hot off the presses
new products
highlights
announcements
PLAN SPONSOR
& PARTICIPANT TOOLS
New York Life began using predictive
modeling software, allowing it to determine which active 401(k) participants
are most likely to roll assets from an
outside 401(k) or an outside IRA into their
401(k) administered by the firm. Some of
the predictors of potential roll-in candidates include their tenure, number of
loans, and frequency of Web logins.
Participants with retirement accounts
through the Principal Financial Group
can receive certain account information via text messages and their
personal iGoogle homepages. The
iGoogle gadget allows participants
to view account information directly
from iGoogle without accessing The
Principal’s Web site.
BPAS, provider of retirement plan admin-
istration, rolled out its Annual Plan Review
Report to plan sponsor clients. The
tool examines a plan’s data, including
average balances, participation rates,
fund utilization, loan utilization, and
other considerations. The company said
financial intermediaries can use it to
prepare for annual plan meetings.
Affiliated Computer Services (ACS)
introduced Healthy 401(k) Plan Analytics,
software allowing sponsors to track and
analyze participant behavior and trends.
Sponsors can view aggregate data by
any participant subset such as location,
division, or compensation level.
Fidelity Investments launched a guidance program to help investors better
understand and consider fixed-income
investments as part of their investment
goals. The program has three main
components: a team of more than 100
fixed-income specialists; a new online
fixed-income resource center; and
educational seminars.
ThriveOn, Inc., added Open Enrollment
and New Hire Training modules to its
online Benefits Learning Center solution.
Each module provides a central online
destination to access multimedia
benefits education.
Prudential Annuities launched a Web
site, www.retirementredzone.com/
protect, targeting investors in or nearing
critical years before and after retirement
—the period Prudential calls The Retirement Red Zone—who are focused on
finding ways to protect their retirement
income.
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company
said it will participate in the Internal
Revenue Service’s 403(b) prototype
program.
