Investment Instruments

Fifty-eight percent of employers surveyed state that financial illness plays a role in employee absenteeism and 78 percent said that concerns over financial problems while at work can have a negative impact on employee productivity.

How do your retirement plan clients measure the success of their retirement plans? If theyre like most plan sponsors, they measure success by participation levels.

A new study by Cogent Research found that although 52 percent of the estimated 315,000 U.S. retail investment advisors support at least one 401(k) plan, only 7 percent of those advisors are heavy plan producers, with $25 million or more in 401(k) assets under management.

Most Social Security reform proposals would result in fewer benefits for future retirees, but if the program pays out less in benefits, the payroll taxes needed from younger workers to support the program would be lower than they would be to fully fund benefits under the current program.

Companies are restoring plan contributions that were reduced or suspended since the beginning of 2008, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America. Many companies are increasing or adding new contributions to their plan.

Workers in the south and west have the lowest participation levels in employment-based retirement plans, while workers in the upper Midwest, mid-Atlantic and northeast had the highest levels, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.