Consolidation Corner

For more than a year now, we have been working with the research team at the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), Dr. Ricki Ingalls of Texas State University, and Boston Research Technologies to develop the Auto Portability Simulation (APS). The APS is a robust, quantitatively-based simulation that measures the size, characteristics and behaviors of America’s increasingly mobile workforce. The key findings from that work demonstrate the potential to dramatically reduce retirement plan cash-outs by identifying the long-term, systemic benefits of routine and standardized account consolidation at the time of a participant’s job-change—a technology-based innovation called Auto Portability.

As 2016 draws to a close, most observers will reflect upon the events that have dominated retirement industry news coverage:  the Fiduciary Rule, the 10-year anniversary of the Pension Protection Act, and the Presidential election. These events will clearly shape plan sponsors’ activities and priorities for the New Year.

In his latest article in MarketWatch, RetireMentor and RCH CEO Spencer Williams gets us into the festive, holiday spirit by showcasing the “miracle” of compound interest. Compound interest is particularly relevant to retirement savers, whose nest eggs will incubate over a career. 

The recent U.S. Presidential election brought renewed focus upon large infrastructure projects: massive, capital-intensive efforts required to rebuild America’s roads, bridges, railways and airports. Desperately needed, these projects could cost taxpayers hundreds of billions, perhaps even trillions of dollars.

This video presentation is designed to give the viewer a basic understanding of the problem of uncashed 401(k) distribution checks.

It is intuitive to observe that the easiest way for a plan participant to achieve lifetime participation in the U.S. retirement system is to work for the same employer for 40 years or more. But in today’s highly mobile workforce, that rarely happens. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), the average American will change jobs more than seven times during a 40-year working life, indicating that a participant’s average tenure with each employer will be a little over five years. So what can be done to help the vast majority of participants that simply won’t work for one employer for their entire careers? 

In his latest MarketWatch RetireMentors column, RCH CEO Spencer Williams modifies the familiar proverb “a stitch in time saves nine” for the benefit of 401(k) savers who have multiple retirement savings accounts. A roll-in becomes the equivalent of the stitch, saving participants considerable time and money as they change jobs.

This video presentation is designed to provide qualified retirement plan sponsors with an overview of key actions that they can take in order to help reduce 401(k) plan leakage.

Why is 401(k) Plan Leakage a Problem?

When it comes to the 401(k) plan feature known as automatic enrollment, most industry observers seem to agree that it’s a good thing. In a world of scarce resources, you can never have too much of a good thing, right?

It’s ironic that, as we observe another “National Save for Retirement Week,” the retirement system we have in this country isn’t really a “system” at all.