There is a looming retirement-readiness problem that is not going away: Employers need to motivate employees to take action and participate in their 401(k) plan (and not leave "free money" on the table).

Start the new year with a review of your employee handbook.

This income-driven repayment plan for student loans could cut some borrowers' payments in half or erase all remaining debt after 10 years for those who took out $12,000 or less.

Employers can begin pursuing more robust diversity, equity and inclusion strategies by asking, "What problem are we trying to solve?" so that there's a shared understanding of the issues in their company.