The Great Resignation is having a significant impact on a wide range of aspects of American society. There is one effect that you might not think of right away: the effect it has on retirement savings.
With fewer people working, there are fewer people who participate in employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k) plans.
According to a recent survey conducted by investment consulting firm NEPC, plan providers are concentrating their efforts on ensuring that individuals who are still participating in defined contribution plans have the options they require.
If you need assistance navigating the current economic climate, you should consider consulting with a financial consultant.
The Great Resignation and the Savings for Retirement
The exodus of American workers from their jobs has had a variety of consequences, including some firms reporting difficulties in hiring new employees and consumers dealing with the consequences of this.
It has also had an impact on the world of retirement savings, both for those who participate in retirement plans and for the businesses that provide retirement plans.
According to Bill Ryan, Partner and NEPC’s Head of Defined Contribution (DC) Solutions, “Because the Great Resignation placed great stress on the retirement ecosystem, flexible features and purpose-driven investing options are now deal-breakers and deal-makers.”
“This poll demonstrates how plan sponsors are searching for engagement beyond simple ESG negative screening and TDF ‘best practices,’ as demonstrated by the results of the survey. Plans are looking for partners who can provide them with advice on new opportunities in 2022 and the future.”
Defined contribution plans have been trending in recent years.
As a result, what are some of the strategies defined contribution plans are employing to adapt to the modern world? To begin with, there has been a greater focus placed on target-date funds as a turnkey solution for retirees saving for retirement. Target-dated funds are financial products that are specifically designed for those who want to save for their retirement.
Depending on when you anticipate retiring, you can choose one of these funds and put your money into it over the course of your retirement savings. The plan evolves over time to better serve savers based on their age and how close they are to retirement.
Target-dated funds that are invested in equities and strive for growth will be more aggressive than those that are invested in bonds closer to the target retirement date.
As you move closer to your retirement date, however, the mix shifts more toward bonds and fixed-income investments in order to secure your money as you near the withdrawal stage of your savings process.
In 2011, 28% of all savers had money in a target-date fund, according to the NPEC. By 2021, that figure had risen to 44 percent. A target-date fund, according to the poll’s respondents, is the default investment for their retirement plan, which is 95 percent.
In addition, an increasing number of index funds, including index target-date funds, are being introduced. Index funds are a type of investment instrument that tracks the performance of a stock index, such as the S&P 500 index.
Index funds are an alternative to typically actively-managed funds, in which a fund manager selects investments based on their judgment of what would perform the best over the long term.
Index funds are generally considered to be more secure in the long run since they simply track the performance of the stock market, which grows over time. In the event of a recession or other economic disaster, an index fund’s performance will normally improve over the course of a decade or longer length of time.
However, because there is no prospect of beating the market, there isn’t as much opportunity for large returns as there would be with an actively managed fund.
As reported by the survey, index target-date funds are offered by 38 percent of plans, and indexed funds account for 40 percent of plan assets.
The Bottom Line: Outstanding resignation and retirement
The Great Resignation, which is currently taking place in the United States, is having an influence on the retirement space, and plan sponsors are responding by making themselves as adaptable as feasible for their participants.
This involves providing ready-made solutions in the form of target-date funds as well as moving away from indexed options in favor of safer indexed options.
Tips for Investing in Your Future
A financial advisor can assist you in maximizing the value of your retirement savings account.
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