Recently I did a LinkedIn Live with Jill James of Sif Industries - we discussed small business finance and retirement plans. Here's an overview of our chat in Q&A format, plus some of the things that I wish I had thought to share with you!

On my latest LinkedIn Live: Planology for Plan Sponsors, I pulled in Doug Hoefer of DWC to talk about SECURE, what plan sponsors need to know prior to year-end, and a few other topics. Here are some highlights from our chat.

Financial wellness programs have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many businesses eager to ease the financial stress of their employees. But is it right for YOUR business? Here are 3 questions to ponder before you set out to offer such a program.

Retirement Planology is pleased to announce that Courtenay Shipley has been named to the 2020 edition of the Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisers. The list recognizes the top financial advisers who specialize in serving defined contribution (DC) retirement plans across the U.S.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Meghan Dotter, Founder & CEO of Portico PR, a public relations firm in Washington DC. Meghan is a presentations specialist who helps her clients effectively and engagingly get their message across. Here are a few highlights from our talk.

Want to see corporations change? Become an activist investor. This means swaying votes and influencing business practices using your share of ownership in publicly traded companies. Can you be an activist investor with your retirement plan dollars? Well, it’s complicated - let’s look at the issues.

Auto-enrollment features for retirement plans: friend or foe? Let’s talk about what’s available and why they may be worth considering for your plan.

The Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) plan is an extremely flexible tool that companies have for recruiting and retaining top talent. Executive retention is one of the main reasons to offer it, but there are also other reasons it is put into place.

It’s no secret that Covid-19 has affected everyone and everything, and we’ve been keeping tabs specifically on the impact it has had so far on retirement plans. Without boring you to tears with all the statistics, we have cherry-picked data points from some of our retirement plan recordkeeper partners to demonstrate the current state.

Everyone has a struggle bus fueled by Covid-19. In the midst of the abrupt life changes we are all experiencing and the struggle and adaptation they inevitably cause. I offer three thoughts about this pandemic and how to approach retirement. As Joseph Campbell said, “It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life.”

Financial fragility was found to be connected to how a person feels about their chances of being infected by COVID-19 as well as their beliefs about the spread of the disease. If financial fragility (AKA financial wellness) can influence behavior and beliefs on non-financial topics, perhaps employers should examine the role that financial wellness plays within their organization and benefits package. This article offers guidance.

The Aspen Institute in April released an article that says, “Amid the COVID-19 crisis, which continues to impact public health, the global economy, and life as we know it, known instances of cybercrime have more than tripled.” Cybersecurity should be an ongoing part of your due diligence process and monitoring for your retirement plans, and also a vital part of your communication campaigns with employees.

We recently had a discussion with one of our colleagues at Hertzbach and Co. One of their clients planned to sell their business and terminate their retirement plan as a result. Meanwhile, COVID-19 came and thew a wet blanket of uncertainty on business cashflow. Many small businesses are rethinking whether continuing their employee retirement plan is a good idea or not.

If you’ve wanted to deliver your retirement plan notices electronically instead of being saddled with sending paper (or paying someone else to send paper) and worried that the 2002 guidance was cumbersome and outdated, then good news! On May 21, 2020 the DOL unveiled a new safe harbor for electronic disclosures, effective 60 days following the May 27 publication in the Federal Register.

ERISA Fidelity bonds and fiduciary liability insurance are not the same thing! Make sure you know the difference and what the requirements are.

There are two types of capital preservation funds available for retirement plans: money market and stable value. They couldn’t be more different, especially at a time like today. Read on to find out what makes them different and why/what you should consider before putting each in your company retirement plan.

The CARES Act will make additional retirement plan savings available to participants impacted by the Coronavirus. Here’s a quick overview of relief contained within the Act.

Could diversity affect retirement plans and the work force? Kelly McDonald offered up ways to work with people NOT like you. Here’s what it means for your workforce and financial wellness.

“Have there been changes to your ownership or business structure, including mergers and acquisitions?” We’re not just being nosy! This can affect your retirement plan — that is, your current plan or your budget for it. Here’s a short list of what you might need to think about.

Procrastinators rejoice! The SECURE Act has made some big changes to Safe Harbor plan designs. Historically, plan sponsors had to decide and declare 30 days before the beginning of the plan year if they’d use a safe harbor design. If you’re willing to do a little more, you could have up to a year to retroactively decide to use safe harbor. Read on here.