Consolidation Corner

The 401(k) cashout leakage problem is once again in the news, with the publication of an alarming study by academics, as well as new data from Fidelity Investments revealing a cashout leakage ‘danger zone’ facing participants between the ages of 30-39.

These studies, combined with the mounting weight of empirical evidence gathering for more than a decade, confirm that 401(k) cashout leakage is a huge, persistent problem.

Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. As Americans observe another Financial Literacy Month, members of the retirement services industry have an opportunity to pause and think about how they can help empower more people to achieve a financially secure retirement.

After making great strides following the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), adoption of auto enrollment has continued to build slowly but steadily in recent years. According to DOL Form 5500 data, by 2021 the feature has been adopted by plan sponsors housing almost 50% of total 401(k) participant accounts.

Determining retirement plan participants’ life status is an important, albeit uncomfortable task for plan sponsors. Whereas plan participants are typically more concerned about securing a comfortable retirement income that lasts for life, plan sponsors must deal with deceased participants who will leave behind residual plan benefits requiring proper administration.

When it comes to locating missing retirement plan participants, there’s no substitute for an effective electronic, or “e-search.” However, retirement plan sponsors will inevitably encounter scenarios where periodic e-searches alone will not suffice.

To quote Ferris Bueller: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

For those accustomed to a glacial pace of change in the world of retirement, you could be forgiven if you’ve missed two very recent, tectonic shifts toward the system-wide adoption of auto portability, the new default plan feature that automatically moves small balance retirement savings forward as participants change employers, saving them time and money, while dramatically reducing cashout leakage.

The passage of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 (known as “SECURE 2.0”) reinforces the bipartisan commitment in Congress to helping Americans save more for retirement. Signed into law as part of a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill signed by President Biden on December 29, the legislation includes a variety of provisions, including the expansion of automatic enrollment in 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Fortuitously, SECURE 2.0 measures related to auto portability come shortly after the launch of an industry initiative to make auto portability—a technology solution that can operate in tandem with auto enrollment to optimize plan participants’ retirement outcomes—much more accessible to plan sponsors across the country.

Last year at this time, our firm predicted that 2022 would be a pivotal year for retirement savings portability. It turns out we were right, but we confess to being pleasantly surprised at just how consequential (and positive) the year has been, and it’s not over yet.

Here’s a rundown of key events during 2022 that have helped to positively shape the future of retirement savings portability:

For defined contribution recordkeepers, competition has long been fierce, so it’s extraordinary when industry rivals join forces and align around a common cause.

That alignment around auto portability, embodied in the newly launched Portability Services Network (PSN), was on full display in a 12/8/22 Groom Law Group webinar. The event featured representatives from retirement industry titans and founding PSN members Alight Solutions, Fidelity Investments and the Vanguard Group, joined by Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH).

At a time when terms like “inflation,” “gas prices,” “recession,” and “volatility” dominate chatter about the U.S. economy, plan sponsors and recordkeepers are likely fielding questions and concerns from participants. Every dollar counts when saving for a financially secure retirement, especially with the present volatility in the financial markets. But while investment fund options, asset classes, and fees are important for helping participants weather inflation and save more, there is another way that sponsors and recordkeepers can help participants protect, and increase, their retirement savings in the New Year—facilitate portability.