Workers are struggling to save for retirement, and the future is filled with uncertainty about whether their savings will be enough even to pay for basic expenses. A proposal to automatically enroll workers currently without a workplace savings plan like … Continue reading
Time for change in the Social Security model
If a corporate executive reported to shareholders that the firm intentionally planned to operate with a negative cash flow for a period of 20 years or more, we could comment with some certainty that the shareholders would find this unacceptable. … Continue reading
Many investors are not taking advantage of company 401(k) match
The recession has compromised the ability of many investors to save for retirement. These are the findings of an annual study performed by Hewitt Associates sampling nearly 3 million employees from 120 large companies. The study was based on data … Continue reading
Boomers at risk of running short of money in retirement
A recent study released by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) found that nearly half of early baby boomers are at risk of running short of money they will need for essential expenses in retirement. In fact, 47.2% of the … Continue reading
Global crisis, recovery, and the challenge of solvency
There are lessons to be learned from the sovereign debt issues that grew worse in recent weeks in Greece and other EU countries. First, the investment environment is global and we all need to adapt. And second, the United States … Continue reading
Fee Transparency in 401(k) Plans is Integral to Their Success
Investors in 401(k) plans may soon receive more detail about the fees involved in their plans if new regulations around fee disclosure are approved. The Department of Labor is expected to issue regulations this month that will detail how service … Continue reading
Putnam Survey: Investors Struggling to Save for Retirement
Americans are having a hard time saving. In a recent survey of 1,000 adults fielded by Putnam Investments in April, only 14% of respondents said they plan to fully fund their IRAs in 2010, compared with 23% who did fully … Continue reading
Save, Invest, Create: Reviving America’s Promise
Americans want Social Security reform
Speaking on April 14 at the Detroit Economic Club, Putnam CEO Robert L. Reynolds called for President Obama to create a bipartisan commission to come up with a plan to make Social Security solvent. Reynolds cited a recent Putnam survey … Continue reading
Washington viewing annuities as part of a lifetime income solution
President Obama recently called for a change in rules to allow the use of annuities as investment options within 401(k) plans. Annuities are insurance agreements that provide a guaranteed income stream in retirement. A fact sheet released by the Administration’s … Continue reading
