This episode of 401(k) Roundtable™ explores the implications of recent election results on retirement policies and market reactions. Joining us for this month's roundtable discussion are two leaders from Creative Planning: Sam Henson, Director of Compliance Services, and Jamie Battmer, Chief Investment Office. We discuss the nonpartisan nature of retirement systems, the emotional responses of markets, and the potential changes in 401k policies with a new administration. They also delve into the role of the Department of Labor, the concept of government efficiency, and the challenges facing Social Security and Medicare. The discussion emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and the need for bipartisan cooperation in addressing these issues. The conversation delves into various aspects of retirement planning, the implications of Trump's election on ESG regulations, the efficiency of Collective Investment Trusts (CITs), the role of private equity in retirement plans, market predictions, and the challenges posed by student loans. The speakers emphasize the need for bipartisan solutions and the importance of optimizing retirement benefits for participants.
Introduction
The 401(k) Fridays podcast offers companies of all sizes free strategic, educational and actionable content to improve their retirement plans. My name is Rick Unser and I am your host. All episodes leverage my nearly two decades of experience working with employers to bring you candid interviews with industry experts, new best practices and valuable perspectives on current events.
Episode Description
We have a great episode to share with you today and it is a must listen if you are concerned about a DOL investigation of your 401(k) plan. Our conversation is full of great information about how the DOL operates and how DOL investigations are triggered. Be sure to listen for important steps you should take if you receive a letter notifying you of a DOL investigation. Finally, we close out the conversation with some recommendations and best practices to help avoid DOL investigations and minimize the severity of potential findings.
Guest Bio
My guest is Sam Henson, VP – Director of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs for Lockton Retirement Services. Sam also brings a unique perspective to our discussion today as prior to joining Lockton, he spent almost 10 years with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), where he conducted more than 150 civil and criminal investigations of employee retirement and benefits plans, service providers, and fiduciaries. He capped off his career at the DOL as the 2011 recipient of the Secretary of Labor’s Exceptional Achievement Award. Needless to say, we are glad we have Sam on our side now and he is not out there banging down the doors of employers any more!
For more information, please visit www.401kfridays.com
Introduction
The 401(k) Fridays podcast offers companies of all sizes free strategic, educational and actionable content to improve their retirement plans. My name is Rick Unser and I am your host. All episodes leverage my nearly two decades of experience working with employers to bring you candid interviews with industry experts, new best practices and valuable perspectives on current events.
Guest Bio
Jeff Judd is an Investment Analyst for Lockton Retirement Services. He graduated from the University of Kansas, go Jayhawks!, with a major in economics. Upon completion of his undergraduate degree, Jeff attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he obtained his master’s degree in economics. He is also a CFA Level II Candidate. So he is basically an investment nerd. But, even with all of his technical knowledge, Jeff provided a very easy to follow commentary!
Episode Summary
Our conversation starts with a review of the market volatility we experienced in 2015 and thus far in early 2016. Jeff also shares valuable perspective for employers on how to evaluate your 401(k) plan investments during volatile markets. As you will hear, volatility can either highlight strengths or expose weakness in your mutual fund managers. Be sure to listen for important questions to help you evaluate the risk profile of your plan investments and tie that to how it could impact the performance of both your core mutual funds and target date strategy.
More Information
Please visit www.401kfridays.com