Media Coverage

401(k) Real Talk Episode 48: February 22, 2023

Fred Barstein, in his recurring 401(k) Real Talk series, addresses timely and important developments in the 401(k) industry. Barstein notes the 2/13/23 announcement by Empower, joining the Portability Services Network (PSN). Barstein states: "all told, the group administers a stunning 60.8 million accounts and 118,000 plans," while adding: "the impact should have much more far-reaching effects by establishing an industry-accepted data exchange which could facilitate other participant services."

The Next Step In Helping Americans Save More For Retirement Via Auto Portability

Writing in Financial Adviser Magazine, noted private wealth expert Russ Alan Prince interviews Neal Ringquist, RCH's EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, about recent developments for auto portability, including the formation of the new Portability Services Network. The interview provides a clear overview of auto portability, including what it is, its benefits to participants, plan sponsors & advisers, and the "historic" developments associated with PSN, the industry-led utility formed to accelerate nationwide adoption of the new plan feature.

Advances in Automatic Portability for Retirement Plan Balances

The PNC Insights blog examines the latest advances in auto portability, including recent developments associated with the Portability Services Network (PSN) and enactment of SECURE 2.0 provisions that "pave the way for retirement plans and recordkeepers to offer automatic portability provisions for amounts transferred to a default IRA." The piece quotes Dave Gray, Head of Workplace Retirement Offerings and Platforms at Fidelity and PSN Board Member.

Empower joins group providing portability of retirement savings

InvestmentNews reports on the 2/13/23 announcement from Empower that they are "joining the Portability Services Network, a group of record keepers, including Alight, Fidelity and Vanguard, working to promote auto-portability of defined-contribution plan assets." The piece cites EBRI data on cashout leakage and quotes Robert L. Johnson, chairman of the Portability Services Network and the Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH).

Bridging the Racial Retirement Gap: A Conversation With Spencer Williams

PLANADVISER's Alex Ortolani caught up with RCH and PSN President & CEO Spencer Williams for an update on how Williams believes auto-portability will help bridge the racial retirement gap in the U.S., along with the challenges still ahead to meet that goal. Ortolani chronicles the history of Williams' relationship with entrepreneur and business executive Bob Johnson, a partnership that first began in 2007, when Johnson tapped Williams to lead RolloverSystems -- eventually re-branded as Retirement Clearinghouse. Williams recounts milestones along the path, and provides Ortolani with insight into recent developments.

Auto Portability Consortium Adds Empower

401k Specialist Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson writes that "[t]he fledgling Portability Services Network added another major recordkeeper this week with the news that Empower has joined the consortium in an effort to help accelerate the nationwide adoption of auto-portability with 401(k) accounts." Anderson notes that "adding Empower will bring approximately 17 million more retirement plan participants in more than 70,000 plans" to PSN, and quotes Empower President & CEO Edmund F. Murphy III and Robert L. Johnson, Chairman of The RLJ Companies and Chairman of Portability Services Network and Retirement Clearinghouse.

A $1.2T-AUA RKer Buys into PSN

The 401kWire's Neil Anderson reports on the 2/13/23 announcement from Empower that they are "buying into a new retirement plan industry consortium that focuses on auto-portability" and "boosts PSN to four recordkeepers with 56 million participants, which is more than half of all DC participants." RCH and PSN President & CEO Spencer Williams tells Anderson "it takes critical mass to a new level, we're very happy to have them on board." Looking ahead, Williams notes that PSN is "filling out those board seats nicely. It's a near certainty that our remaining two seats will be filled by our March 31 deadline.

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PRESS RELEASE: Empower Joins New Consortium to Accelerate Adoption of Auto Portability

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. (February 13, 2022) – Empower will join forces with the Retirement Clearinghouse, LLC (RCH) and other leading retirement services providers in a new consortium to accelerate the nationwide adoption of auto-portability to help more American workers improve their retirement outcomes. Under the new consortium, called the Portability Services Network, LLC (PSN), workers with lower balances who change employers can have their workplace retirement savings automatically moved to their new retirement plans.