Financial Education

Educating DC Plan Participants for the Long Hike to Retirement

Kathy Bergstrom, CEBS
 

Many years ago, I visited Grand Canyon National Park with my mom and aunt. It was unseasonably hot, but I wanted to walk down into the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. My companions were not up for the hike, so I […]

Student Loan Repayment and Financial Wellness Benefits: What’s New?

Anne Newhouse
 

Student loan repayment has been more top-of-mind in recent weeks with President Biden’s announcement on February 21, 2024. The Department of Education emailed 153,000 borrowers that student loans were being discharged for those enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) […]

The Dangers of Credit Illiteracy: Three Takeaways for Employees and Organizations

Amanda Wilke
 

Forty-five percent of employees find their debt level overwhelming. It is always on their mind, weighing them down, creating mental and physical health implications. Much of the struggle comes from employees not understanding how credit and debt work together. Credit is the […]

Matching Contributions for Qualified Student Loan Payments Under SECURE Act 2.0

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

With the federal student loan debt relief plan ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, more employers are expected to consider offering student loan repayment benefits (covered in Part 1) or retirement plan matching under the SECURE Act 2.0 of 2022. The optional […]

Student Loan Repayment Benefits: What Are The Options Now?

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

With the federal student loan relief plan ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, more employers are expected to consider offering student loan repayment benefits (loan paydown) or 401(k)/403(b) matching under the SECURE Act 2.0 of 2022. Federal student loan payments resume in […]

Decumulation Challenges and Solutions for Plan Members: Three Takeaways

Amanda Wilke
 

Decumulation, the concept of income for life, can be considered “the nastiest, hardest problem in finance,” according to William Sharpe, a Nobel prize winner in Economics. The concept is challenging because the uncertainty of someone’s lifespan makes it difficult to know what […]

Magazine Extra: 7 Questions to Ask Before Rebooting Your Financial Wellness Plan

Guest Contributor
 

Benefits Magazine Extras articles provide you with bonus content on a mix of benefits topics as well as deep dives and analysis on the latest benefit trends and compliance issues. Visit ifebp.org/benefitsmagazine to see the latest Magazine Extra as well as the bimonthly print […]

Three Trustee Actions During Market Volatility

Jenny Gartman, CEBS
 

Recent bank failures and resulting market volatility have captured headlines in recent weeks, and many individual investors reacted quickly. However, when it comes to fulfilling their fiduciary duty in the face of unexpected news, trustees should remain calm to avoid costly investment […]