Ben Werdmuller

Among the alphabet soup that describes the defined contribution world, 401(a) plans are among the lesser known. The 401(a) primarily covers government employees, including those employed by schools and universities. While it could serve as an employer’s sole retirement plan, the 401(a) is often offered along

If you have narrowed your answer down to a) a passenger jet or b) a type of retirement plan, congratulations! A 457(b) is a retirement plan offered by a state or local government entity, or a non-profit organization. These plans are much less common than the familiar 401(k)

Plans sponsors have a lot of options when designing the company’s 401(k) plan. Among the choices an employer can make is whether or not to allow hardship withdrawals. A hardship withdrawal is a distribution taken by a participant before age 59 ½ due to a financial emergency. 401(k)

So your business is humming along and you’d like to maximize retirement benefits and 401(k) savings for your top performers. And, if your company can boost business deductions along the way, you’ve got a win/win on your hands. But how should contributions to retirement accounts be

When it comes to running the company 401(k), there are a lot of trade-offs to consider. For example, you want to offer employees ample investment options so that they can construct a diversified portfolio that suits their risk profile, yet too many investment options can overwhelm employees and paralyze

To start, here’s a bit of general background on 401(k) loans policy: Despite the fact that adopting a liberal 401(k) loan policy can add administrative burden, the majority of plan sponsors do. According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, virtually all (around 90%) of larger plans–those

If your small business offers a 401(k) plan, then you are already well on your way to learning a new language – the language of 401(k)s. Your vocabulary may already include phrases like “participation rate,” “Form 5500,” and “top-heavy.” Or maybe even “hardship distribution,” “key employee,” and “safe

Have you ever discovered an error in your small business 401(k)? If so, then you probably remember that same sudden feeling of panic as when you’ve misplaced your smartphone, or discovered your flight leaves an hour earlier than anticipated. Except amplified, as you speculate the impact on your

There are a lot of moving parts to your company’s retirement plan. From getting employees enrolled to making distributions in a timely manner, to keeping up with ERISA regulations, there is much to do in the world of defined contribution plan administration. But the real reason for running a

Business owners often hire their personal wealth manager to manage their firm's retirement plan. Here's what to consider before making the same mistake.

If you think you’re hearing more about ESG and sustainable investing, you’re right. Assets are growing in mutual funds and ETFs that seek out companies exhibiting the values shared by their investors. According to the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, assets categorized as sustainable, responsible and impact