We are all aware of the 401(k) contribution limits set annually by the IRS, but what if you’ve maxed out your contributions for the year and still want to save money for retirement? You could fund a brokerage account separate from your 401(k), but you would face a costly capital gains tax on those earnings. This is where leveraging an after-tax source in your 401(k) comes into play.
Before dispersing for its winter break, Congress passed significant changes to retirement savings law that will affect many of us now and all of us in the future. This new law, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, is part of the massive government spending bill that was approved by Congress on December 19 and signed into law by President Trump on December 20, 2019. This bill extensively reshapes the realm of employer-sponsored retirement plans for both employers and employees and enacts the biggest changes to the U.S. retirement system since 2006.
Have you heard of, or considered, socially responsible – or, what the industry now calls ESG, investments? These investment vehicles have been gaining a lot of traction this year for focus on sustainable, socially conscious, "green" and/or ethical screens for the companies they own in their portfolio (i.e. mutual fund or ETF) and also for their ability to point of potential financial risks that can't be identified by typical quarterly results. They seek to consider both financial return and specific environmental, governance, and social metrics to help investments do well by “doing good.” In this video, I sat down with Clarice Avery of Natixis Invest Managers. We talked about all the things you should know when considering an ESG investment for your investment line-up. You can learn more at Natixis’ site and ESG101.
At AFS 401(k), our advisors are constantly in contact with employees from all income levels, educational backgrounds, and industries and we see common themes when it comes to the types of questions they are asking us. Alex Assaley, our Managing Principal, spends most of his time with plan participants helping them navigate their retirement savings. “People need help with this stuff, delivered in a down-to-earth manner that can take them from point A to point B, and let them get on with their day," he says of people's common challenges when dealing with their retirement plan. While we hear a wide variety of questions and concerns from people on a daily basis, here are the three that we hear the most:
As more organizations begin to expand their employee benefits, are Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, a good fit for your employees? An HSA is a savings vehicle designed to assist with out-of-pocket medical expenses, but it can double as another way for your employees to save for retirement. Currently, only those enrolled in a high-deductible health insurance plan are eligible to take advantage of an HSA. Employees can use the funds to pay for qualified medical expenses such as premium payments, deductibles, copays, and prescriptions.
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.
As of October 27, 2016 the IRS announced the 2017 Pension Plan Limitations. These changes will take effect in the upcoming tax year for retirement plans.
Check out our infographic that details all the changes you'll want to be aware of in the upcoming year when it comes to your role managing an employer-sponsored retirement plan.
The intersection of health and wealth are steadfastly becoming a hot button issue in the employee benefits world. With the cost of healthcare on the rise and the aging of the workforce, this causes a problem for both employer and employee. Ryan Tiernan, Senior HSA Consultant with Access Point HSA and speaker at our upcoming Employee Benefits Symposium takes a look at how Health Savings Accounts may be part of the answer to this issue.
Every CFO and their finance department is intently focused on managing the corporation or organization’s cash and bottom line. Metrics are reviewed monthly, if not more frequently, to understand the company’s revenues, liabilities, budget, capital reserves, and operating capital (cash). Additionally, concerted efforts are made to get the best return on a corporation’s cash assets – which in the large corporate market can serve as a catalyst to acquisition activity, stock buybacks, and other strategies.
