Q & A from a former practicing ERISA attorney Q: Do we need to adopt a loan policy? A: It is a plan/legal determination as to whether a separate loan policy is required. However, the following loan provisions should be documented: 1.The identity of the person authorized to administer the participant program; 2.The procedure for applying for loans; 3.The standards…read more →
Q & A from a former practicing ERISA attorney Welcome to our new question and answer feature. Periodically we will be posting a Q&A segment that will feature plan sponsor questions by former practicing ERISA attorney Joel Shapiro. Q: Should I distribute the Fiduciary Investment Review to plan participants? A: I appreciate your desire to provide detailed information to your…read more →
Are You Prepared for an IRS Audit? By Marcie Carroll The Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS’s) Employee Benefit Audit Program is used to audit and enforce. The IRS’s emphasis, with respect to defined contribution plans is on compliance with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code), the plan’s tax qualification and administration of all plan documents. In the event…read more →
Evaluating Your Plan and Fees? Think More, Not Less By Marcie Carroll Should you reduce your plan’s fees to better serve participants? Many vocal experts speaking on behalf of investors and participants say “yes” – unequivocally. But what about the investors and participants themselves? What do they say? Invesco Consulting teamed up with language experts Maslansky + partners to get…read more →
Financial Wellness Weekly Financial Wellness Weekly by Marcie Carroll – Carroll Consultants, Ltd. By Marcie Carroll Read paper Monday, May. 14, 2018 Delivering meaningful financial wellness to employees www.benefitnews.com – Shared by Bruce Moss Employees want to improve their financial literacy and reduce the stress that they experience due to personal financial issues. Employers know that they have the ability…read more →
Financial Wellness Weekly Financial Wellness Weekly by Marcie Carroll – Carroll Consultants, Ltd. By Marcie Carroll Read paper Monday, May. 7, 2018 Common Risks That Can Ruin Your Retirement www.investopedia.com – Shared by Tiffany Thomas The most careful plans and preparation for retirement can fall apart due to any number of things: an unexpected death, lengthy illness, a stock market…read more →
Have You Conducted a Fee Equalization/Levelization? By Marcie Carroll Fees in defined contribution (DC) plans can be complicated. Historically, fees have not been fully and simply disclosed, but the industry is changing towards greater and more understandable disclosure. Simply put, there are two basic types of fees: administrative and investment-related. The investment-related fees are deducted from earnings on participant accounts…read more →
Financial Wellness Weekly Financial Wellness Weekly by Marcie Carroll – Carroll Consultants, Ltd. By Marcie Carroll Read paper Monday, Apr. 23, 2018 Spring Steps to Measure Your Financial Wellness – Pregame Magazine www.pregamemagazine.com – Shared by Ciara Pressler Happy Spring! It’s the season of transitions, renewal, hope, and growth; it’s also the season of makeovers, de-cluttering, and getting back to…read more →
Financial Wellness Weekly Financial Wellness Weekly by Marcie Carroll – Carroll Consultants, Ltd. By Marcie Carroll Read paper Monday, Apr. 16, 2018 Survey Finds 42% of Americans Will Retire Broke — Here’s Why www.gobankingrates.com – Shared by CNBC The tide might be turning when it comes to retirement savings in America. For the third year in a row, GOBankingRates surveyed…read more →
S&P 500 -0.76% Dow Jones 30 -1.96 % NASDAQ 2.59% MSCI EAFE -1.41% Unlike much of 2017, the first quarter of 2018 saw the reintroduction of volatility into the equity markets. While periodic bouts of volatility are not uncommon in financial markets, after having enjoyed many months positive, low volatility returns, the sudden and abrupt moves that we saw in…read more →