Veteran financial services industry journalist Brian Anderson joined 401(k) Specialist as Managing Editor in January 2019. He has led editorial content for a variety of well-known properties including Insurance Forums, Life Insurance Selling, National Underwriter Life & Health, and Senior Market Advisor. He has always maintained a focus on providing readers with timely, useful information intended to help them build their business.
Retirement Progress Reverses as Saving, Participation Rates Slip in 2025: Dayforce Report
Data shows workers pulling back on retirement saving—rates, participation, and contributions all declined while loan use surged, with middle-income earners hit hardest even as Gen Z bucks trend
Treasury’s Bessent: Financial Literacy ‘Fuels the American Dream’
As April ushers in Financial Literacy Month, SEC Chair Atkins encourages Americans to invest in a “risk-appropriate manner” while Charles Schwab Foundation launches new grant program
TIAA Data Shows Momentum for Lifetime Income Solutions Among Plan Sponsors
A new analysis of defined contribution plans show annuity-embedded defaults are increasingly being embraced, with younger workers showing surges in participation rates
4 Million Children Signed Up for Trump Accounts: IRS
New data reveals 1 million have claimed the $1,000 pilot program contribution
DOL’s 6-Factor ‘Safe Harbor’ Could Reshape 401(k) Fiduciary Playbook
New proposed rule offers a process-driven roadmap for selecting investments—aiming to reduce litigation risk and expand access to alternatives, but raising questions about how much legal protection it truly provides
DOL Unveils Fiduciary Rule Opening Door to Alternative Investments in 401(k)s
Proposed regulation outlines process-based safe harbors for plan fiduciaries, reinforcing ERISA standards while expanding access to private markets and other alternatives for retirement savers
U.S. Retirement Market Nears $50 Trillion Milestone
New ICI data through end of 2025 shows retirement assets account for 34% of all household financial assets; 401(k)s assets remain over $10 trillion
New 401k Averages Book Finds Plan Fees Still Falling, Cost Disparities Persist
Author Valletta notes continued fee compression highlights need for fiduciaries to regularly evaluate all components of plan costs
Southwest 401(k) Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss, Signals Lower Bar for Fiduciary Claims
Judge allows ERISA case over a single underperforming fund to proceed, potentially reshaping how courts evaluate fiduciary breach and monitoring obligations in retirement plans
Coming (Very) Soon: Public’s First Look at DOL Proposed Rule on Alternative Investments
With news that the White House OMB has completed its review of the proposed rule stemming from President Trump’s Aug. 2025 Executive Order, the public will finally see what’s in it—and have the opportunity to offer comments