Ted Godbout
By Ted Godbout 5/20/2019
Bipartisan legislation to create a new federal commission that would study and recommend ways to improve Americans’ retirement security has been reintroduced in the Senate.
The Federal Retirement Commission Act, reintroduced May 14 by Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would charge...
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By Ted Godbout 5/20/2019
Despite a rocky end to 2018 and predictions of an impending recession, those who stayed the course were rewarded with a generous first quarter rebound on the 10-year anniversary of the stock market low.
Buoyed by positive stock market performance as well as record contribution levels, Fidelity...
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By Ted Godbout 5/17/2019
Changes that don’t have anything to do with retirement might undermine bipartisan support for retirement security legislation.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) late last month had announced that the House planned to take up the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE...
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By Ted Godbout 5/15/2019
Members of the Senate Finance Committee expressed hope May 14 that Congress would move quickly to approve the long-pending Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA) before moving to the next round of broader retirement savings reforms.
“I’m hoping that the House will send its version of RESA...
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By Ted Godbout 5/15/2019
Picking up where they left off in the last Congress, the bipartisan duo of Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) reintroduced their comprehensive “Retirement Security and Savings Act” on May 13.
The 132-page bill includes more than 50 provisions designed to strengthen Americans’...
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By Ted Godbout 5/14/2019
A key member of Congress has reintroduced legislation that would permit 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE and governmental 457(b) retirement plans to make matching contributions to workers as if their student loan payments were salary reduction contributions.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the...
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By Ted Godbout 5/9/2019
The key Senate committee with jurisdiction over retirement tax policy issues is turning its attention to reviewing proposals that encourage and facilitate retirement savings.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has announced that the Committee will hold a...
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By Ted Godbout 5/6/2019
The pressure to live a secure retirement has led to some counterintuitive views about just what will help workers get themselves there.
While 66% of American workers are still planning to supplement their personal savings with income from Social Security, 42% also don’t believe Social Security...
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By Ted Godbout 5/3/2019
Under questioning at a May 1 hearing on Capitol Hill, Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta appeared to confirm that the Department of Labor will issue a new fiduciary rule.
Acosta appeared before the House Education and Labor Committee for a hearing to examine the policies and priorities of the...
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By Ted Godbout 4/22/2019
When asked to name barriers to financial independence and early retirement, Americans are less concerned about uncertain market conditions or inflation than they are about health care expenses.
According to survey results from TD Ameritrade, Americans aged 45 and older with $250,000 or more in...
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By Ted Godbout 4/16/2019
The Garden State has formally proposed a new uniform fiduciary standard – and there’s some good news.
Issued April 15 by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and the state’s Bureau of Securities, the proposed rule would establish by regulation a common law fiduciary duty and apply it to...
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By Ted Godbout 4/15/2019
Increasing concern about transforming accumulated savings into a secure retirement is driving interest in income-generating vehicles via workplace retirement plans, according to new survey results.
BlackRock’s DC Pulse Survey of more than 1,000 defined contribution plan participants — including...
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By Ted Godbout 4/5/2019
A bipartisan task force in Pennsylvania is recommending the establishment of a state-run auto-IRA program to help workers who don’t have access to a private-sector retirement plan.
The task force, which was established in September 2017 by State Treasurer Joe Torsella, released a report March 27 ...
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By Ted Godbout 4/5/2019
A top fear in retirement is out-of-control healthcare costs, but a new survey finds few business owners fully understand the benefits and operations of health savings accounts (HSAs).
More than half of business owners (55%) consider healthcare costs to be the biggest expense for those in...
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By Ted Godbout 4/2/2019
New survey results show that nearly half of Americans incorrectly believe all advisors are legally obligated to act in a client’s best interest.
According to findings in Personal Capital’s 2019 Financial Trust Report, 48% of survey respondents mistakenly believe that all financial advisors are...
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By Ted Godbout 3/18/2019
A top fear in retirement is out-of-control healthcare costs, but a new survey finds few business owners fully understand the benefits and operations of health savings accounts (HSAs).
More than half of business owners (55%) consider healthcare costs to be the biggest expense for those in...
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By Ted Godbout 3/14/2019
Despite the 2018 market downturn, the projected retirement deficit for U.S. households has improved somewhat, though some remain at greater risk than others, according to new data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
“Retirement Savings Shortfalls: Evidence from EBRI’s 2019 Retirement...
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By Ted Godbout 3/11/2019
President Trump’s fiscal year 2020 budget addresses the Administration’s high-priority items, such as increased spending for national security, but it doesn’t include much about retirement.
Released by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget on March 11, the proposal – dubbed “A Budget...
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By Ted Godbout 3/8/2019
A group consisting of 12 separate financial services trade associations – including SIFMA, ACLI and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – have highlighted both preemption issues and legal deficiencies with Nevada’s proposed fiduciary regulation that they say goes “well beyond” the state’s legal authority...
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By Ted Godbout 3/7/2019
Health savings account (HSA) assets grew by over $5.8 billion in January 2019 to reach $59.6 billion, up 11% since the end of 2018, according to an industry report.
In addition, the total number of HSA accounts also grew by almost 5% in January, with the total rising to an estimated 26.3 million...
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