John Sullivan

The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has completed its review of the Retirement Security Rule, and it is expected to be released by the Department of Labor (DOL) by the end of the month, according to reliable sources. The OMB concluded its review and removed the rule from its... READ MORE

The American Retirement Association (ARA) and sustainable markets advocacy organization Ceres have filed an amicus brief in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It supports the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) rule “that ensures retirement plan fiduciaries, including 401(k) sponsors, can consider... READ MORE

It’s the latest iteration of the auto revolution (enrollment, escalation, portability). While not directly related to 401(k)s, an idea for automatic adjustments involves retirement income—specifically, Social Security. Alicia Munnell and William Arnone, two familiar names in retirement plan... READ MORE

It’s been several years since the pandemic began, and its impact is still felt, as many Americans now opt for a non-traditional approach to retirement. According to Fidelity Investments, 66% of respondents say the pandemic made them more “intentional” about focusing on their personal passions and... READ MORE

It wasn’t high costs or 401(k)s—necessarily—that ended the corporate pension plan’s reign, but rather ERISA itself. A recent paper from John Langbein, Yale Law School’s Sterling Professor Emeritus of Law and Legal History, argued that the 1974 landmark law’s structure made defined benefit (DB)... READ MORE

[Updated: On Friday morning, the House passed H.R. 2799, Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023, the larger bill that included the CITs in 403(b)s amendment, on a party line vote of 212 - 205. The bill will now go to the Senate. A quote from ARA CEO Brian Graff is added below.] On March 7, the... READ MORE

On Feb. 20, the American Retirement Association (ARA) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that addressed technical issues affecting certain SECURE 2.0 provisions. It noted a few that are of particular relevance to retirement plan sponsors and advisors.  More specifically, the ARA... READ MORE

Minnesota Democratic Representative Angie Craig has reintroduced legislation that would eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors. The bill would extend full benefits for two decades and reduce the federal debt by a substantial amount, according to the analysis it cited.... READ MORE

The benefits of delaying Social Security benefits are by now generally accepted. While not appropriate for everyone, waiting to age 70 (the maximum age allowed) means a 24% increase in benefits versus claiming at age 67 (full retirement age). Add in the fact that benefits are inflation-linked and... READ MORE