A List of 10 ‘Best of’ Lists

It is something of a tradition this time of year to look back, to reminisce about past events and lessons learned, and sometimes to look ahead.

Here are some insights from columns past that I hope have been of value in 2017 – and will continue to be in the months ahead.

5 Things You May Not Know About Roth 401(k)s

According to a variety of industry surveys, roughly 60% of 401(k) plans now offer a Roth 401(k) option, and Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) data shows that 28.6% of 403(b) plans already allow for Roth contributions. Participant take-up, which just a few years ago hovered in the single digits, is now in the 15-20% range. Here are five other things you may not know about the Roth 401(k).

5 Things People Get Wrong About ERISA Fidelity Bonds

One of the most important – and, in my experience, least understood – aspects of plan administration is the requirement that those who handle plan funds and other property be covered by a fidelity bond.

5 Things You May Not Know About HSAs

Odds are that you’ve heard that health savings accounts, or HSAs, offer individuals a “triple tax advantage” – but here are five things you may not know about HSAs.

7 Reasons Why HSAs Are ‘Hot’

Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, are hardly a new thing – they were approved by Congress in 2003 and became law in January 2004. But they are getting a lot of attention lately – here’s why.

6 Dangerous Fiduciary Assumptions

There’s an old saying that when you assume… well, here are six assumptions that can create real headaches for retirement plan fiduciaries.

20-20 Hindsights

Here are 20 things I wish I had known when I entered the workforce.

6 Assumptions That Can Wreck a Retirement

The future is an uncertain thing, and planning for uncertainty inevitably involves making some assumptions. Here are six that, done improperly, can wreck your retirement.

12 Ways That the Class of 2021’s Retirement Will Be Different

By the time the Class of 2021 entered school, laptops were outselling desktops, while on the technology front, in their lifetimes, Blackberry has gone from being a wild fruit… to being a communications device… to becoming a wild fruit again. But what about their retirement(s)?

The Value of an Advisor

Most of the attempts to affix a value to having an advisor tend to focus on investment returns or cost savings. Both are valid, objective measures that can have a real, substantive impact on retirement security. But here are five of the best values I’ve gotten from a plan advisor.

Why an Average 401(k) Balance Doesn’t ‘Mean’ Much

In recent days, we’ve gotten updates on average savings rates and 401(k) balances, and while for the very most part the reports have been positive and “directionally accurate,” I’ve always taken such findings with a grain of salt. Not so many in the press. Here are four things to keep in mind about those “average” 401(k) balances.

Even with the passage of time, there’s value in looking back even further. Here’s last year’s list (an 11th):

Things, Remembered – From 2016

Here are some insights – nearly 80 – from columns in 2016 that I hope have helped - and will continue to help lay the groundwork for a productive and prosperous New Year.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2018!

- Nevin E. Adams, JD