The modern economy is highly uncertain, with inflation and rising interest rates cutting into bottom lines everywhere. Employers are nervous as the cost of capital and the cost of their inputs seems to rise every day. But employees are nervous, too. And since no one knows when inflation will end, it’s difficult for anyone to […]
Dynamic pension pools can have a significant and positive impact on retirement outcomes if they’re supported by the appropriate legislative changes, said Barbara Sanders, associate professor in statistics and actuarial science at Simon Fraser University, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC Plan Summit. The University of British Columbia has a dynamic pension pool […]
While defined contribution pension plan sponsors are focusing on providing members with information, education and guidance to ensure they’re ready for retirement, advice is becoming more holistic and covering a financial wellness continuum, said Jennifer Katzsch, regional vice-president for Western Canada, group retirement savings at Desjardins Insurance, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 DC […]
U.S. employers offering 403(b) retirement plans will benefit from access to collective investment trusts, according to a report by the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. It noted the latest version of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act passed the House in March and, if it passes through the Senate with language that allows institutional 403(b) […]
Just 0.9 per cent of 35 million U.S. defined contribution pension plan members ceased making contributions during the first quarter of 2022, according to a report by the Investment Company Institute. While this percentage was slightly higher than in the first quarter of 2021 (0.8 per cent), it was a substantial drop from 2020 (1.4 […]
More workers may soon be able to stake some of their 401(k) retirement savings to Bitcoin, as cryptocurrencies crack even deeper into the mainstream. Retirement giant Fidelity Investments Inc. has launched a way for employees to put some of their 401(k) savings and contributions — potentially up to 20 per cent — directly in Bitcoin, […]
More than half (61 per cent) of U.S. employees nearing retirement age believe low interest rates combined with rising inflation will make it difficult to create a retirement income stream that will last their lifetimes, according to a new survey by Global Atlantic Financial Group. It also found a quarter (24 per cent) of survey […]
As the default funds in defined contribution plans evolve, two experts weigh in on the merits of more customized options. Olivia S. Mitchell, professor and director of the Pension Research Council at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Although DC plan sponsors are legally responsible for selecting and overseeing the investment options offered […]
Canadian Forest Products Ltd.’s new financial wellness program may have originated as the brainchild of its defined contribution pension plan committee, but it’s just as applicable to its defined benefit plan members — and the organization chose to roll it out for all employees. When you have broad financial wellness topics, it’s fine, but when […]
Defined contribution plan sponsors must carefully consider diversification and risk as they evaluate their target-date fund strategy to ensure it’s meeting the needs of members. But while these terms are commonly used in the industry, they can take on different meanings when it comes to target-date funds, said Ruthann Pritchard, institutional portfolio manager of global […]