The Markets

An executive with MetLife urges plan sponsors and advisers to avoid talking about annuities “as if they were an investment option … they aren’t really an investment.”

Roughly one-third of those who report having spent a significant portion of a retirement plan lump sum distribution taken from either a DC or DB plan say they...

An increase in the number of TDF providers has been a positive development for investors, as it has led to lower fees and more product choices, according to...

Canadian pensions do a good job of keeping costs down, diversifying and using alternative investments.

Who qualifies, and how much can be borrowed?

However, one significant barrier remains: the lack of transparent, standardized and quality data.

Higher interest rates, changes in collateral used and other trends can result in higher revenues for institutional investors, such as DB plan sponsors.

Serving governmental retirement plans is viewed as attractive by many providers, simply due to the sheer size and stability of the clientele, but one ERISA attorney warns there...

The IRS prohibits DB plans from paying lump sums to in-pay retirees and beneficiaries,” but many terminated vested participants will view lump sums as attractive.”

Investors had previously shown more interest in government funds due to money market fund regulation.

New research suggests that total retirement assets in CITs have grown rapidly in the last few years and potential advantages can be very appealing for plan sponsors.

The 2017 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Guide to Retirement has been released, offering the firm’s updated take on the capital markets and the latest in personal financial planning. 

Investing in a Roth versus a traditional IRA effectively raises the limit on what one can save, leading to materially greater wealth in retirement in the vast majority...

Product development and participant demands may open a wider door for retirement income solutions in the DC space, according to new research by Cerulli Associates.

Across both DB and DC plans, retirement assets total $19.1 trillion, according to data from a Federal Reserve report on total retirement asset holdings and flows.

The investment firm says that employee stock purchase programs (ESPPs) can significantly boost workers’ savings.

Aon Hewitt finds that trading among investors in DC plans during February was the lowest it has been in months.

Research from Cerulli Associates warns consumers broadly do not understand liquid alternative investments—what they are made of or how they are supposed to function. 

Analysts suggest infrastructure investments already have been doing fairly well in recent years despite heightened market volatility. 

Investors added $96 billion to the portfolios, giving Vanguard a 34% market share.