Recent Developments

EARN Act Clears Senate Finance Committee

PLANSPONSOR's John Manganaro reports on the 6/22/22 unanimous approval by Senate Finance Committee of the EARN Act, which includes provisions for auto portability. Manganaro refers to a statement released by Kevin Barry, president of workplace investing at Fidelity Investments, who notes that "[t]he EARN Act will also help facilitate automatic portability between retirement plans through so that individuals’ savings can follow them through job changes.”

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Senate Legislation Calls for Automatic 401(k) Transfers

PLANSPONSOR's DJ Shaw examines the Advancing Auto Portability Act of 2022, introduced on 6/15/22 by Senators Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. Referring to Senator Scott's press release, Shaw quotes Senator Scott, Alight Solutions EVP Alison Borland and RCH President & CEO Spencer Williams.

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Senators introduce bipartisan auto-portability bill

P&I Washington, DC reporter Brian Croce covers the bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio -- the Advancing Auto Portability Act of 2022. Croce highlights the key features of the proposed legislation, quotes Sens. Scott and Brown, and notes that "[t]he bill has earned support from a wide swath of the retirement industry." Croce quotes RCH founder, president and CEO Spencer Williams, who praises the bill's bipartisan sponsors, while characterizing the legislation as "a huge win for America's hardworking retirement-savers."

Bipartisan Bill Backs Auto-Portability

Writing in NAPA Net, ARA Chief Content Officer Nevin Adams briefs readers on the 6/15/22 announcement of the bipartisan Advancing Auto Portability Act of 2022, introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Adams notes the primary features of the legislation, mentions the role of Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) and advises his readership to "stay tuned."

Senators Scott, Brown Introduce Bill to Increase Retirement Security

Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the Advancing Auto-Portability Act of 2022, a bill that would allow a worker’s 401(k) savings account to be automatically rolled over from a previous employer to a new employer. The legislation would cut red tape to help Americans who change jobs frequently to increase retirement savings.

PRESS RELEASE: Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Preserve Retirement Savings by Expanding Auto Portability

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—June 15, 2022—Robert L. Johnson, Founder and Chairman of The RLJ Companies and Chairman of Retirement Clearinghouse, LLC, applauds Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) for the introduction of the Advancing Auto Portability Act of 2022. The U.S. Senate legislation has the potential to preserve up to $1.5 trillion in retirement savings for the next generation of workers by encouraging auto portability. With auto portability, a participant’s 401(k) account can follow them as they change jobs, making it less likely that people prematurely cash-out their savings and improving retirement security.

Vanguard: Retirement Plans Should Evolve for the Modern Worker

On June 7th, Vanguard released the newest edition of How America Saves, the firm’s seminal report on 401(k) plan design and retirement savings habits. Through its annual, comprehensive analysis of nearly five million 401(k) accounts recordkept at Vanguard, the report reveals additional plan design opportunities employers can address to further improve workers’ retirement readiness. In the release, under key findings, Vanguard notes that "cash outs disproportionately impact younger, low-balance participants" and adds that "[a]uto portability services and revisions to minimum balance rules can help decrease cash out rates."

Auto portability seen as plug for 401(k) leaks

In her 4/25/22 article, Pensions & Investments reporter Margarida Correia examines auto portability's role in plugging leakage for small-balance 401(k) accounts. In her piece, Correia turns to several industry observers, including RCH EVP & Chief Revenue Officer Neal Ringquist, Alight Solutions' Director of Public Policy Greg Long and Vanguard's Head of Strategic Retirement Consulting David Stinnett. All three offered optimistic views of auto portability's efficacy, its attractiveness to plan sponsors, and its prospects for success. While auto portability is in the early stages of adoption and is building plan sponsor awareness, Long stated that auto portability will eventually "be standard operating procedure" while Stinnett added that "[p]lan sponsors are interested to find out more once the service is fully available."