Revamping Retirement

In episode 21, Mike Webb chats with arguably one of the coolest guys in retirement, J.D. Carlson. Learn how J.D. went from surf shop owner to CEO of TPA firm Plan Design Consultants, Inc., and host of the notorious Retireholi(k)s, a weekly show where retirement industry professionals notoriously get together for a few beers and "talk shop".

Let's face it, for most, ERISA and retirement plan law can be somewhat dull. However, this episode's Revamping Retirement guest has found a way to weave sports, pro-wrestling, soap operas and general '70s and '80s pop culture into his practice.

Ary Rosenbaum practices ERISA and retirement plan law at The Rosenbaum Law Firm P.C. and is also known by industry insiders as "That 401(k) Guy," infusing personality into his practice through his That 401(k) Site website, conference series, and podcast.

In this episode 20 of Revamping Retirement, Mike Webb chats with Ary about his perspective on topics such as the DOL's Fiduciary Rule and ESG and Private Equity in retirement plans, his "wish list" for compliance changes to help plan sponsors avoid plan errors, and his collection of Mets memorabilia.

In episode 19, Mike Webb chats, once again, with J.Money, an award-winning personal finance blogger, about the impact of the pandemic on the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement.

FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a lifestyle movement that embraces the goal of achieving financial independence by decreasing spending and/or increasing income.

Mike and J.Money discuss why now, in the middle of a pandemic and recession, individuals may want to consider adopting some of the key FIRE tenants. Will the pandemic light a flame for future FIRE movement participants?

According to a recent survey, more than 70% of employees would have some level of financial difficulty if their next paycheck was delayed by one week. Thus, the need for emergency savings to cover unforeseen expenses is clear. But how can employers encourage their participants to take control of their own financial wellness?

One option, growing in popularity among retirement plan sponsors, is to offer an emergency savings account through the retirement plan recordkeeper. But are these "sidecar" accounts the best approach?

In episode 18, Mike Webb and Jack Towarnicky of the American Retirement Association discuss differing views over utilizing sidecar accounts for emergency savings.

Automatic enrollment has gained significant traction over the past two decades, with nearly 71% of plans with 1000 or more participants utilizing the feature. Two recent studies by Vanguard and John Hancock share statistical data that helps highlight the overwhelming case for auto-enrollment as a defined contribution retirement plan strategy.

In episode seventeen, Mike Webb discusses the statistical case for adopting auto-enrollment, as well as how finding the sweet spot for default deferrals and auto-escalation can help improve participants' retirement readiness.

Automatic enrollment has gained significant traction over the past two decades, with nearly 71% of plans with 1000 or more participants utilizing the feature. Two recent studies by Vanguard and John Hancock share statistical data that helps highlight the overwhelming case for auto-enrollment as a defined contribution retirement plan strategy.

In episode seventeen, Mike Webb discusses the statistical case for adopting auto-enrollment, as well as how finding the sweet spot for default deferrals and auto-escalation can help improve participants' retirement readiness.

Target date funds have experienced increasing popularity and growth in recent years, becoming an important investment option in many defined contribution retirement plans.

In episode sixteen, Mike Webb gets back to the basics to discuss the two primary types of target date funds - "off the shelf" and customized - and shares the key components used to evalutate these investments.

Target date funds have experienced increasing popularity and growth in recent years, becoming an important investment option in many defined contribution retirement plans.

In episode sixteen, Mike Webb gets back to the basics to discuss the two primary types of target date funds - "off the shelf" and customized - and shares the key components used to evalutate these investments.

On March 27, 2020, the House passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a $2.2 trillion dollar relief bill to counter the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation contains several retirement plan-related provisions aimed at helping plan sponsors and participants deal with the implications of the pandemic.

However, the nuances of three of the provisions may have some unintended consequences. In episode fifteen of Revamping Retirement, Mike Webb discusses the potential issues with these CARES Act provisions.

On March 27, 2020, the House passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), a $2.2 trillion dollar relief bill to counter the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation contains several retirement plan-related provisions aimed at helping plan sponsors and participants deal with the implications of the pandemic.

However, the nuances of three of the provisions may have some unintended consequences. In episode fifteen of Revamping Retirement, Mike Webb discusses the potential issues with these CARES Act provisions.