benefit Research Institute's 78th Policy Forum. The APS was developed by Retirement Clearinghouse in conjunction with Dr. Ricki Ingalls, Chair of Computer Information Systems at Texas State University, and Principal at Diamond Head Associates, Inc.

In virtually any area of specialty, a unique jargon evolves that’s highly-specific to that field.  To insiders using the lingo every day, it seems familiar and perfectly normal.  To outside observers, it can feel like a foreign language -- with words, terms and acronyms that make no sense.  

As we observe the 46^th annual Earth Day this April 22^nd, we appreciate the awareness that this event has brought to the need to protect our environment, the urgency that it’s instilled in all of us, and the tangible results that have been achieved in so many important areas. Although we have much work to do, we’ve clearly come a long way since the “throwaway” culture that emerged following World War II.

Automatic rollover programs allow plan sponsors to force out of their plan separated participants with balances less than $5,000 into a Safe Harbor IRA.  These programs can be quite effective at helping sponsors resolve many of the problems associated with housing small-balance accounts in-plan, such as: 

 In a previous post, Tales from the Roll-In Front Lines, Part I, we described a roll-in transaction gone awry: a comedy of errors that occurs all too often when service providers are unfamiliar with consolidating retirement savings from one plan into another.

Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) is pleased to offer a three-part series of educational videos on plan terminations. These videos are intended to provide plan sponsors with a basic understanding of key plan termination process steps, the common mistakes that are made by plan sponsors, and the key criteria for selecting a plan termination services provider. We hope you’ll find these videos interesting & informative!

Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) is pleased to offer a three-part series of educational videos on plan terminations. These videos are intended to provide plan sponsors with a basic understanding of key plan termination process steps, the common mistakes that are made by plan sponsors, and the key criteria for selecting a plan termination services provider. We hope you’ll find these videos interesting & informative!

Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) is pleased to offer the first educational video of a three-part series on DC plan terminations, presented by Mike Wilder, RCH’s Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts. These videos are intended to provide plan sponsors with a basic understanding of key plan termination process steps, the common mistakes that are made by plan sponsors, and the key criteria for selecting a plan termination services provider. We hope you’ll find these videos interesting & informative! 

 In previous articles, we’ve discussed the many benefits that occur when participants roll in multiple retirement savings accounts into their current employer’s 401(k) account. Participants benefit from reduced cash outs, lower investment fees and simplified retirement planning. A program of facilitated roll-ins delivers positive results for plans as well, including increased average balances, lower recordkeeping costs and improved retirement readiness metrics.