401(k) Specialist Podcast

There’s a trend happening right now where asset managers are using a new strategy to help 401(k) plan participants manage their retirement spending: Target date funds featuring annuities.

Morningstar recently did some really interesting research on this trend, and there are some compelling reasons to believe this type of solution could gain some serious traction in the coming years.

Jason Kephart, director of multi-asset ratings for Morningstar Research Services LLC, was a lead author of the new research, and he explains why annuities in target date funds are trending, who’s getting into this market, how it can help retirement plan participants, and some of the roadblocks that need to be overcome if it is to become a broadly adopted solution.

Certainly, here are the expanded key points:

1. Innovation in Target Date Funds with Annuities: Asset managers are now integrating annuities within TDFs, aiming to aid retirees in managing their retirement income more effectively. While these innovative products have been introduced recently, they represent a small but potentially growing portion of the TDF market.
2. Addressing Retirement Income Management: The asset management industry has excelled in helping individuals accumulate savings for retirement, but support for income management post-retirement has been lacking. TDFs with annuities are proposed as a solution to this gap, offering streamlined decision-making and a reliable income stream for retirees.
3. Challenges to Adoption of Annuities in Target Date Funds: Despite the potential benefits of annuities in TDFs, there are concerns about low investor interest, possibly due to past products failing to attract users. The complexities involved in understanding annuities, the apprehension about fees, and legal considerations for plan sponsors are significant obstacles, alongside the need for educating both plan sponsors and participants about these new options.

To view the full Morningstar research, “Target Dates and Annuities… It’s Complicated,” click here.

SEE ALSO:

• New Wave of Annuities in TDFs: ‘It’s Complicated’

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic everywhere these days, including the financial services industry. We check in with artificial intelligence early adopter Liz Davidson, founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, who tells us about their award-winning AI-powered virtual financial coach named Aimee, and how AI really is turning into a game-changer for many retirement plan advisors.

Financial Finesse is making great strides in this area, and she explains how they’re doing it and why AI has so much potential to provide safe and accurate financial education to plan participants.

The workplace retirement plan industry’s premiere event is just days away, with top professionals set to descend upon Nashville April 7-9 for the 2024 NAPA 401(k) Summit.

We get a preview of the big event from two of the key people in charge of putting it together in Nevin Adams and John Sullivan, the former and current Chief Content Officers for the American Retirement Association.

In addition to highlighting some of the topics and key must-see sessions scheduled for the event, we’ll check in with Nevin about his “gradual retirement” and John about how he’s fitting into the big shoes left for him by Nevin.

The 401(k) has been under attack on multiple fronts lately.

Between calls for eliminating their tax advantages to prop up Social Security to Bernie Sanders pining for a return to pension plans, and momentum seeming to build for the TSP-like “Retirement Savings for Americans Act” that many in the workplace retirement market believe would constitute unfair competition from the federal government, it’s enough to have retirement plan advisors feeling a little defensive these days.

Fortunately, plenty of retirement industry experts have stepped up to answer these attacks, and today’s podcast features a prominent one in Sarah Holden, senior director of retirement and investor research at the Investment Company Institute.

ICI has been very active in debunking recent attacks on defined contribution plans, and Holden makes some great points in defense of the 401(k).

Unlocking the Door to Broader Adoption of Guaranteed Lifetime Income in 401(k)s: Matt Gray and Todd Levy

Guaranteed lifetime income remains a hot topic in the workplace retirement plan market and there are plenty of factors at play these days that are helping these solutions gain traction—and more widespread adoption—in 401(k) plans.

Matt Gray, Assistant Vice President, Workplace and Middle Markets at Allianz Life, and Todd Levy, a “first mover” for lifetime income in DC plans who is Managing Director of RIA for The Retirement Plan Company, join the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to discuss how these products are evolving to meet the wants and needs of 401(k) participants.

Ohtani’s ‘Retirement’ Strategy, NQDC Plans and 2024 Stock Trends with ‘401(k) Lady’ Jeanne Sutton

Baseball’s biggest star Shohei Ohtani made headlines recently by signing the largest individual contract in the history of sports when he inked a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Interestingly, he deferred $68 of the $70 million per year in a move that could save him nine figures in California state income tax down the road.

We’ll talk about that unique contract and the power of non-qualified deferred compensation plans with Strategic Retirement Partners Managing Director Jeanne Sutton, known as “The 401(k) Lady” in her popular social media videos. We’ll also talk about her stock market trends to watch in 2024, as well as what’s on her industry travel and speaking agenda this year.

Catching Up with 'Annuity Yoda' Tamiko Toland

Guaranteed in-plan lifetime income solutions is a hot topic in the workplace retirement market these days, and we wanted to hear from one of the foremost experts on these products in “Annuity Yoda” Tamiko Toland.

After stints at TIAA and CANNEX, the thought leader in retirement and annuities in the individual and institutional markets last year started Toland Consulting, LLC, to share her insights, experience, and strategic analysis with clients, and she’ll also tell us about a couple of other new gigs keeping her busy these days—all with a focus on helping to educate people about lifetime income solutions.

The Year Ahead with John Hancock Retirement CEO Wayne Park

As the new year opens, our first podcast of 2024 features a look at what to expect in the workplace retirement market from a high-level leader in John Hancock Retirement CEO Wayne Park.

With oversight over all aspects of John Hancock Retirement’s business, Park is an ideal person to shed insight on topics that will impact the workplace retirement business this year, particularly as they relate to emerging opportunities in the small plan marketplace.

He talks about impacts of SECURE 2.0 and state-mandated IRAs, why advisors should be attracted to the small plan market, and what retirement savers should be focused on in the year ahead.

IBM sent shockwaves through the retirement industry recently when it was revealed that the tech and computing giant is halting its 5% 401(k) match in favor of a 5% contribution to a new, portable, immediate-vesting pension called a “Retirement Benefit Account.”

Joining us to discuss this move and its wider implications within the retirement industry is someone who knows the defined benefit market very well in Brian McDonnell, Head of the Global Pension Practice at Cambridge Associates. There he oversees the firm’s work with more than 150 plan sponsors, and also works directly with clients as their OCIO.

He'll explain why the move happened, whether (and why) other plan sponsors might be considering it, and key trends he sees impacting the defined benefit space in the coming year.

2024 SECURE 2.0 Insights with Principal’s Lance Schoening

As we head toward 2024, more and more provisions of the landmark SECURE 2.0 retirement reform legislation package are coming online, including some provisions that have lots of people in the industry really excited.

One of those people is Lance Schoening, Director of Policy at Principal, the sponsor of today’s podcast. As the person responsible for the company’s analysis of retirement legislation, he’s well-versed in all things SECURE 2.0, and shares insights on a number of new provisions.

He’ll also explain why he’s excited about the start-up tax credits, and why retirement plan advisors might want to take another look at the small plan market because of them.