John Iekel

By John Iekel 6/12/2017

It’s heeeeere. But for many practitioners, practices and firms that read the tea leaves, the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule has been a reality for a while and already has shaped what they do and how they do it.At a recent session of the SPARK Institute’s Retirement Industry Conference held at... READ MORE

What Color Is the Retirement Mood Ring?

By John Iekel 6/8/2017

If you’re of a certain age, you may remember mood rings, the once-trendy jewelry whose gem changed color depending on one’s mood. So what color is the retirement readiness mood ring? Violet (happy), gray (anxious) or amber (nervous)? Recent studies and insights give us answers as varied as the... READ MORE

Hurricane Season: Even Plans Can Prepare

By John Iekel 6/8/2017

While there are no tropical systems anywhere near the U.S. yet, the official hurricane season has just begun (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it starts June 1). So it can be helpful to review ways that plan sponsors and their service providers can prepare… just in case.The... READ MORE

Private Real Estate, Recordkeeping and DC Plans

By John Iekel 6/6/2017

In “Gone with the Wind,” Scarlett O’Hara draws solace from the security of land. She made plenty of questionable choices, but a recent panel discussion on recordkeeping less liquid investments suggests that maybe she was on to something, at least in that regard.At a June 2 session of the 2017 SPARK... READ MORE

SEC Chair Accepts DOL Invite on Standards of Conduct

By John Iekel 6/6/2017

Newly minted Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton in a recent public comment said he welcomes the Department of Labor’s (DOL) invitation to take a look at the standards of conduct that are at the core of the DOL’s fiduciary rule.Clayton noted that although the DOL fiduciary rule... READ MORE

High Court Unanimous: Church-Affiliated Plans Exempt from ERISA

By John Iekel 6/5/2017

There’s strength in numbers, and there are no greater numbers than unanimous ones when it comes to the U.S. Supreme Court. And that is how the Court ruled in a decision it handed down June 5 that says that religiously affiliated non-profits’ plans are exempt from ERISA even if they were not... READ MORE

Coverage Vacuum + State Plans = Opportunity

By John Iekel 6/5/2017

That may seem an odd equation. And yet, a speaker at a recent retirement industry conference argues exactly that.A handful of states have put in place plans intended to help make sure that retirement plan coverage and participation expands. But the fact that states are acting to fill the coverage... READ MORE

School Daze: Increasing Employee Grasp of Retirement Prep

By John Iekel 5/22/2017

Are your participants dazed and confused about retirement planning and its importance? If so, studies suggest they may not be alone. But recent blog entries offer a way to dispel the fog.On PenChecks’ blog, Carol Buckmann makes the case for increasing participants’ grasp of retirement plans and... READ MORE

The Nuts and Bolts of Choosing a Lump Sum

By John Iekel 5/19/2017

Choosing between a lump sum and regular, smaller payments over a long period is only the beginning. There are many other moving parts to the process, and many important considerations.An Informed Choice?MetLife in “Paycheck or Pot of Gold Study: Making Workplace Retirement Savings Last,” Showed... READ MORE

Social Security, Individual Accounts: Retirement Bread and Butter

By John Iekel 5/19/2017

The number of workers participating in the Social Security system has risen, as has the number of people receiving benefits. But while the importance of Social Security has increased, say recent reports, individual retirement accounts figure very prominently as well.Social SecurityEighty years... READ MORE

PBGC Premiums: Faux Budget Padding?

By John Iekel 5/17/2017

Premiums paid to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) are an important concern for DB plans, their administrators and their sponsors. And an increasing concern at that, since they grow and grow. But there are questions regarding what exactly that money is going toward.In Findley Davies’... READ MORE

Lump Sum Payments: Why?

By John Iekel 5/15/2017

Why would an individual opt to receive a lump sum payment? Some experts offer their insights.The entire matter, MetLife says in its recent study, “Paycheck or Pot of Gold Study: Making Workplace Retirement Savings Last,” is a relatively new phenomenon. The study points out that defined benefit... READ MORE

Bundled or Unbundled?

By John Iekel 5/15/2017

FRA PlanTools CEO and Managing Director David Witz recently surveyed third party administrator (TPA) clients as well as professionals who once were part of TPAs regarding why one may want to work with a TPA. Some mentioned bundled providers, and discussed the plusses and minuses they entail.What’s... READ MORE

PBGC Solvency Improves in 2016

By John Iekel 5/11/2017

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the agency created to address the problem of insolvent pension plans, has had solvency problems of its own. But its condition improved somewhat in 2016, according to new data.The PBGC has released data concerning its assets, liabilities premiums and... READ MORE

Oregon Will Pursue State Plan Despite Impending Safe Harbor Repeal

By John Iekel 5/5/2017

Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read has expressed determination to continue pursuing OregonSaves, the state-run auto-IRA program for private sector workers, regardless of the U.S. Senate’s May 3 passage of H.J. Res. 66, a measure that — if President Trump signs the measure, which he is expected to do —... READ MORE

Spirit if Not the Letter?

By John Iekel 5/5/2017

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule has been bouncing around official Washington for more than a decade. And despite that span of time, it’s still unclear what the ultimate fate of the rule will be. But that may not matter — the spirit of the rule already may be taking hold, argues a... READ MORE

Social Security Benefits and Private Annuities: Compare and Contrast

By John Iekel 5/3/2017

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released an issue paper that examines the similarities and differences between Social Security retirement benefits and annuities, and the factors that determine how much lifetime retirement income an individual would receive.In “Social Security... READ MORE

Reporting and Disclosure by Public Pension Systems

By John Iekel 5/1/2017

Reporting and disclosure are functions all pension systems must perform, and public systems are no exception. So how are they doing? A recent study takes a look.“Pension Reporting and Disclosure: The Current State of Practice and Examples of What Works Well” takes a look at how major pension... READ MORE

Are Millennials Caffeinating Their Retirement Savings?

By John Iekel 4/26/2017

It’s tempting to believe the report that Millennials spend more on coffee than they save for their eventual retirement. Especially if one has even one eye open at Starbucks. But a recent analysis challenges what seems to be conventional wisdom.In “Fake News Fact Check: Do Millennials Spend More on... READ MORE

Former Senator Urges Caution in How Tax Reform Treats Retirement Plans

By John Iekel 4/7/2017

“I would encourage caution among policymakers when considering dramatic changes to retirement policy for tax policy purposes,” former Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) told the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs’ Subcommittee on Economic Policy on April 5.“As tax reform discussions... READ MORE

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