Ted Godbout

Younger Workers Face More Financial Stress Than Boomers Did at Their Age

By Ted Godbout 1/4/2022

Amid rising student loan debt and a changing retirement landscape, today’s early- and mid-career employees’ financial picture looks markedly different compared with prior generations, according to a new study by EBRI. When considering the financial picture of mid-career professionals, EBRI finds... READ MORE

5 Questions for DC Plan Sponsors Heading into 2022

By Ted Godbout 12/30/2021

Looking ahead to next year, there are a number of evolving issues and threats that defined contribution plan sponsors need to be prepared for, a new white paper suggests. “As we turn our sights to 2022, the memories of the last two years serve as motivation to focus our efforts on continued... READ MORE

Is the EBSA Nominee Doomed?

By Ted Godbout 12/29/2021

Despite advancing through the Senate committee process in early December, the nominee to lead the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) may be in jeopardy. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the nomination of Lisa Gomez to serve as Assistant... READ MORE

Views of the Pandemic Differ Among Retirees, Pre-Retirees

By Ted Godbout 12/29/2021

Findings from the Society of Actuaries’ latest biennial survey examining the retirement risks by those nearing retirement and those already retired reveals significant differences in how the pandemic affected the two groups. “The impact of this crisis is complicated because while it caused... READ MORE

Rising Inflation Viewed as Biggest Threat to Retirement in 2022

By Ted Godbout 12/28/2021

While Americans worried most about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, they now see rising inflation as the biggest risk to their retirement plans. According to Allianz Life’s annual New Year’s Resolutions Study, nearly half (48%) of respondents identified the pandemic as the most... READ MORE

Institutional Investors Confident About 2022 Growth Prospects

By Ted Godbout 12/28/2021

Institutional investors are expressing confidence in the projected market conditions of 2022, but they also think individual investors are carelessly speculating on high-risk investments. In fact, nearly half of institutional investors expect economic growth to return to pre-COVID levels in 2022... READ MORE

DOL Clarifies Guidance on Private Equity in 401(k) Plans

By Ted Godbout 12/22/2021

A supplemental statement released by the Department of Labor cautions that private equity investments in participant-directed retirement savings plans may not be appropriate in certain cases. In the Dec. 21 statement from the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the department... READ MORE

Is the Office as We Know it a Thing of the Past?

By Ted Godbout 12/17/2021

As many workplaces remain virtual ghost towns, new survey results shed some light on what’s discouraging staff from coming into the office. Spoiler alert: it’s not necessarily COVID-related. In a recent study, many employees said they are working from home because of the greater work-life balance... READ MORE

Why Plan Sponsors Must Address Cybersecurity Now

By Ted Godbout 12/17/2021

With cybersecurity threats getting increasingly sophisticated and costly, plan sponsors can no longer afford to wait to address the threats to their retirement plans. In a Dec. 16 webinar by the Plan Sponsor Council of America, Daniel Aronowitz, Managing Principal with Euclid Fiduciary, and... READ MORE

Plan Sponsors Want DC Specialists with Broad Expertise

By Ted Godbout 12/15/2021

While plan sponsors and DC specialists continue to share views on many aspects of plan support and service, a new survey finds that DC specialists have an opportunity to further demonstrate the value they provide. According to the third edition of Voya Investment Management’s survey of plan... READ MORE

Bipartisan Disaster Retirement Savings Act Introduced

By Ted Godbout 12/10/2021

Legislation supported by the American Retirement Association that would make permanent retirement plan tax relief measures following a presidentially declared disaster was introduced Dec. 9. The bipartisan Disaster Retirement Savings Act, introduced by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Mike Kelly (R... READ MORE

Reevaluating Workplace Financial Benefits Priorities for 2022

By Ted Godbout 12/10/2021

With the pandemic leading many employees to focus more on workplace financial benefits, a new study finds that nearly all HR executives are placing a priority on reevaluating such benefits for 2022. Findings from Morgan Stanley at Work’s inaugural State of the Workplace Financial Benefits Study... READ MORE

TCRS Study Suggests Substantial Retirement Risks Remain

By Ted Godbout 12/9/2021

While most U.S. workers say they are saving for retirement through employer-sponsored plans or other means, a much smaller percentage say they are “very confident” they will be able to retire fully and comfortably. According to the 320-page Compendium of Findings About the Retirement Outlook of U.... READ MORE

Many Workers Saving More Now Than Before the Pandemic

By Ted Godbout 12/9/2021

Despite many Americans admitting that they are behind schedule on saving for retirement, many also say they have been saving as much or more since the pandemic began. According to a Bankrate survey of 2,225 American adults conducted from Oct. 20-22, 2021, nearly 63% of workers report that they... READ MORE

Market Volatility Fails to Provoke Participant Trading

By Ted Godbout 12/8/2021

Notwithstanding market volatility and concerns about rising inflation and the Omicron variant, November apparently was another light trading month for 401(k) investors. On average, net daily trading activity was 0.009% of 401(k) balances and there were no days of above-normal activity, according... READ MORE

Townsend Outlines DOL’s Retirement Priorities

By Ted Godbout 12/7/2021

Developing solutions for more Americans to have lifetime income options within their retirement plans is one of the Department of Labor’s key priorities for the coming year, according to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. As a keynote speaker at the opening of EBRI’s Winter Policy Forum, Townsend, who... READ MORE

Total Expenses for Institutional Investors Falling

By Ted Godbout 12/3/2021

Total expenses for institutional investors have fallen 5% since 2015, according to Callan’s 2021 Cost of Doing Business Survey, marking the first decrease in the history of the survey. Institutional investors paid an average of 54.2 basis points for total fund expenses, with the vast majority of... READ MORE

Biden Nominee to Lead EBSA Advances in Senate

By Ted Godbout 12/3/2021

President Biden’s nominee to lead the Employee Benefits Security Administration has moved one step closer to being confirmed. Lisa Gomez, who was nominated by Biden in July to serve as Assistant Secretary for EBSA at the Department of Labor, was approved Dec. 2 by the Senate Health, Education,... READ MORE

Should a 4% Withdrawal Rate Still Be the Rule of Thumb?

By Ted Godbout 11/29/2021

While 4% generally has been considered a safe withdrawal rate for retirees for the better part of the last three decades, a new paper by Morningstar argues that, given current conditions, the rate should be lowered. In The State of Retirement Income: Safe Withdrawals Rates by Morningstar’s... READ MORE

3 Themes Shaping the 2022 Retirement Landscape

By Ted Godbout 11/29/2021

In its inaugural U.S. Retirement Market Outlook, T. Rowe Price offers insights on the major themes professionals at the firm expect to shape the retirement landscape in 2022. According to the paper, given the impact of the significant global events over the past two years, the three themes that... READ MORE

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