News & Insights

Student loan debt in America now totals more than $1.5 trillion and is now the second largest consumer debt in the U.S. after mortgages. How are employees able to juggle making student loan repayments as well as save for retirement? In this issue we look at developments in the retirement plan industry that have the potential to help.

Getting employees to participate in retirement plans is no light undertaking. Much time and effort is spent at many companies in employee enrollment meetings and education sessions. Yet, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, typically, in any given year, only half of eligible employees participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. In this issue we look at how plan design can be used to boost participant engagement.

When 401(k)s were originally introduced by the IRS in 1981, a loan feature was included with the idea that the ability to access funds when needed, would help participants become more comfortable with contributing regularly to a 401(k). In this issue we look at how 401(k) loans can actually be detrimental to a participant's retirement readiness.

According to a recent study by the National Institute on Retirement Security, 66% of Millennials have nothing saved for retirement. In this issue we look at how this largest generation in U.S. history is potentially facing a retirement crisis.

Congratulations! You are now in charge of your tribal organization’s retirement plan. Of course, you want to do the right things to run your plan, but you may need guidance to determine what the right things are. In the first in…

Entrepreneurship is alive and well in America. However, for many of these self-employed business owners saving for retirement is often last on their list of priorities. In this issue we take a look at a number of smaller-scale retirement plan options for the self-employed small business owner that can be funded throughout their working lives.

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that it’s not too late to contribute to an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) and still claim it on a 2017 tax return. Anyone with an IRA may be eligible for a tax credit or deduction on their 2017 tax return if they make contributions by April 17, 2018.

When it comes to financial wellness, a recent study shows that 53% of plan participants are stressed about their finances. At ABG, we understand that today there is a real need and an opportunity to help plan participants better manage their financial lives in terms of both short- and longer-term financial goals. In this issue we provide an overview of our new Financial Wellness program designed specifically to meet this need.

Financial Finesse, a company that partners with Alliance Benefit Group (ABG) Southwest and that provides companies with a customized financial wellness program, was recently awarded five Best in Biz awards, including Company of the Year – Small and Most Innovative…

Principal’s Letter Dear Advisor: Cyberattacks have increased significantly in recent years and the 401(k) industry is not immune. Plan sponsors increasingly face the dual challenge of providing online access to participants’ retirement plans while keeping their information secure. We take…

Some companies in certain industries are using a new strategy to keep the best employees and motivate staff to save for retirement. According to an article in the July 17 edition of The Wall Street Journal, companies ranging from Microsoft…

Principal’s Letter Dear Advisor: According to the Department of Labor, over 47 percent of the U.S. work force is comprised of women. However, when it comes to retirement readiness, many of these 74…

Principal’s Letter Dear Colleague: According to the Employee Benefit Retirement Institute’s 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey, many workers surveyed reported that they felt “mentally or emotionally stressed” about preparing for retirement. For this issue…

Principal’s Letter Dear Colleague: Retirement readiness is a timely topic as we move forward in 2017. In this issue we address three important considerations for retirement plan participants whether they are…

Principal’s Letter Dear Colleague: Cyberattacks—attempts by criminals to exploit computer systems to steal information or identities—have risen substantially over the past 16 years. The 401(k) market is not immune to cybercrimes, as the trillions of dollars…

Principal’s Letter Dear Colleague: The decision of whether to pay off a mortgage or increase retirement savings is a question that faces many reaching retirement. While there is no right or wrong answer, in this issue we look into the pros and…

REDW LLC, one of the Southwest’s 10 largest certified public accounting and business consulting firms, is pleased to announce the promotion of Dennis Davis, SPHR, CEBS, QKA, QPA, CPC to Principal in its Albuquerque office effective July 1, 2016. “Dennis…