401(k)

TIAA-CREF rebranded itself last month, renaming itself TIAA and launching a redesigned website, TIAA.org.

"In the small plan market, we try to bubble wrap the plan sponsor from fiduciary issues," says John Hancock Retirement Plan Services CEO Peter Gordon.

More sophisticated mobile apps and better industry partnerships are being credited with easing access to 401(k) plan information and paving the way for wiser retirement planning decisions.

Earlier this year BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world, announced that it would follow Fidelity and Federated in making changes to its money market fund offerings.

In 2015, lower-paid plan participants contributed an average of 5.8% of their salary into their 401(k) plan, while higher-paid participants contributed an average of 6.9% of their salary to their workplace retirement plan.

The funded status of the nation’s largest corporate defined benefit plans ended just as it did in 2014, due in large part to a rise in interest rates that were offset by a weak global stock market.

With people preoccupied with planning a get-together or last-minute shopping, 401(k) communications during the busy holiday season might get lost in the shuffle.

Plan sponsors need to be aware of what will happen to 401(k) plan loans now that rates have gone up.

It bears paying attention in the coming year as to what inroads digital-first firms can make into the DC space.

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew announced that the administration's "myRA" retirement plan will be available nationwide, with an expanded menu of funding options.