Moderators: Christine van Staden, regional vice-president, group customer; and George Ng, senior account executive, group customer, at Great-West Life Assurance Co. Canada is an increasingly diverse country. Canadians live across six time zones, comprise four workplace generations (traditionalists, baby boomers, generation Xers and millennials) and include more than 200 ethnic origins. The number of speakers […]
Moderators: Erica Hall, assistant vice-president for client relations, group retirement solutions; and Sharon Seifried, national vice-president for corporate accounts, group retirement solutions, at Manulife Financial Corp. While a significant portion of Canadians are in poor financial health, most don’t like to talk about money, particularly those with challenges in the area. As a result, addressing […]
Moderators: Mazen Shakeel, vice-president of market development, group retirement services; and Jean-François Pelletier, regional vice-president for group retirement services, Quebec, at Sun Life Financial The defined contribution pension plan industry is operating in a shifting economic environment. Expectations related to future returns are falling, and plan members are living longer. Focusing exclusively on improving net returns […]
For any pension plan administrator looking for guidance around governance responsibilities, look no further than the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities’ guideline No. 4. The guideline, which was originally published in 2004, offers a principles-based approach, recognizing there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to governance and leaving implementation up to the plan administrator. The guideline and its accompanying […]
Common Wealth is teaming up with James Evans and Associates Ltd. to support the former’s retirement plans with member-focused, self-service plan administration and record-keeping technology. JEA’s technology allows employers with capital accumulation plans to access certain customization tools, including plan design, branding, communication and education for members. It also incorporates features like default investment choices and auto-escalation. Read: Nest Wealth launches group […]
With studies suggesting some gaps in financial literacy among millennials, a panel at the 2018 Benefits and Pension Summit will tackle ways of educating and reaching younger plan members. Shannon Lee Simmons, founder of the New School of Finance and a member of the panel at the April 17 event at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto, says a lot of […]
With markets showing signs of potential extreme volatility in recent weeks, how can employers address the many questions that arise from pension plan members? When speaking to members, consultants usually emphasize advice on asset allocation based on age and risk tolerance. Many members aren’t honest in their responses, often overstating their tolerance for risk because markets are typically on the rise. […]
In order to understand how much to save, the starting point should be determining a retirement budget. Not only will such an exercise help employees better plan for the future, it may well give them a greater understanding of and appreciation for their employer-sponsored savings program and improve their financial wellness. More accurate retirement planning Even […]
Plan sponsors, their members and record keepers have divergent views about the top priorities when it comes to their defined contribution pensions, according to a new report by global consulting firm Cerulli Associates. The research, which collected data from surveys of American 401(k) plan sponsors, their members and record keepers, found 27 per cent of plan sponsor respondents cited […]
The majority (86 per cent) of Canadian women have at least one challenge when it comes to finances and investment, according to a new survey by the Financial Planning Standards Council. Published to coincide with International Women’s Day, the survey found 38 per cent of respondents admit they know very little about finance and investment. And […]