Consolidation Corner

For Earth Day: Consider How "Recycling" Could Apply to Our Retirement System

As we observe the 46th annual Earth Day this April 22nd, we appreciate the awareness that this event has brought to the need to protect our environment, the urgency that it is instilled in all of us, and the tangible results that have been achieved in so many important areas. Although we have much work to do, we have clearly come a long way since the "throwaway" culture that emerged following World War II.

Roll-In Services are a Slam Dunk for Sponsors & Participants

In his April 1st, 2016 article in MarketWatch, RCH's CEO Spencer Williams describes the sting that retirement savers feel -- not once, but twice -- when they choose to cash out their 401(k) savings.

Account consolidation time-consuming, expensive for employees

As has happened so many times before, the Baby Boomer generation is once again drawing attention to an unmet need: a seamless way to consolidate their collection of retirement accounts into a single account, which is a necessary step to creating a sturdy retirement plan. Much has been written about how sponsors can improve both their plans' overall health and their participants' retirement outcomes by embracing roll-ins; nonetheless, the account-consolidation process remains time-consuming and expensive for most participants.

The Fiduciary Rule and Participant Transition Management

Saving For Retirement is not a Trivial Pursuit

In his March 3rd column in MarketWatch, RCH President & CEO Spencer Williams establishes an important link between the board games we played as children (ex. Candy Land, Trivial Pursuit and Snakes & Ladders) and the games we can play in adulthood, while managing our retirement savings. The children's games are harmless, fun and instructive, but the adult retirement games (ex. Cashing Out, Stranding Accounts, and Not Updating Your Address) are anything but.

Tales from the Roll-In Front Lines, Part II

In a previous post, Tales from the Roll-In Front Lines, Part I, we described a roll-in transaction gone awry: a comedy of errors that occurs all too often when service providers are unfamiliar with consolidating retirement savings from one plan into another.

Tales from the Roll-In Front Lines, Part I

In previous articles, we have discussed the many benefits that occur when participants roll in multiple retirement savings accounts into their current employer's 401(k) account. Participants benefit from reduced cash outs, lower investment fees and simplified retirement planning. A program of facilitated roll-ins delivers positive results for plans as well, including increased average balances, lower record keeping costs and improved retirement readiness metrics.

Four New Year's Resolutions for Retirement Savers Summary

In his 1/20/16 MarketWatch column (Four New Year's Resolutions for Retirement Savers), Retirement Clearinghouse CEO Spencer Williams offers four New Year's resolutions that all 2016 job-changers should take to heart, including...