Employer retirement plans of all kinds, including 401(k)s, have increasingly become seen as the holy grail in the world of retirement benefits. If employers offer a retirement plan (especially if there's a match), then employees will save, and they will be able to happily retire when they want...or at least that's the intent. Overall, while there are many reasons that Americans struggle with saving enough for retirement, even if they have access to a plan through work, there is another benefit that can provide an extra boost from employers: Health Savings Accounts. 

Since Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20th, 2017, things in Washington, DC have been eventful, to say the least. Of course, depending on who you ask, opinions on recent developments and predictions about what is to come for Americans vary extremely from positive to negative. No matter which side of the political spectrum you fall on, it's safe to say that many changes are about to happen and the employee benefits industry will not be immune to them.

Many workers may not appreciate the work that their Human Resources department handles, but a well-oiled HR machine may make or break the overall morale and loyalty of employees. In turn, this contributes to the overall success of an organization. Despite this, we find that Human Resource and Employee Benefit professionals are typically short on time, resources, and in some cases, support. This is all the more reason that those working in HR and Benefits need to take extra steps to keep up with new trends, services, and developments within the industry to excel within their important roles. In our 2016 Employee Benefit Trends Report, we highlight some of the significant updates that help both HR professionals and the employees they support.

Here, we've highlighted what we feel are the top three trends most important to ensuring you're creating and maintaining a valuable benefits program within your organization for 2017. 

We are pleased to announce that for the fourth year running, AFS 401(k) advisor Alex Assaley has been voted to the Top 75 Plan Advisors Under 40 list by the National Association of Plan Advisers. 

It's no secret that financial literacy is not a strong skill for many Americans. In a recent study, it was noted that nearly two-thirds of adults couldn't pass a basic financial literacy test. That fact is not too surprising when you consider that currently, only 4 states require students to take a personal finance class in order to graduate. With rising student loan debt, increases in the cost of living, and medical costs continuing their upward trajectory, how can we get a handle on our financial lives?

Has it been a while since you performed a comparative review of your retirement plan advisor and/or vendor?  It may sound like a complicated process, but ensuring you're matched with partners who are in tune with your companies'  unique culture and goals is essential. 

Last week President Trump halted implementation and enforcement of the new DOL Fiduciary Rule scheduled to take effect in April. What does this mean for your company and employees? 

Chances are at some point you will need to perform a retirement advisor request for proposal (RFP), so why not stay ahead of the game? 

Alex Assaley, Managing Principal of AFS 401(k), has been named to Employee Benefit Adviser's "30 People to Watch in Employee Benefits in 2017" list. 

It's no secret that Financial Wellness programs have been rising in popularity for quite some time. There has been an increasing awareness on the part of employers to invest time, energy, and resources into ensuring that employees are financially stable. Historically though, the focus has heavily centered almost solely on retirement planning. Retirement readiness projections, savings rates, and automatic enrollment seem to have been what has primarily been on the minds of Human Resource professionals when it comes to employees' financial lives.