Investment Products and Services Launches
Putnam Announces New Pricing for TDFs; First Trust to Launch AI and Robotics ETF; and Vanguard Launches Factor-Based ETFs.
News
California Lawmaker Pushes for State DC Plan Option
A new bill in the California legislature would offer new state employees a 401(k)-style plan in which their own contributions would be fully matched by the state.
Institutional Investors Had Diversified in Anticipation of Volatility
Turning to opportunistic allocations and alternative investments, they expect average returns of 7.2% this year, Natixis found in a survey.
Fidelity Stable Value Fund Suit Gets Final Dismissal From Appellate Court
The court said the plaintiffs claim that Fidelity agreed to overly conservative investment guidelines in a failed effort to lock up all wrap coverage so that its competitors...
DC Plan Investors Stayed the Course in the First Nine Months of 2017
Only 2.4% discontinued contributions, a mere 2.8% took withdrawals and just 1.3% took hardship withdrawals, ICI data show
SEC Extends Deadline for Open-End Fund Liquidity Classification
However, the deadlines for creating a liquidity risk management program and to limit illiquid investments to 15% of a fund’s portfolio remain unchanged: December 1, 2018, for larger...
Institutional ESG Investing Can Bring Tough Reporting Questions
Highlights from a new Natixis survey suggest reporting challenges continue to rank as top hurdle for institutions implementing ESG programs; this includes the concern that public companies may...
LPL Researchers Perspectives on Managing Interest Rate Risks
According to the researchers, sector diversification and yield curve positioning can help investors during rising-rate periods.
DISRUPTION: Driving Down Plan Costs a Clear Focus for FixedFee401k
Our series of exclusive articles featuring retirement industry “disruptors” continues with another growing provider in the small- and mid-market, promising 50% lower costs than the traditional competition through...
Concerns About Retirement Health Care Costs Increasing Interest in HSAs
However, only 8% of respondent to a ConnectYourCare survey are seeking advice about how much to contribute to a tax-advantaged health savings account.
BofA Merrill Lynch Participant Website Relaunch Reflects Wellness Trends
The redesigned plan participant portal is based on insights gained from working with more than 5 million workers across the U.S., according to the firm.
2018 PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Finalists Announced
PLANADVISER is pleased to announce the finalists for the annual PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year awards.
Voya Introduces Chinese Version of Its Name
The firm also launched a three-month advertising campaign to help build brand awareness in the Asian-American community, and has a Mandarin page on its website.
401k Averages Book Expanded to Include Plans With Larger Participant Balances
The book continues to show that plans with higher average account balances pay lower total fees.
Help DB Clients Stay Realistic About Mortality Assumptions
“It is important for actuaries for all types of pension plans, including those who work with multiemployer and public-sector plans, not to reverse expectations for mortality improvement in...
By Cutting Back, Current Retirees Navigate Financial Shocks
Some of today’s retirees are financially fragile, but most appear able to absorb financial shocks without incurring severe hardship; this may very well change in a DC plan-dominated...
Participant Fails to Show Harm in Retirement Plans Acquisition
After the plaintiff’s employment at Siemens concluded, Siemens sold one of its business divisions to Sivantos, Inc., and as part of the sale, Siemens transferred to Sivantos the...
Retirees Who Own an Annuity Are More Confident
The study also found that 56% of retirees who work with an adviser own an annuity, compared to 28% of retirees who do not work with an adviser.
Fee, Share Class Shifts at Schwab and Putnam Reflect Vigorous DCIO Competition
Recent interviews with product development executives at Putnam and Charles Schwab show the aggressive steps brand name providers are taking to keep their edge in a highly competitive...
Mass. State Securities Market Enforcers Target Scottrade for Sales Contests
The enforcement arm of the Massachusetts Securities Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth alleges that Scotttrade violated the Massachusetts Uniform Securities Act and related...