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An apple for the teacher? The most bountiful bushel of them—and the one most frequently dipped into—appears to be that provided for public-sector teachers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Its most recently released report about employee benefits in the United States, which... READ MORE
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series about service providers’ audits of clients and their plans.  That’s what a first financial audit can feel like, says an industry expert. But it doesn’t have to. “Death by a thousand cuts. That’s what initial 401(k) and 403(b) audit clients... READ MORE
Amid ongoing market volatility, plan participants are increasingly keeping a close eye on their retirement account balance via mobile apps, writes Ted Godbout in MarketBeat. He discusses a report that mobile apps have taken center stage as a critical tool for retirement investors.  READ MORE
Tech Talk addresses what a governmental employer that offers a 457(b) plan should consider regarding offering a student loan matching contribution program. READ MORE
After enduring one of the worst stock markets in decades, health savings account (HSA) investment assets have grown rapidly, according to Devenir’s 2023 mid-year HSA market survey report.  As part of its 26th semi-annual HSA survey, Devenir reports that, at the mid-point of 2023, $116 billion in... READ MORE
The IRS has updated the information it makes available concerning its voluntary compliance program (VCP). It issued the reminders in the Sept. 29 edition of Employee Plans News.  Check Status The IRS reminds taxpayers that they can check the status of any submissions they have made under the VCP... READ MORE
Concerns about increasing partisanship in traditionally bipartisan retirement policy and legislation was the theme of a conversation between Brian Graff and Preston Rutledge at the ERISA 403(b) Conference in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 2. Graff, CEO of the American Retirement Association, and... READ MORE
“403(b)s are not 401(k)s, and damage is done by not understanding the difference,” PenServ Plan Services President Sue Diehl emphasized at the outset of a session dedicated to a comparison of the two at the ERISA 403(b) Advisor Conference in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 2. She then listed several... READ MORE
October is cybersecurity month, “something that pairs nicely with Oktoberfest,” American Retirement Association CEO Brian Graff joked during a panel called “Fulfilling Cybersecurity Oversight Requirements” at the ERISA 403(b) Conference in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 2. It was a moment of levity in... READ MORE
The priority guidance plan that the Treasury and IRS have issued for 2023-24 includes plans for action that will affect retirement benefit matters relevant to the education sector. They unveiled the plan on Sept. 29.  The 2023-2024 Priority Guidance Plan contains projects that will be the focus of... READ MORE
Analysis of the first state-sponsored retirement plan for uncovered workers—OregonSaves—supports earlier findings that auto-IRAs do, in fact, close the coverage gap. More specifically, a new paper examined Oregon’s program, started in 2017, which requires employers who did not offer any workplace... READ MORE
I fear that by the time you read this, we will be entering a government shutdown or will be moments away from one. Fingers crossed that we can all come together to keep things up and running. Regardless of that, September has been a very busy month for the NTSA.  Educating the Educators I am... READ MORE
A few years ago, my wife went to a garage sale and bought a box of old books for $25. She came home as excited as I had ever seen her. Why? One of the books was an 1831 edition of The Federalist Papers. We searched online and were thrilled to see an estimated value of $500. Those poor sellers had... READ MORE
Benefits play a major role in the employee experience, as most can attest on a personal and professional level, writes Ted Godbout in MarketBeat; but he adds that new research suggests that it’s simply not enough to make benefits available to employees. READ MORE
Tech Talk discusses what an employer that offers a 403(b) plan should consider regarding offering a student loan matching contribution program. READ MORE
Where do things stand regarding retirement assets and plan participation in the United States? Two agencies give us a look.  Assets U.S. retirement assets as of New Year’s Eve in 2022 stood at a total of $37.8 trillion, says the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in U.S. Retirement Assets: Data... READ MORE
In 2023, CalSavers was beset by the summer doldrums. The CalSavers Retirement Savings Board reports that this last summer, the program grew by some measures, but remained stable or even shrank slightly by others.  Employer registrations were lower at the end of summer than they were at its start;... READ MORE
The Student Loan Payment Matching Contribution provision in SECURE 2.0 is one of the most asked-about new features in the law. This is particularly true among our public education clients who are looking for ways to attract and retain teachers, which continues to be a problem for districts... READ MORE
The 21st century industrial revolution mass-produces information but also makes it an individual experience, John Iekel writes in MarketBeat. One of the vehicles for that information is apps—but how interested are participants different generations in that form of access? READ MORE
Tech Talk discusses the circumstances under which a 403(b) plan may qualify for a safe harbor exemption and, therefore, not be subject to ERISA. READ MORE

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