The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019, passed by the House of Representatives on May 23, has the potential to make a positive impact on Americans’ retirement readiness. One of the bill’s key provisions involves removing restrictions on open multiple employer plans (MEPs), which would make it less costly for small businesses to offer retirement savings plans to employees.

Cashout leakage, a long-standing problem in America’s defined contribution system, is a silent crisis that unnecessarily robs millions of Americans of a comfortable, timely or secure retirement.  Plagued by misunderstanding and neglect, it’s vitally important to understand the problem and to take decisive action to curb it.

The first of a five-part series, this article addresses the fundamentals of cashout leakage.

In this series, I identify five key reasons why an auto portability program serves the best interests of plan participants.

Previously:   In Part 1, I examined the dramatically improved participant outcomes that will result from a program of auto portability.  In Part 2, I described how auto portability, by enhancing and extending automatic rollover programs, represents an enhanced standard of participant care.  In Part 3, I presented evidence that the adoption of auto portability could lead to a reduction in plan expenses.  In Part 4, I addressed how auto portability could enhance 401(k) participants’ financial wellness.

In part 5, my final installment of the series, I explain how auto portability can mitigate retirement-related cybersecurity risks.

In this five-part series, I identify five key reasons why an auto portability program serves the best interests of plan participants.

Previously:

• In Part 1, I examined the dramatically improved participant outcomes that will result from a program of auto portability.
• In Part 2, I described how auto portability, by enhancing and extending automatic rollover programs, represents an enhanced standard of participant care.
• In Part 3, I presented evidence that the adoption of auto portability could lead to a reduction in plan expenses. 

In Part 4, I address how auto portability could enhance 401(k) participants’ financial wellness.

When evaluating their defined contribution plans, plan sponsors understandably look at standard benchmarks such as rate of participation, average deferral percentage, and average account balance. However, given the highly mobile nature of today’s American workforce, sponsors should also consider tracking the average percentage of retirement savings that participants retain during their job tenure, and when they leave to join another employer.

On April 16^th, as part of their Strategic Issues Webinar Series, the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute delivered the webinar Regulatory and Legislative Trends Impacting the U.S. Retirement System.  The LIMRA webinar featured presenter Michael Kreps, Principal, Groom Law Group, and was moderated by Judy Zaiken, Corporate Vice President, LIMRA.

On April 10th, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) featured the webinar EBriefing: Trends in Employee Tenure, showcasing the latest EBRI research examining broad employee tenure trends over time, and the impact that shorter tenure can have on retirement savings.

The webinar’s presenters included Craig Copeland, Senior Research Associate, EBRI and Spencer Williams, President & CEO, Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH), and was moderated by Stacy Schaus, Founder & CEO, Schaus Group LLC.

On Earth Day 2019, as we focus on creating a sustainable and eco-friendly environment, it's worth considering how the application of similar principles would benefit our retirement system.  America’s 401(k) system is unsustainable – urgently requiring an upgrade to effectively deliver on its intended goal – helping millions of Americans enjoy a timely and comfortable retirement.  The good news is that we're beginning to see important signs of action that could ultimately address the problem.

 

In this five-part series, I identify five key reasons why an auto portability program serves the best interests of plan participants.

Previously:

• In Part 1, I examined the dramatically improved participant outcomes that will result from a program of auto portability.
• In Part 2, I described how auto portability, by enhancing and extending automatic rollover programs, represents an enhanced standard of participant care.

In Part 3, I present evidence that the adoption of auto portability could lead to a reduction in plan expenses.

All companies that manage personal consumer data, regardless of where they are based or what industry they are part of, are right to be concerned about cybersecurity. The scope and scale of cyberattacks continue to increase around the world, as last year’s breach compromising 50 million Facebook users demonstrated.