Employee benefits

WASHINGTON - Regulators, employers and the financial services industry must work together to expand the use of 401(k) plans and increase worker participation, the Investment Company Institute's President and CEO Paul Schott Stevens said Wednesday at the institute's 50th annual general membership meeting.

The Charles Schwab Foundation will sponsor awards for the National Financial Literacy Challenge, a 35-question test of personal finance for high school students in the U.S.

Many investors are gasping at the first-quarter losses on their financial statements and wondering whether they should change their asset allocation to a more conservative plan.

Hedge Fund Investments Drop in First Quarter

NEW YORK - As the world economy becomes increasingly connected, communicating important financial information, such as income statements, cash flow, balance sheets and mutual fund returns, would be all but impossible without a common language.

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What inspired me to find a tremendous investing opportunity in the Internal Revenue Service's tax code?

Senate Democrats in Connecticut are pushing for a state-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan for small businesses, designed for employers who can’t afford to offer a retirement plan to their workers.

Russell Investments has launched “LifePoints Funds, Target Distribution Strategies,” a series of multi-manager funds designed specifically for the “decumulation” phase.

Gen Xers are stressed out about the prospect of retirement, with only 31% of them believing they will be able to retire from the workforce.

Mike Henkel, the former president of Ibbotson Associates, has joined Envestnet as managing director of the firm’s new retirement services group.

Hedge Fund Managers Have Rough Month

Consumer confidence in the economy, including stocks, bonds, mortgages, credit cards and structured products, is dropping, but experts say consumers need to stay invested in a fully diversified portfolio of mutual funds for their own good and for the good of the economy.

John Hancock Retirement Plan Services is expanding its team that services third party administrators and shifting personnel to strengthen this move.

After a year of record growth, Hartford Financial Services wants to expand its 529 college savings business over the next two years by increasing sales and, perhaps, in what would be a shift in strategy, by becoming a plan sponsor in another state.

After a year of record growth, Hartford Financial Services Inc. wants to expand its 529 college savings business over the next two years by increasing sales and perhaps by becoming a plan sponsor in another state.

One of the nation’s largest student loan operations announced this week that it will suspend making federal-guarantee loans starting next month, according to the New York Times.

The Supreme Court has ruled that participants in 401(k) retirement plans can sue their providers for losses if their instructions are ignored or their account is mismanaged.

MIAMI - As the burden of responsibility for retirement planning continues to shift toward the individual, investors should be cautious about "fast analysis" investment advice, a top financial executive said Tuesday.

The credit crunch is crunching another corner of the market: securities tied to student loans, according to the Wall Street Journal.