“Every day, I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.”
– Robert Orben
Welcome to the March 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…
It was an honor for our team to be named a National Association of Pension Advisors (NAPA) Top Defined Contribution Teams for the second year in a row. We value the fraternity of advisors that are doing the same work helping employees reach their retirement goals. More importantly, we hold the PARTNERSHIPS with each of our plan sponsors in the highest regards. Visiting with the plan committees and sitting with participants to meet them where they are in life is what makes this job so rewarding. Our clients are not just clients, they are wonderful teammates. We share this will all of you and look forward to sitting down again soon.
Helping Gen Xers Weather a Perfect Storm
Generation X — comprising those born between 1965 and 1980 — faces unique financial and social pressures that have left almost half of them with no retirement savings. Compounding these challenges, only 1 in 10 Gen Xers plans to delay filing for Social Security until age 70 to maximize their benefit, due in part to concerns about the program’s long-term solvency. For plan sponsors, providing tools and resources tailored to this generation’s needs can play a crucial role in helping them take meaningful and measurable steps toward retirement readiness….
The Part-Time Participant
The SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 have increased many part-time employees’ access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. As such, understanding the unique challenges of improving part-time participants’ retirement readiness, and how their needs may differ from those of full-time employees, is essential for sponsors….
Amazon Faces Allegations of Mismanaged Funds
Amazon.com Inc. and the administrative committee overseeing its 401(k) savings plan have been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging improper management of employee forfeiture funds. The lawsuit, Curtis v. Amazon.com, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and claims that Amazon fiduciaries engaged in self-dealing by using forfeited plan assets to reduce the company’s own contributions rather than lowering administrative fees for participants….
Participant Corner
The Ultimate Guide to Tax Savings
As tax laws evolve and personal financial situations change, it’s essential to stay informed about strategies that can help minimize your tax burden. Here are several tips to consider:
Mr. C’s Movie Review
Get ready as this movie is bananas. Knock, knock the future is here and it is terrifying; the worst part being that I see road to arrive at Companion. Companion is from the creators of “Barbarian” (remember that nightmare!) and presses its foot on the gas without a brake. Set in the near future, the story follows Josh (a devilishly good Jack Quaid) and Iris (the gorgeous Sophie Thatcher of “YellowJackets” fame) on a couples’ weekend trip to Sergey’s mysterious lake home where they meet up with Kat, Eli and Patrick. What starts as a sexual assault halted with bloody self-defense within the first 20 minutes turns into a wild ride of thriller, comedy, horror, and down right fun.
The movie’s shifts between eerie Sci-Fi, rom-com black comedy, slasher is at times a little hard to believe. The constant shift in genre does present a movie with an unpredictable narrative. Those that are trying to compare this film to the horror title “M3GAN” will find out its much more complex.
The twists and turns keep coming among our titular characters. Who is on who’s side? What is the deal with Sergey? What is true love? For those with a squeamish stomach, you may want to sit this one out. Sophie and Jack carry the movie’s performances however the limited supporting cash does not disappoint. They play major roles in the unfolding plot points. I’ve said too much…..
On a scale of: “Like It”, “Love It”, or “Gotta Have It”; it’s a “Love It” for me. The glimpse into what technology could look like in the near future is darn right frightening. The movie consistently challenges the notion of human contact being a vital part of living. Jack Quaid takes the road less traveled compared to his portrayal of Huie on “The Boys”. Sophie Hatcher leans into the emotional range of someone put through Hell. Have fun!