Retirement planning

401(k) investors aided by professional investment advice—be it in the form of a target-date default investment, managed accounts or bona fide online advice—earn nearly 2% more (186 basis points) than those who do not receive such help, according to a joint study by Hewitt Associates and Financial Engines.

Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch Wealth Management unit has launched a new U.S. marketing campaign, “help2retire_____,” to illustrate individuals’ evolving retirement priorities and personal aspirations. Budgeted at $20 million, it launched Monday and is scheduled to run through the end of April on broadcast network and national cable TV, as well as print and online consumer and trade magazines, including sister publication Financial Planning.

In helping the middle-class save for retirement, President Obama may have also given a boost to the annuities sector.

The White House plans to promote “the availability of annuities and other forms of guaranteed lifetime income, which transform savings into guaranteed future income, reducing the risks that retirees will outlive their savings or that their retirees’ living standards will be eroded by investment losses or inflation.”

Some of these trusts are goal-based and some are dollar-based.

BofA will spend up to $20 million over the next three months on its “help2retire” campaign.

BOSTON -- Mutual fund companies must stay on top of their compliance programs, particularly because Congress is likely to pass new financial regulations, executives warn.

ShareBuilder 401(k) serves small businesses with a lineup primarily of exchange-traded funds.

Putnam Investments has launched a content-rich Roth IRA Conversion Resource Center, Putnam.com/roth2010, aimed a financial advisers.

Putnam Investments has launched a content-rich Roth IRA Conversion Resource Center aimed at financial advisors.

Given the opportunity to approach their retirement savings again, 51% of affluent Americans who have retired said they would have preferred to have focused on life goals rather than a retirement number, Merrill Lynch found in a survey. However, the remaining 49% still believe in zeroing in on the numbers.

BrightScope is offering a Personal 401(k) Fee Report that will permit investors to sign up for free to see fees on 30,000 plans, how they compare to fees on comparable funds and how much money they would gain or give up over the remaining course of their working years.

A new survey by the Investment Company Institute finds that most Americans are still confident that their 401(k) plans can help them reach their retirement goals, but last year's 31% average drop in account balances has also highlighted the need for improvements to this popular, critical retirement vehicle.

The fundamentals of what advisers need from wholesalers are changing, and wholesalers have no choice but to adapt. Our research at kasina concludes that wholesalers should focus on serving advisers' needs for:

The mutual fund industry should proudly celebrate Americans' 73% approval rating for 401(k)s, according to an Investment Company Institute report, "Enduring Confidence in the 401(k) System."

The mutual fund industry should proudly celebrate Americans' 73% approval rating for 401(k)s, according to an Investment Company Institute report, "Enduring Confidence in the 401(k) System."

Axa Distributors, the annuity wholesale distribution unit of Axa Equitable, has created a comprehensive retirement income planning curriculum for financial professionals it is calling “Cracking the Code.”

Financial Engines, an online 401(k) financial advisory firm aimed at individual investors, is planning a $100 million initial public offering aimed at large institutions and wealthy investors.

In an effort to capitalize on what some have dubbed “the Year of the Roth,” Huntington Bancshares’ wealth management arm is planning a direct-mailing campaign for a targeted group of customers.

Sponsors of 401(k) plans are determined to get their plans back on track in 2010 to avoid future market pitfalls, starting by taking a hard look at investment offerings and fees, Callan Associates found in its 2010 Defined Contribution Trends Survey.