Insight
Retirement Income Is Moving to the Center of Defined Contribution Plan Design
photo credit: Unsplash What emerging industry trends signal—and how plan committees should respond The Next Evolution of the 401(k) For decades, defined contribution plans have been designed with a primary objective: helping participants accumulate assets for retirement. Increasingly, that is no longer enough. Across the retirement industry, there is a growing shift toward integrating retirement…
Read MoreFrom Fear to Freedom: Learning to Spend with Peace and Purpose
photo credit: NEOM | Unsplash We all know someone with a spending problem, but do you know anyone with a saving problem? Well after becoming one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, Warren Buffett famously continued ordering inexpensive breakfasts and using coupons at McDonald’s. In his case, this may be chalked up to charming…
Read MoreImpact Investing and Community Foundations Part 2
From Governance to Action: Practical Strategies for Implementing Impact Investing in Community Foundations Introduction In Part 1 of this series, we explored why impact investing is fundamentally a governance opportunity for community foundations. Strong governance provides the clarity and structure needed to align mission and fiduciary duty. But governance alone does not move capital. Foundations…
Read MoreReturn Forecasting Isn’t Prediction — It’s Disciplined Preparation
Photo credit: Unsplash Long‑term investors don’t need a crystal ball — they need a framework. Forecasting returns is not an exercise in predicting the next market swing, but in understanding the structural forces that reliably drive outcomes over full cycles. By focusing on observable inputs like income, real earnings growth, inflation, and credit losses —…
Read MorePreparing for The Future, Without Predicting It
photo credit: Unsplash “It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.” — Yogi Berra It’s a classic line. Witty. Memorable. And surprisingly wise. As my grandpappy might say, Yogi Berra “knew how to turn a phrase.” We smile at the humor— but we often ignore the lesson. Much of financial decision-making today revolves…
Read MoreImpact Investing and Community Foundations Part 1
Impact Investing and the Governance Imperative: Why Community Foundations Need a New Decision-Making Framework Introduction Impact investing has become a defining topic for endowments and foundations, and for community foundations in particular, it represents something deeper than a new investment category. It is a governance evolution—one that requires clarity, alignment, and a shared understanding of…
Read MoreSix Key Focus Areas for Plan Sponsors in 2026 – A Clear-Eyed View
photo credit: Unsplash Retirement plan sponsors enter 2026 facing one of the most consequential years in recent ERISA history. Regulatory forces, market realities, participant expectations, and fiduciary exposure are all evolving simultaneously. SECURE 2.0 is moving from statute to operations. Cybersecurity threats continue to escalate. Retirement income solutions are transitioning from conceptual to operational. Investment…
Read MoreFlowing Your Way to Affluence
photo credit: ideogram.ai When you hear the word “affluent,” especially in the context of a message from a financial advisor, it’s almost certain you think of its most common use: Affluent (adjective): having an abundance of goods or riches: wealthy. Did you know that affluent is also a noun? And, no—not one just used…
Read MoreSpeculative Assets in Retirement Plans: A Prudent Perspective
photo credit: Ideogram In our prior article, we examined the growing interest in private equity in 401(k) plans. That discussion, centered around illiquidity and fiduciary responsibility, provides important context for the next frontier: speculative assets. Recently, the Administration asked the Department of Labor (DOL) to further review their use in retirement plans. For plan sponsors,…
Read MoreRoth Catch-Up Contributions: The Long-Awaited Rules Have Finally Landed
photo credit: Ideogram After months of circling the regulatory runway, the IRS has released final regulations under the SECURE 2.0 Act, including long-anticipated guidance on Roth catch-up contributions. These rules provide much-needed clarity for employers preparing to implement the Roth catch-up provision in 2026. While the regulations officially apply to tax years beginning after December…
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