Establishing financial wellness metrics has become increasingly important over the last year. The COVID-19 pandemic has created economic hardships for many American families, depleting emergency funds for some and forcing others to take on additional debt to cover necessary expenses. At work, the resulting stress can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity and greater health care costs for plan sponsors.

Understanding generational attitudes toward investing and the cognitive biases which can lead participants astray is key to helping employees of all ages improve their financial wellness and prepare for a secure and successful retirement.

From Wall Street Journal articles and editorials in Barron’s, to Facebook posts and holiday dinner conversations, Bitcoin is everywhere. This is not surprising when you consider Bitcoin’s exponential growth in 2017. In a year where the market saw new highs, one of the top-performing mutual funds returned 105.73 percent¹, and a top performing stock in the S&P 500 saw 132.3 percent growth (NGR)², Bitcoin’s growth made these all pale in comparison.

Saving for retirement can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding reasons not to contribute to your retirement plan will hurt you in the future.

Whether to use bundled or unbundled service providers is an important decision for your retirement plan. A fully bundled arrangement provides an easy, “one-stop shop” for services, while unbundling separates functions and uses a third-party administrator (TPA), distinct from the recordkeeper. While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, weighing the advantages of each option against the needs of the organization is essential.

In 2020, nearly 100 lawsuits alleging breach of fiduciary duty were filed. With the number of 401(k) lawsuits on the rise targeting plans both large and small, sponsors are well-advised to consider taking additional measures to mitigate fiduciary risk where practicable.

A 2018 report on Bitcoin (BTC) by RPAG, and the conclusions therefrom, remain relevant today. In short, the prudence in adding Bitcoin to a retirement plan is questionable, at best.