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401k consolidation blog posts
The Triple Crown to Unlock Retirement Security for All
In his 8/15/25 Consolidation Corner blog post, RCH’s Tom Hawkins writes about the “Triple Crown” of retirement security – three retirement savings public policy initiatives that are “poised to finally close” the retirement savings wealth gap. Each of the three initiatives – Auto Portability, the Saver’s Match and Trump Accounts – all share common features, targeting small-balance savers, delivering enormous public policy benefits and are made both efficient and effective by incorporating proven financial technology. Issuing a call-to-action for plan providers and plan sponsors, Hawkins writes: “now is the time to act” adding “every year spent in ‘wait and see’ mode means millions miss out, and the retirement gap grows.”
New Research Shines Light on the Saver’s Match Program
Writing in the RCH Consolidation Corner blog, Tom Hawkins puts two recent Saver’s Match research findings – one from Morningstar and the other from RCH – into perspective. The Morningstar research, authored by industry veteran Jack VanDerhei and Spencer Look, pegs the potential incremental retirement wealth generated by the Saver’s Match at $2.03 trillion. Another research effort, conducted by Retirement Clearinghouse, involves a discrete event simulation model of the Saver’s Match program, simulating specific technologies and operational solutions required to support the program. Together, writes Hawkins, “these two new research efforts…quantify overall Saver’s Match program benefits, and model the potential size, scale and operations of the program.”
Why Preserving Small Balances Matters (and How Auto Portability Helps)
The preservation of small-balance 401(k) accounts – particularly those under $7,000 and subject to 401(k) plans’ automatic rollover provisions – represents an important challenge for America’s retirement system. In his 6/26/25 article in RCH's Consolidation Corner blog, Tom Hawkins examines four compelling arguments for the importance of preserving small balances, while demonstrating how auto portability, as delivered by the Portability Services Network (PSN), can help achieve this goal.
Come On In, The Water’s Fine
RCH’s Tom Hawkins, writing in the Consolidation Corner blog, shares his perspective on a recent public position taken by PensionBee, who drew attention to the “participant-unfriendly nature of some safe harbor IRAs” and suggested that “plan sponsors may risk breaching their fiduciary duty to plan participants by utilizing them.” Hawkins generally agrees but notes that the firm “didn’t go far enough” and offers readers with three areas of additional concerns that support this view. The piece concludes by offering plan sponsors with tips and resources to avail themselves of, should they wish to “take a hard look at their automatic rollover programs.”
On Earth Day, Consider Auto Portability to ‘Recycle’ 401(k) Savings
On April 22nd, we celebrate the 55th annual Earth Day, and
that gives RCH’s Tom Hawkins the opportunity to consider how the concept of
recycling applies to our nation’s 401(k) system, which Hawkins characterizes as
having a “waste problem” that manifests in the form of excessive cashout
leakage and stranded accounts. By contrast, auto portability represents a
sustainable solution that ‘recycles’ small-balance accounts, and its adoption
is rapidly accelerating following the operational status of the Portability
Services Network (PSN).
Here’s to the Future “Graduates” of Auto Portability
While auto portability’s immediate impact in reducing cashouts is well-documented, new insights reveal another powerful long-term effect: systematic balance consolidation that helps small-balance job-changing participants cross the vital $10,000 savings hurdle, where retirement security becomes self-reinforcing. Writing the RCH’s Consolidation Corner blog, Tom Hawkins characterizes this effect as “graduating” from auto portability and uses Auto Portability Simulation (APS) data to follow a hypothetical “class” of 100 small-balance job-changers through their first three jobs – where 36% compile a perfect record of savings preservation and balance consolidation.
The Saver's Match and Auto Portability: A Powerful Combination
Two groundbreaking retirement savings initiatives could be poised to converge, potentially revolutionizing the way Americans save for retirement. The Saver's Match program, set to debut with the 2027 tax year, and auto portability, powered by the Portability Services Network (PSN), present a unique opportunity to address long-standing challenges in the retirement system. By leveraging the strengths of both programs, we can create a more robust and efficient retirement savings ecosystem that benefits millions of American workers.
The Accelerating Adoption of Auto Portability: A Market Adoption Theory Perspective
RCH’s Tom Hawkins, writing in the Consolidation Corner blog, examines the accelerating adoption of auto portability from the perspective of the tried-and-true theory of market adoption. Hawkins takes the position that auto portability is “on the cusp of becoming a mainstream feature in retirement plans” as it transits the innovator/early adopter phase and moves into the early majority phase, as described in the theory’s framework.
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