Revamping Retirement

Bonnie Treichel, founder and chief solutions officer of Endeavor Retirement, joins hosts Jennifer Doss and Pete Ruffell for an in-depth analysis of key litigation trends affecting the retirement industry.

The discussion focuses on the complexities and implications of ERISA lawsuits, including the surge of copycat lawsuits targeting similar fiduciary breaches. Also addressed are emerging risks such as cybersecurity and managed accounts, alongside potential impacts from the Supreme Court's Loper Bright case on agency interpretations.

Plus, delve into the evolving Department of Labor regulations under the current administration and their potential effects on industry compliance and fiduciary responsibilities.

The retirement recordkeeping space has experiences significant shifts. What does that mean for the future of the industry? In episode 70 of the Revamping Retirement podcast, hosts Audrey Wheat and Matt Patrick welcome Tim Hoying and Dave Mallett of Accenture. They're two of the authors of the report Navigating Through Turbulence: Reinventing Retirement Recordkeeping. Listen in as these experts explore current challenges and future opportunities in the industry, and offer tips on how smaller recordkeepers can still thrive and compete despite those challenges.

It's been almost two years since the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act, was officially implemented. Containing more than 90 provisions impacting retirement, this massive piece of legislation is described as "the gift that keeps on giving," with some aspects still rolling out. In episode 69 of Revamping Retirement, hosts Audrey Wheat and Jennifer Doss talk with Fidelity's Angela Capek and Shanna Costa to learn what plan sponsors are saying about the ways SECURE 2.0 has disrupted the retirement industry.

In Episode 68 of Revamping Retirement, hosts Matt Patrick and Dawn McPherson welcome Bruce Harrington, vice president of strategic development at Pentegra, a provider of retirement plan and fiduciary outsourcing solutions.

Harrington explains why it's a common myth that 3(16) plans are only for small companies and how it's helped organizations of all sizes fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. The trio also review the RFP process for engaging an outside provider.

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For 18 years, the PIMCO has conducted its annual U.S. Defined Contribution Consulting Study. One of the longest-running studies of its kind, it aims to understand what retirement consultants are thinking, seeing, and planning to do next. The firm interviews some of the most influential DC-focused consultants in the country, including advisors at CAPTRUST. The respondents this year represent 15,000 U.S. retirement plans and almost $9 trillion in assets.

In this episode of Revamping Retirement, your hosts Matt Patrick and Peter Ruffel welcome PIMCO's Vidur Mehra and Joseph Szalay to find out what's trending, what's challenging, and what's new the world of defined contributions, from plan design to evaluating retirement income solutions.

IMPORTANT NOTICEPlease note that this podcast contains the opinions of the managers as of the date recorded, and may not have been updated to reflect real time market developments. All opinions are subject to change without notice. PIMCO is not responsible for the information or views communicated by representatives of other companies. This material is not indicative of the past or future performance of any PIMCO product and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation by PIMCO of any particular security, strategy or investment product. PIMCO has distributed this material for informational purposes only.

The 2024 PIMCO US Defined Contribution Consulting Study seeks to help consultants, advisors and plan sponsors understand the breadth of views and consulting services available within the defined contribution (DC) marketplace. The 2024 study captures data, trends and opinions from 28 consulting and advisory firms who serve over 15,379 clients with aggregate DC assets in excess of $7.94 trillion. All responses were collected from January 8, 2024 through February 26, 2024.

All investments contain risk and may lose value. Investing in the bond market is subject to risks, including market, interest rate, issuer, credit, inflation risk, and liquidity risk. The value of most bonds and bond strategies are impacted by changes in interest rates. Bonds and bond strategies with longer durations tend to be more sensitive and volatile than those with shorter durations; bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise, and low interest rate environments increase this risk. Reductions in bond counterparty capacity may contribute to decreased market liquidity and increased price volatility. Bond investments may be worth more or less than the original cost when redeemed. Commodities contain heightened risk, including market, political, regulatory and natural conditions, and may not be appropriate for all investors. Investing in foreign-denominated and/or -domiciled securities may involve heightened risk due to currency fluctuations, and economic and political risks, which may be enhanced in emerging markets. High yield, lower-rated securities involve greater risk than higher-rated securities; portfolios that invest in them may be subject to greater levels of credit and liquidity risk than portfolios that do not. Inflation-linked bonds (ILBs) issued by the various governments around the world are fixed-income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Repayment upon maturity of the original principal as adjusted for inflation is guaranteed by the government that issues them. Neither the current market value of inflation-indexed bonds nor the value a portfolio that invests in ILBs is guaranteed, and either or both may fluctuate. ILBs decline in value when real interest rates rise. In certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, ILBs may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar durations. The value of real estate and portfolios that invest in real estate may fluctuate due to: losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, interest rates, property tax rates, regulatory limitations on rents, zoning laws, and operating expenses. Stable value wrap contracts are subject to credit and management risk. Management risk is the risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by an investment manager will not produce the desired results, and that certain policies or developments may affect the investment techniques available to the manager in connection with managing a strategy. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are ILBs issued by the U.S. government. Diversification does not ensure against loss.

Glide Path is the asset allocation within a Target Date Strategy (also known as a Lifecycle or Target Maturity strategy) that adjusts over time as the participant's age increases and their time horizon to retirement shortens. The basis of the Glide Path is to reduce the portfolio risk as the participant's time horizon decreases. Typically, younger participants with a longer time horizon to retirement have sufficient time to recover from market losses, their investment risk level is higher, and they are able to make larger contributions (depending on various factors such as salary, savings, account balance, etc.). Generally, older participants and eligible retirees have shorter time horizons to retirement and their investment risk level declines as preserving income wealth becomes more important. De-risking strategy is based on a function of plan funded status. As plan funded status improves, clients may be interested in reducing their plan funded status volatility by shifting out of risk assets and into liability-hedging fixed income.

Target Date Funds are designed to provide investors with a retirement solution tailored to the time when they expect to retire or plan to start withdrawing money (the "target date"). Target Date Funds will gradually shift their emphasis from more aggressive investments to more conservative ones based on their target dates. Target Date Funds invest in other funds and instruments based on a long-term asset allocation glide path, and performance is subject to underlying investment weightings, which will change over time. An investment in a Target Date Fund does not eliminate the need for an investor to determine whether a Fund is appropriate for his or her financial situation. An investment in a Fund is not guaranteed. Investors may experience losses, including losses near, at, or after the target date, and there is no guarantee that a Fund will provide adequate income at and through retirement.

PIMCO does not provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your tax and/or legal counsel for specific tax or legal questions and concerns. The discussion herein is general in nature and is provided for informational purposes only. There is no guarantee as to its accuracy or completeness. Any tax statements contained herein are not intended or written to be used, and cannot be relied upon or used for the purpose of avoiding penalties imposed by the Internal Revenue Service or state and local tax authorities. Individuals should consult their own legal and tax counsel as to matters discussed herein and before entering into any estate planning, trust, investment, retirement, or insurance arrangement.

There is no guarantee that these investment strategies will work under all market conditions or are appropriate for all investors and each investor should evaluate their ability to invest for the long term, especially during periods of downturn in the market. All opinions, outlook and strategies are subject to change without notice.

PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America LLC in the United States and throughout the world. ©2024, PIMCO

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These materials are being provided on the express basis that they and any related communications (whether written or oral) will not cause Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (or any affiliate) (collectively, "PIMCO") to become an investment advice fiduciary under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code, as the recipients are fully aware that PIMCO (i) is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, make a recommendation regarding the acquisition, holding or disposal of an investment, act as an impartial adviser, or give advice in a fiduciary capacity, and (ii) has a financial interest in the offering and sale of one or more products and services, which may depend on a number of factors relating to PIMCO (and its affiliates') internal business objectives, and which has been disclosed to the recipient. These materials are also being provided on PIMCO's understanding that the recipients they are directed to are all financially sophisticated, capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies. If this is not the case, we ask that you inform us immediately. You should consult your own separate advisors before making any investment decisions.

These materials are also being provided on the express basis that they and any related communications will not cause PIMCO (or any affiliate) to become an investment advice fiduciary under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code with respect to any recipient or any employee benefit plan or IRA because: (i) the recipients are all independent of PIMCO and its affiliates, and (ii) upon review of all relevant facts and circumstances, the recipients have concluded that they have no financial interest, ownership interest, or other relationship, agreement or understanding with PIMCO or any affiliate that would limit any fiduciary responsibility that any recipient may have with respect to any Plan on behalf of which this information may be utilized. If this is not the case, or if there is any relationship with any recipient of which you are aware that would call into question the recipient's ability to independently fulfill its responsibilities to any such Plan, we ask that you let us know immediately.

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A solution that gives retirees lifetime income, and plan sponsors less on their plates.

Helping people sustain their income in retirement, without depleting their savings, is what drives Kelli Hueler, CEO and founder of Hueler Companies.

In episode 66 of CAPTRUST's Revamping Retirement podcast, hosts Jennifer Doss and Pete Ruffel delve into Hueler's groundbreaking Income Solutions platform. Income Solutions is a lifetime income annuity marketplace with streamlined tools that can help turn retirement savings into an income stream participants won't outlive. See how this platform, and others like it, could help lighten the load for plan sponsors and reduce financial stress for plan participants

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What most surprises retirees as they enter their new phase of life? In episode 65 of the Revamping Retirement podcast, Hearts & Wallets founder Laura Varas joins CAPTRUST's Matt Patrick and Audrey Wheat to talk about the topic. The trio delves into what retirees didn't expect to happen in retirement—including the surprise of retiring earlier than intended. They also explore some of the ways retirement plan sponsors can improve the services, benefits, and plans they offer, whether through advances in technology or by making money talks less intimidating.

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Brian Graff, the CEO of the American Retirement Association, unpacks the new fiduciary rule and the implications of the expiring Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Hear how these changes can affect retirement planning on episode 64 of Revamping Retirement with hosts Jennifer Doss and Peter Ruffel.

This month's episode features an in-depth discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) between Dawn McPherson, Matt Patrick, and Mike Allen, Morningstar's Head of Technology for Workplace Solutions. They explore AI's evolving role in retirement planning, discussing its potential for personalized participant experiences, and operational efficiencies.

Highlights include:

• practical application of AI tools and their potential impact on retirement planning
• benefits of leveraging AI to enhance participant experiences and streamline backend processes
• challenges plan sponsors will face when it comes to governance

The episode ends with practical tips from Mike Webb for enhancing the 5500 annual report filing process for ERISA retirement plan sponsors.

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Note: Mike Allen is an employee of Morningstar Investment Management LLC, a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc.

In the latest episode of Revamping Retirement, Dawn McPherson and Jennifer Doss talk with Dan Aronowitz, president of Encore Fiduciary. The three dive into litigation trends, particularly in navigating the complexities of fiduciary liability and underwriting.

Highlights include:

• An overview of recent trends in retirement plan litigation, emphasizing a shift in the types of cases being filed and the implications for plan sponsors.

• The significance of having a robust fiduciary process and how it can mitigate litigation risks. This includes the choice between active and passive investment options, the importance of monitoring record-keeping and investment fees, and the strategic use of fiduciary insurance.

• A deep dive into fiduciary liability insurance, detailing what it covers, who should have it, and how it can protect plan sponsors from claims of breach of duty.

• Discussion on specific risk factors that can make a retirement plan more susceptible to litigation and how these factors influence the underwriting process for fiduciary liability insurance.

Later, Mike Webb discusses the differences between reporting and disclosure for retirement plan sponsors in this month's Minute with Mike.

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