Description: An interview with actuary Lee Gold reveals preliminary results of a recent SOA research project which surveyed employees on what retirement plan features they prefer.

Description: All we need is … a §401k - redesigned to • Leverage the fungibility of money • Consolidate to a lifetime, all-in-one plan • Create liquidity without leakage

Description: The traditional defined-benefit (DB) plan is a type of plan structured to provide the greatest degree of retirement income security, designed to pay out a guaranteed retirement income for the life of the retiree (and, when applicable, a beneficiary). However, over the last several decades, the number of private-sector employees covered under these traditional plans has decreased dramatically and been replaced by defined contribution (DC) plans. In contrast, public-sector retirement plans, which are exempt from ERISA, have seen a much smaller decline in DB plans. There are many differences in the private and public sector that likely contributed to this phenomenon, but ERISA and the many amendments to it has been a major factor.

Description: The Successful Employee Retirement Income Outcomes in the United States (SERIOUS) is a comprehensive model for the delivery of employment-based retirement income.

Description: This article offers insights about the United Technologies Corporation lifetime income approach and information on the design, administration and acceptance.

Description: The standard for measuring retirement income adequacy has been the final earnings replacement rate (usually targeted at 70%). But - does it work?

Description: A DC plan design information that could align with organizational goals allowing for benefits for both higher and lower paid employees. It works amazingly easy for 403(b) plans but can also work well with 401(k) plans. You can model the design to see what works best for your organization to ensure passage of nondiscrimination tests and alignment with budget.

Description: This essay explores the role that the emerging defined contribution retirement system may be playing in the growth of wealth inequality in the United States. The current system leaves many Americans with little or no retirement savings. Those with higher accumulation levels appear to invest proportionally more in equities, which may have an exponential effect of balances over long time periods. The author hypothesizes that willingness to take investment risk involves the relationship between the amount an investor has accumulated and what she/he needs in order to cover basic costs of living. This is one reason that investors with greater accumulation levels may be able to earn higher rates of return. The essay concludes by suggesting that the U.S. defined contribution system should include all workers and provide additional fiduciary guidance. Examples reforms, both in the U.S. and other countries, are provided.

Description: The article reviews recent investment performance of stable value compared to other low risk alternatives, discusses current criticisms of the option, and concludes that they are not well founded. Criticism reflects a lack of openness to the full range of stable value contracts available and manager bias against traditional GICs, not a real lack of wrap capacity. Stable value continues to be the pareto superior low risk option.

Description: This paper investigates the one-asset portfolios, mixed-asset portfolios, and a dynamic investment portfolio which allows a switch from an aggressive portfolio to a conservative one at middle ages.