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Monday, November 27, 2023

Explore our Festive Finances Guide for practical holiday spending tips, including insights on 'buy now pay later' apps.

Monday, November 13, 2023

Want to optimize 401(k) plan administration? Discover year-end admin tips, plan headache avoidance, and tax strategies for business owners in our newsletter.

Monday, November 6, 2023

Need help with End-of-year 401(k) Tasks? Our guide has you covered! Dive into plan design, SECURE Act changes, RMDs, and more for a smooth wrap-up.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

The 2024 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits are here! Check out the most recent changes.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Learn how Chicago business owners are optimizing these 5 tax strategies to help boost profits, retirement savings, and manage operating costs.

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Monday, October 16, 2023

Discover tax-efficient strategies for your business with 5 ideas from our 401k advisors at Bjork Asset Management.

Monday, October 9, 2023

Streamline your retirement plan with expert guidance. Discover how to avoid common admin tasks that turn into 401(k) plan headaches.

Monday, September 18, 2023

To keep up with the rapidly changing employment landscape, it's important for your plan design and total rewards to evolve, too. Let's work together to create an innovative, high-performance plan that will set you apart from the competition

Monday, September 11, 2023

Effective on January 1, 401(k) plans must allow employees who have worked more than 500 hours of service in three consecutive 12-month periods to contribute elective deferrals to the plan.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has granted a two-year delay in the Roth catch-up requirements. This decision brings relief to retirement plan participants and sponsors who were facing looming compliance deadlines. Let's delve into the d

Monday, August 28, 2023

Are the stock market ups and downs making you crazy? Staying invested during the good and bad has historically been the smart decision for many investors.

Monday, August 21, 2023

Are you looking for new strategies to help motivate and engage your employees? A Total Rewards Program Strategy could be the perfect fit! This type of strategy goes beyond traditional salaries by offering benefits, perks, incentives and rew

Monday, August 14, 2023

New 401k eligibility requirements for Long-Term, Part-Time employees starts Jan. 1, 2024. Learn about the new eligibility requirements in Illinois.

Monday, July 24, 2023

High employee turnover could lead to a rise in small 401(k) accounts. Explore how adding a Safe Harbor IRA provision to your plan may help reduce plan costs and potential fiduciary risks.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Taking charge of finances is a key to future success. A great first step is to ask yourself these 5 questions and reflect on your financial situation.

Monday, July 10, 2023

With thoughtful design features, you can structure a 401(k) plan that stands out in a time of talent scarcity and meets your employees’ needs.

Monday, June 5, 2023

Financial stress can have a big impact on the company’s bottom line. Learn about how investing in employee financial education & wellness programs can help you and your company.

Monday, May 29, 2023

Consider the case for a financial wellness program to help remedy financial stress and strengthen your company’s bottom line

Monday, May 22, 2023

Offering a financial wellness program can help reduce employee financial stress, leading to lower turnover, improving company productivity and achieving a healthier bottom line. Start first by calculating the cost of financial stress in you

Monday, May 15, 2023

Employees are looking for beefed up benefits that support their social, physical, mental and financial well-being.

Monday, April 24, 2023

Helping employees reduce financial stress can help improve wellness, retention and productivity – and cost a fraction of the time lost from overwhelmed employees.

Monday, April 17, 2023

Is it too late to save? Never. No matter where one is in their life or career, there are plenty of tricks and tips to help one save.

Monday, April 10, 2023

In today’s economy, financial stress is having a profound impact on working Americans. Stressed employees are feeling the pinch; this can affect productivity, retention and engagement at work. Financial education could be an easy solution

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Q1 is often a time for retirement plan committees to focus on their fiduciary duty which includes investment oversight, rethinking plan goals and benchmarking plan costs.

Monday, March 6, 2023

Selecting 401(k) investments can feel like a lot of pressure. However, there are three steps to follow when selecting 401(k) investments that can help ease your mind.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

There’s plenty to cover in a committee meeting so help formalize your plan’s foundation with this helpful checklist for an efficient and effective meeting.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Competitive benchmarking is a way to measure and compare fees associated with running your retirement plan. Explore the most frequently asked questions about plan costs and benchmarking.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Selecting and monitoring investment options for your company’s retirement plan is just one part of your fiduciary responsibility. How do you evaluate, benchmark and assess your plan and what other expertise or protection should you consider

Monday, January 23, 2023

Stay ahead of deadlines with help from our annual Compliance Calendar. If you have any questions about deadlines or information requested, please contact us to review today!

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

This employee newsletter focuses on budgeting tips, the 50/30/20 rule and sharing the new contribution limits for 2023.

Monday, January 9, 2023

Here’s helpful guidance about defining your plan goals and offering this benefit which helps everyone save toward retirement success.

Thursday, January 5, 2023

With over 92 different retirement plan provisions, we want to make it easier for employers, fiduciaries and administrators to digest. In this summary, we focus on the most common sections that are most applicable in your leadership position

Monday, December 5, 2022

Status quo or time for a shake up? What employers can expect from their 401(k) partners, how to implement a financial wellness program and what to expect during a plan conversation.

Monday, November 28, 2022

Let us focus on your retirement plan so you can focus on running your business. Here’s 4 ways we can help: Fiduciary Training, Investment Monitoring, Plan Design Optimization, Employee Education.

Monday, November 14, 2022

What’s your goal? Here are 7 retirement plan design options that can help business owners and employees reach toward their financial goals.

Monday, November 7, 2022

Leverage service providers to help your 401(k) plan run more smoothly.

Monday, October 24, 2022

Learn what to expect when changing recordkeepers to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Monday, October 24, 2022

The 2023 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits are here! Check out the most recent changes.

Monday, October 17, 2022

Credit is your financial reputation. Here are 8 credit building tips to help set yourself up for tomorrow.

Monday, October 10, 2022

A financial wellness program can be an extremely valuable benefit, learn how it can help employees reduce stress while improving workplace productivity.

Monday, September 12, 2022

Key strategies to help employers maximize savings, minimize taxes and apply innovative approaches for financial wellness.

Friday, September 9, 2022

We’re entering a tricky time of year: September and October have a reputation for bringing an extra measure of market volatility.Some of the stock market’s most challenging events have hit in September and October, and...

Monday, August 29, 2022

Auto-features not only help with employee savings, but they may reduce the hassle of administration

Sunday, August 21, 2022

In the financial world, some weeks are more important than others, and we just lived through a big one. Let's unpack each of the four key stats:The Fed. As expected, the Fed bumped up short-term rates again at its July meeting. But the...

Monday, August 8, 2022

Innovative and creative approaches to help your company stand out while improving workers’ financial well-being

Monday, July 25, 2022

Key strategies to help employers maximize savings and minimize taxes

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Summer travel is picking up this year. If you’re headed to Europe, you may notice that you get more bang for your buck.Why is that?For the first time in almost 20 years, the U.S. dollar and the euro have reached parity. Souvenirs...

Monday, July 18, 2022

4 distribution options to help employees improve retirement planning confidence.

Monday, July 11, 2022

The most comprehensive pension reform in 20 years, the SECURE Act, is a step forward to allow people greater access to retirement plans.

Monday, June 13, 2022

Read about the changes coming to the total rewards landscape such as guaranteed income, how to calm inflation concerns and the top total rewards opportunities this year.

Monday, May 16, 2022

Total rewards programs are a vital part of workplace culture, employee performance and securing top talent. Learn how program enhancements can help meet the demands of a changing workplace and workforce.

Monday, April 25, 2022

Increasing prices may put pressure on employers and delay workers from retiring.

Monday, April 18, 2022

If you have an outstanding student loan, you’re not alone. Read our latest infographic with best practices to help you pay down student debt.

Monday, April 11, 2022

Annuities and similar products may help address retirement readiness in an aging workforce.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Stay ahead of deadlines with help from our annual Compliance Calendar.

Monday, February 14, 2022

Your workforce is diverse and unique – how does your retirement plan reflect DEI efforts?

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Monday, January 24, 2022

Employee professional and financial values are evolving, and ESG funds are beginning to represent them in the market. Will they become part of your fiduciary consideration?

Monday, January 17, 2022

If the DOL comes knocking, is your plan prepared for an audit? Be aware of red flags, how to respond and what documents to have ready.

Monday, January 10, 2022

Get ahead of the curve: The most anticipated topics of 2022: Important information regarding audits, ESG funds and DEI in your workplace!

Monday, November 8, 2021

Retirement plan committees are super important; they set the direction and priorities of the company’s retirement plan. These actions (or inactions) can have a huge impact on how successful employees are at preparing for...

Monday, October 25, 2021

More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, there are signs of recovery in the U.S. Millions of vaccines have been administered, businesses and offices are reopening and life is starting to look more like it did pre-pandemic. All this...

Monday, October 18, 2021

Talking about money is tricky, especially at work. While it may seem too personal for work and easier to avoid the conversation, the effects can have a lasting effect on a company. More and more forward-thinking employers are starting...

Monday, October 11, 2021

As we begin to say goodbye to 2021, let’s look forward to the new year by addressing employee financial habits after COVID, how a K-shape economy is impacting your workplace and how your retirement plan committee plays an...

Monday, August 23, 2021

For the millions of business owners that offer a workplace retirement plan, the COVID-19 pandemic created many financial difficulties. However, as the economic climate improves, there is an opportunity for employers to refresh their...

Monday, August 2, 2021

Just ask anyone: Uncle Sam and the retirement industry love acronyms. Another was added in December 2020—PEP—which conveniently rhymes with MEP and SEP. The three plan types are 401(k) cousins[1] meaning they share many...

Monday, July 26, 2021

Pandemic Relief May Bring Administrative Pain to Plan Administrators The CARES Act gave plan participants quick access to funds during the COVID crisis, although only about 6% of participants took advantage of the options offered.[1]...

Monday, July 12, 2021

As the first half of the year phases out, it’s time to focus on measuring and begin strategic planning for your retirement plan. There’s a lot of new items on the agenda this year, from the CARES Act rules for repayment of...

Monday, May 24, 2021

The global pandemic has had a staggering effect on the economic lives of millions, driving them to actions that could have long-lasting effects on their retirement savings.Facing unprecedented strain caused by the COVID-19 crisis,...

Monday, May 3, 2021

Many American workers struggled financially before the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that this crisis could greatly hinder their ability to reach their retirement income goals.Indeed, more than three-quarters of...

Monday, April 26, 2021

Employees are worried about their finances. They worry about them in the evenings, on weekends and during working hours. Plus, with the increased stress caused by the pandemic, it’s no secret your workforce could use some help.More...

Monday, April 12, 2021

We are excited to welcome Q2 with the theme of Financial Wellness! This quarter, we are going to touch on some important topics that impact your bottom line and the financial health of your employees.Read the Newsletter

Monday, March 1, 2021

Retirement plans are complex and have many moving parts; as such, many plan sponsors create retirement plan committees to help keep them running smoothly. They may be called “investment” or “administrative”...

Monday, February 8, 2021

Anyone who has received stacks of mailed booklets, leaflets or other paper 401(k) disclosure materials might be cheering about the Department of Labor’s (DOL) recent rule that expands employer options for delivering retirement...

Monday, February 1, 2021

If navigating a worldwide pandemic weren’t enough, the world of employee benefits continues to throw curve balls at employers and plan sponsors who must constantly keep up. Below are 5 big changes that retirement plan...

Monday, January 18, 2021

Does fiduciary plan governance look different in 2021? Our quarterly newsletter touches on fiduciary plan governance topics to help you stay informed on what has changed or requires action this year: The Importance of a retirement plan...

Thursday, October 29, 2020

October 22, 2020 – Sean Bjork is pleased to announce that he has been named to the 2020 edition of the Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisers. The list recognizes the top financial advisers who specialize in serving defined...

Thursday, October 1, 2020

If you have terminated participants with balances in your 401(k) plan, some of whom you can’t locate, you’re not alone; missing participants are an industry-wide problem. What is a missing participant? A missing participant...

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Turbulent times can bring turbulent markets. Many factors cause chaotic swings in the investing world including housing bubbles, political elections, international instability, and as we have seen recently, a global health pandemic....

Thursday, October 1, 2020

With 2021 approaching fast, it’s time to start thinking about end-of-year initiatives to thrive in the “new normal” and keep your company’s retirement plan on track. Our newsletter covers strategic topics such...

Thursday, October 1, 2020

You likely recognize the importance of seeing your doctor for an annual physical to keep your health in tip-top shape, or taking your car in for routine maintenance to keep it running like new. But what about checking the health of...

Monday, August 24, 2020

By choosing to offer your employees a 401(k) plan, you’re sending a powerful message — that you’re invested in their future and committed to helping them work towards financial security in their retirement. As a...

Monday, August 3, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly shaken our economy to the core. Many businesses have struggled to keep their doors open which has caused unemployment claims to soar. Record unemployment, coupled with a U.S. society that has an...

Monday, July 27, 2020

A good total rewards program helps you attract and retain the best possible talent for your organization. Add a great workplace culture and environment and you could be on your way to becoming an employer of choice among job-seekers....

Monday, July 13, 2020

The first half of this year has been like nothing we have ever seen before --from record high employment to record unemployment, stimulus packages, the CARES Act, and of course the pandemic itself! As a plan sponsor, you have been...

Thursday, April 9, 2020

In today’s economy, Americans are worried about their finances, and it spills over into every aspect of their lives, even their work. Let’s look at this for a minute and you’ll see why having a financial wellness...

Thursday, April 9, 2020

If you think financial wellness programs are a fad, think again. The industry consensus is that financial wellness not only produces results for employees, but it positively influences company bottom lines. That’s good news for a...

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Employee financial stress is a hot topic. So much so, that nearly 60% of employees cite finances as their primary stressor. [1] Their financial worries surpass other top stressors, and it’s impacting their job performance....

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

The link between stress and employee productivity is real. Experts estimate that it costs companies $500 billion or more per year due to “health costs, absenteeism and poor performance”. [1] And with finances being the...

Monday, March 16, 2020

Scan the business news and you will likely find an article detailing the latest 401(k) litigation against a company accused of a fiduciary breach. The litigious trend started with corporate behemoths but has been trickling down to...

Monday, February 10, 2020

Hot breath, fear, sweaty palms - You’ve received a request from the Department of Labor (“DOL”) to provide documents about your retirement plan. You are being investigated. Your first thought may be, how did this...

Monday, January 27, 2020

Offering a competitive benefits package, including a top-notch 401(k) plan, is essential for your company to recruit and retain top talent. Today’s workers highly value employer-sponsored retirement plans: 88% of them say that an...

Monday, January 13, 2020

The start of a new year is a great time to review your fiduciary governance process and confirm that your fiduciary priorities have been set. Preparing for the unexpected can be a delicate balancing act, but it is vital for the...

Monday, December 9, 2019

Tests – the word alone is enough to make the most studious of us sweat. When placed in the context of 401(k) plans, i.e. determining whether your plan passes non-discrimination tests, anxiety levels can go through the roof! This...

Monday, November 18, 2019

If you’re not using data analytics to help you make progress toward improving participant outcomes, then you could be missing out on a key component of plan governance. Data analytics are becoming a meaningful part of defined...

Monday, November 4, 2019

If you want to predict the wants, needs and fears of participants when it comes to retirement planning, look into the potential of predictive analytics. The use of “big data” (a bite-size term often used instead of the...

Monday, October 14, 2019

As we approach the New Year, we look at the future trends of the retirement plan industry to better support plan design, plan administration, participant outcomes, and fiduciary plan governance. Download and enjoy our quarterly Lift...

Monday, September 16, 2019

Formation of Lawsuit Trends The barrage of excessive fee lawsuits filed in 2006 started a trend that continues to this day. At first, plan sponsors saw early signs of success in getting cases dismissed. However, this changed after a...

Monday, September 2, 2019

Approach, review, document, and decide As a member of your company’s retirement plan committee, if you have recently been informed that one or more of your company’s retirement plan investments are on the Watch List,...

Thursday, August 8, 2019

The use of auto features in 401(k) plans has continued to climb in popularity over the past decade. In fact, auto features such as automatic enrollment and auto escalation are considered best practices in 401(k) plan design as ways to...

Friday, July 26, 2019

As we close the first half of 2019, we urge plan sponsors to spend a bit of time reflecting on Measurement and Strategic Planning for your retirement plans. Before you know it, you will be sending annual notices and making plan...

Monday, June 17, 2019

If you want to sell your C-suite on paying for an employee financial wellness program, you’ll probably hear this question from your CFO: What’s the ROI? It’s natural for a chief financial officer to ask about the...

Monday, May 20, 2019

ESG, or environmental, social and governance funds, can be appealing to many investors, including millennials. These funds may be viewed as a proactive way to encourage reluctant and under-prepared millennials to save for retirement....

Monday, April 22, 2019

You may have heard about a “cash balance plan” and wondered whether it would be something advantageous for your business. A cash balance plan operates differently from other types of traditional retirement plans in that it...

Monday, April 8, 2019

Financial wellness has many components that can affect and benefit your workplace. This quarter, our newsletter highlights three engaging topics with insights on the many ways you can incorporate financial wellness into your workplace...

Monday, March 18, 2019

Choosing mutual funds for your retirement plan’s investment lineup can feel like wading through a sea of alphabet soup. Fund companies typically offer multiple share classes, each sporting its own unique letter. A shares, C...

Monday, February 18, 2019

As many employees look ahead to retirement, 47% of workers feel somewhat confident that they’ll have enough money saved to retire on time and then live comfortably.1 However, forward-thinking employers have the ability to help...

Monday, January 21, 2019

Participant-driven lawsuits are on the rise, and employers are facing heightened scrutiny of the way they manage their retirement plans. In today’s continually-evolving regulatory and legal environment, it’s more important...

Monday, January 7, 2019

New Year, New Topics! Plan Sponsor Need to Knows for Q1 2019 Ringing in the new year comes with changes to the 401(k) world, and as a plan sponsor, we want to keep you informed and educated. This past quarter, we’ve focused our...

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Cyber-crime is on the rise worldwide. As a result, growing numbers of organizations are taking critical steps to protect their valuable electronic data from hackers and other cyber criminals — a process known as cybersecurity....

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Plan Sponsor Guide: Understanding 401(k) Loans The recent enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) makes changes to 401(k) loan repayment options, which should prompt plan sponsors and plan administrators to re-evaluate...

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

The DOL Rule is Dead On June 21, 2018 the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Conflict of Interest Rule—more commonly referred to as the “DOL Fiduciary...

Monday, September 10, 2018

For the majority of future retirees, medical expenses pose significant risk to any retirement plan, and they are only projected to rise. Medical cost estimates for couples throughout their full retirement, assuming both partners are...

Monday, August 13, 2018

A Marathon for Everyone Recently, I went to cheer on a friend running in her first marathon. The excitement of watching thousands of people accomplish such an amazing goal was an experience like no other. I waited at the last bend...

Monday, July 9, 2018

Locating missing plan participants can be a headache for any employer, but simply ignoring them is not an effective solution. Regulatory agencies in previous years have published guidance on this topic relating to missing...

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Is your plan one of the nearly 4 in 10 plans actively looking for a new advisor? In the recent Fidelity Investment "Plan Sponsor Attitudes 2017 Survey" over 1,000 plan sponsors of all sizes with different providers were surveyed on...

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Why Should You Care About Financial Wellness? Consider The Following Statistics: 24% of wages go to consumer debt payment 43% of Americans consider themselves financially literate 64% say finances are the largest source of stress in...

Thursday, July 28, 2016

What does financial stress mean to your employees and your business? Financial Wellness has become a buzz word in the industry with an explosion of providers and products but what does it really mean? A recent Fidelity Investments...

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Bjork Asset Management is excited to announce that Sean Bjork has been named to the FT Top 401 Advisors list for 2015. As founder of Bjork Asset Management Sean's goal is to bring strategic solutions to organizations overall employee...