“That’s as good as money, sir. These are IOU(s)”
– Lloyd Christmas (Dumb and Dumber)
Welcome to the November Edition of Ryan’s Retirement Ramblings – The monthly newsletter that will bring you the latest developments from the qualified plan space & provide updates for the retirement team at Wheeler Retirement Plans.
On A Personal Note…
We all have stressors in our lives and at times it can be crippling. There never seems to be enough time for everything and everyone. That all being said; a colleague challenged me to find what makes me “tick” i.e. What makes my heart full and What am I Thankful for? In response, anything else you need from me: solving world hunger, implementing green energy, fixing private health care…HAHA.
In all seriousness, her challenge forced me to truly look inside and find what makes me happy. I’m no Steven Spielberg but I put together a little “1” minute video of happiness. My clients, my friends, my co-workers, my players and more importantly MY FAMILY…..that’s what makes me tick. It’s not perfect but “I Like Me”. Happy ThanksGiving!
Sponsors and Advisors: Aligning to Meet Today’s Challenges
New research from Fidelity highlights the increasing pressures many employers face as they work to guide employees toward a secure retirement. The study reveals a widening confidence gap, with only two-thirds of employers now believing their workforce is on track for retirement — reflecting a steep drop from just a year ago.
Financial stress among employees can reduce productivity and morale, increase turnover, and raise health care costs across the organization. For plan sponsors, this decline underscores the importance of regularly reassessing plan features, communication strategies, and support structures to help keep employees on course. It’s also a pivotal opportunity for sponsors to partner with plan advisors, who can help offer expertise and solutions to address these challenges….
IRS Issues Final Regs on Roth Mandatory Catch-Ups for High Earners
The IRS has finalized regulations under SECURE 2.0 that will impact how certain participants save for retirement. Under this change, employees with prior-year FICA wages above $145,000 will no longer be able to make pre-tax catch-up contributions to their 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) plans. Instead, those contributions will have to be made on a Roth, or after-tax, basis….
The New Reality of Retirement: When Competing Priorities Take Over
For many workers today, saving for retirement feels almost bleak. According to the 2025 Goldman Sachs Retirement Survey, 42% of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X are living paycheck to paycheck. Almost three-quarters say they struggle to save because their money is already stretched across too many other priorities….
Participant Corner
Staying Financially Grounded This Season
As the year winds down it’s easy for spending to ramp up. From travel and celebrations to those endless online deals that pop up in your feed. But even small splurges can add up fast. According to a recent survey by Achieve and Talker Research, 65% of Americans say they are stressed about their holiday spending, and 73% say that financial stress detracts from their enjoyment of the season.
If you’re hoping to enjoy the season and keep your finances on track, here are three simple ways to find balance:
Mr. C’s Movie (Show) Review
Haunting Reimaging for the Master: A Walk that Lingers
I’m going to start off by saying that I have not read the masterpiece The Long Walk by Stephen King. That being said, after joining the film’s adolescents for 90 arduous minutes down a dystopian highway; I LIVED IT.
Fifty teenage boys enter a simple contest that rewards the winner with riches beyond their dreams and more importantly “one wish” granted by The Major (played by Mark Hamill). The Major oversees this “contest” and is the face of the totalitarian regime responsible for the gruesome reality that only “1” boy will be crowned the winner; “1” boy will survive. The truth around the “wish” and its execution is surrounded in the supernatural. How long would you walk at 3 miles per hour knowing if you fall behind, your life is taken?
Stephen King’s adaptation isn’t a supernatural monster horror but real life masterpiece. The pacing never sprints-just tightens the tension each mile. It’s not the jump scares from Cujo, Pet Cemetery or It but the gun violence used on teenage boys is jarring. This movie is not for the faint of heart however the boy’s camaraderie induced by such a sadistic challenge tugs at our emotional strings.
On a scale of: “Like It”, “Love It”, or “Gotta Have It”; The Long Walk is difficult to truly love. If there was a rating above Gotta See It, if you are a Stephen King/horror fan. The movie is a tug-a-war between endurance and collapse; conformity and independence; cruelty and empathy. It’s a bleak film with an even bleaker ending. Enjoy the stroll through the mind of Stephen King.