Auto Portability blog posts


Jan
04
2023

A No-Brainer Benefit that Advisors can Bring to Plan-Sponsor Clients

Writing in the RCH Consolidation Corner blog, Spencer Williams, CEO of Portability Services Network (PSN) and Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH), makes a compelling case for plan advisers to help facilitate the roll-out of auto portability to the plan sponsors and participants they serve. Williams cites two recent headline-grabbing events -- the passage of SECURE 2.0, which incorporates provisions for auto portability, and the October 2022 formation of PSN to function as an industry utility for transferring balances from plan-to-plan. As both participants and plan sponsors stand to realize tremendous benefits from the adoption of auto portability, it "presents an easy opportunity for financial advisors and wealth managers to demonstrate value for their clients—and grow their practices."

Dec
20
2022

2022: A Most Consequential Year for Retirement Savings Portability

Last year at this time, Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) predicted that 2022 would be a pivotal year for retirement savings portability. It turns out we were right, but we confess to being pleasantly surprised at just how consequential (and positive) the year has been, and it’s not over yet. Writing in the Consolidation Corner blog, RCH's Tom Hawkins provides a rundown of key events during 2022 that have helped to positively shape the future of retirement savings portability.

Dec
13
2022

Webinar Showcases Extraordinary Industry Alignment on Auto Portability

For defined contribution recordkeepers, competition has long been fierce, so it’s extraordinary when industry rivals join forces and align around a common cause. That alignment around auto portability, embodied in the newly launched Portability Services Network (PSN), was on full display in a 12/8/22 Groom Law Group webinar. The event featured representatives from retirement industry titans and founding PSN members Alight Solutions, Fidelity Investments and the Vanguard Group, joined by Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH).

Nov
01
2022

A New Year’s Resolution for Sponsors: Facilitate Automated Plan-to-Plan Portability for Your Participants

Writing in RCH's Consolidation Corner blog, and taking his cue from the 10/5/22 announcement of the industry-led utility (Portability Services Network) to accelerate the nationwide adoption of auto portability, RCH President & CEO Spencer Williams encourages plan sponsors resolve to adopt auto portability in the New Year, for both their participants and for the health of their plans. Williams writes: "[a]s we look ahead to the New Year, plan sponsors can resolve to help their participants increase their retirement savings—and increase key metrics such as average account balance—by adopting auto portability."

Oct
05
2022

BREAKING: Leading 401(k) Providers, RCH Announce National Auto Portability Network

CHARLOTTE, October 5, 2022—Fidelity Investments®, Vanguard, and Alight Solutions announce that they have collaborated with Retirement Clearinghouse, LLC (RCH) to create a consortium of workplace retirement plan recordkeepers, Portability Services Network, LLC, to accelerate the nationwide adoption of auto portability to help America’s under-served and under-saved workers improve their retirement outcomes.

Sep
26
2022

Why DEI and ‘Traditional’ Automatic Rollovers Don’t Mix

When it comes to 401(k) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, RCH’s Tom Hawkins observes broad support for expanded access and automatic features, since they “are supportive of increasing participation and asset accumulation across all demographics.” No one, writes Hawkins, points to ‘traditional’ automatic rollovers as facilitating DEI goals, as they “penalize the very demographic segments that DEI initiatives strive to uplift.” Hawkins urges plan sponsors to re-tool ‘traditional’ automatic rollover programs to include education and assistance and to incorporate auto portability – delivering more equitable retirement outcomes for under-saved and under-served participants.

Sep
15
2022

How Consultants Can Miss the Mark on 401(k) Automatic Rollovers

401(k) plan consultants have been forceful advocates for the adoption of best practices at leading retirement plan sponsors. However, when it comes to automatic rollover programs, plan consultants sometimes miss the mark, at least in terms of participant outcomes. RCH's Tom Hawkins, writing in the Consolidation Corner blog, makes the case that 401(k) plan consultants should extend their analysis to emphasize those automatic rollover program components that help participants improve their retirement outcomes by avoiding cashouts, moving their retirement savings forward, and keeping their stay in safe harbor IRAs as brief as possible.

Sep
07
2022

401(k) Plans: An Ongoing Public-Private Partnership That Works

In observance of National 401(k) Day on Friday, September 9th, RCH's Tom Hawkins takes the opportunity to reflect on the long-running, highly successful public-private collaboration that has fostered the rapid ascendance of America’s 401(k) system. Hawkins writes that "this partnership will continue to drive innovations that will expand and improve the 401(k) system for millions of Americans – not only helping them to save more but preserving more of their savings for retirement."

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