Skip to main content

You are here

Ted Godbout

A steady stream of trades in one direction made for the heaviest quarter of net trading since the third quarter of 2016, according to the Alight Solutions 401(k) Index. The firm’s second-quarter observations show that net transfers for the quarter were 0.61% of balances, compared to 0.50% for the... READ MORE
A new multinational survey finds that retirement benefits are considered a top factor among individuals when deciding on a job offer, and a separate multinational survey contends a company’s workplace culture is just as important.   Survey results from Accenture covering 5,000 employees across 10... READ MORE
  Patrick Pizzella, the current Deputy Secretary of the Department of Labor, will take over as the Acting Labor Secretary in the wake of Alexander Acosta’s July 12 resignation.   Pizzella, who has served as the Deputy Secretary since April 2018, will likely serve as the Acting Secretary until a... READ MORE
Most DC plan sponsors feel a high level of responsibility for participants’ financial wellness, but a new survey finds that many are not taking proactive measures to position them for success.   J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s fourth biennial survey of U.S. defined contribution plan sponsors finds... READ MORE
One strategy that’s often recommended to increase plan contributions in plans without automatic enrollment is to “stretch the match,” but a recent study suggests that may not achieve the desired results. When plan sponsors stretch the match, they apply an existing dollar match to a higher... READ MORE
The so-called Butch Lewis Act to address funding problems facing multiemployer pension plans continues to work its way through the legislative labyrinth, with a second House committee approving the legislation in recent weeks.    In what at times was a hotly debated markup session, on July 10 the... READ MORE
Paying their children’s expenses while caring for their parents, Gen X families are facing a precarious financial situation as they close in on retirement, a new report explains.   The study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), which examines key financial indicators of Gen X... READ MORE
Financial wellness programs are more effective if they are accompanied by programs that address physical wellness as well as programs that educate participants and motivate them to take action, say recent studies. Wedding of Financial and Physical Wellness In what the firm suggests adds to the... READ MORE
More than 20 years after the last such overhaul, on July 1 President Trump signed into law bipartisan legislation to revamp the Internal Revenue Service. The newly enacted Taxpayer First Act of 2019 (H.R. 3151) overhauls the IRS’ operations and tax administration systems and implements new taxpayer... READ MORE
New reports indicate that retirement assets and investment options are growing, and that Americans are feeling optimistic and yet also overwhelmed about finances. Retirement Assets Grow Since the end of last year, total U.S. retirement assets were up 7.4%, reaching $29.1 trillion at the end of... READ MORE
While it’s not precisely robbing Peter to pay Paul, a new legislative proposal purports to pay off all student loan debt – with proceeds from a tax that will hit retirement savings. First touted as an effort to limit speculative trading, the so-called financial transaction tax is now being... READ MORE
Ever wonder what would happen in a world without defined contribution plans? Or a world in which everyone had one? A new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute examines what impact these scenarios would have on retirement income adequacy. In recent years, various policy proposals have... READ MORE
The House Ways & Means Committee has voted to extend a vast array of individual and corporate tax provisions, including special disaster-related rules for use of retirement funds. Disaster Relief Assistance The Committee late June 20 approved the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act... READ MORE
Not wasting any time, the Garden State has announced that it will hold a July 17 hearing in connection with its proposed new fiduciary standards. According to an announcement in the New Jersey Register, the Bureau of Securities also simultaneously announced that it is extending the comment period... READ MORE
Consistent with prior input from the American Retirement Association, New Jersey correctly excluded ERISA plan fiduciaries from the application of its proposed new fiduciary standards. In a June 14 comment letter, the ARA – parent organization of the ASPPA/NTSA – expressed support for the proposed... READ MORE
A new study suggests that employers that focus on the financial well-being of their workers have a significant opportunity to improve employees’ financial health, while also benefiting their business.   Conducted by the Financial Health Network on behalf of Morgan Stanley at Work, the survey of 1,... READ MORE
An annual bellwether report on corporate retirement plans finds that the retirement readiness for participants in those plans is brighter due to plan design enhancements and adoption of prudent investing practices.  In fact, the usage of automatic enrollment has tripled since year-end 2007 and has... READ MORE
Following a contentious markup session, a key House Committee approved legislation on June 11 that would address the funding problems facing multiemployer pension plans.  The House Education & Labor Committee’s approval of an amended version of the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act... READ MORE
Following House passage of the bipartisan SECURE Act last month, it looked like the legislation was headed for quick enactment. Since then, however, the realities of the Senate’s legislative process appear to have taken over.    A quick recap from where we last left off: On May 23, the House... READ MORE
A large majority of individuals say they are comfortable financially, but many also report that they are struggling to save for retirement, according to the Federal Reserve Board. It its latest “Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households,” the Fed found that most measures of economic... READ MORE

Pages