Get Ready: April is Financial Literacy Month

March 12, 2013

I always like an excuse to plan a party or event, so here’s a good reason to plan something for your workforce during the month of April. Financial Literacy Month actually evolved from Financial Literacy Day, first introduced by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) more than a decade ago, who then turned Financial Literacy Day over to the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, which expanded the day into Financial Literacy Month. During the month, schools and employers are encouraged to focus on financial literacy initiatives. Continue reading “Get Ready: April is Financial Literacy Month”

Financial Education Can Help Your Pre-Retirees With Their Pension Distribution

January 29, 2013

With growing concerns about retirees outliving their retirement savings, one crucial decision that some workers have to make can have a huge impact on their chances of not outliving their nest egg, and that is which pension payout option they select at retirement. This important choice, which is irrevocable once selected, is often misunderstood by employees. I’ve heard many employees who were planning to overlook a period certain option because they thought the payments would end at the end of the period (such as a 10 year certain and life annuity) if they outlived the time frame or employees who simply ask “What do most people pick?”. Continue reading

There REALLY Is No Such Thing As A Silly Question When It Comes To Financial Education

December 18, 2012

Whenever I facilitate a financial education workshop for employee groups, I always encourage the attendees to ask questions that come to mind – no matter how basic or odd they may think the question is. I promise them that there are no silly questions, and I’ve heard quite a few that prove employees are hungry for financial education. As a financial planner, a benefits specialist, HR representative, or payroll manager, sometimes it is easy to forget that what we talk about every day can seem like a foreign language to your workforce. Here are a few examples: Continue reading “There REALLY Is No Such Thing As A Silly Question When It Comes To Financial Education”

Should (and Would) Employees Pay for One-on-One Financial Guidance in the Workplace?

June 26, 2012

As financial wellness becomes more of a common component to workplace wellness programs, many smaller employers are considering the cost sharing aspect of bringing financial guidance to their employees. With tight budgets, some CEOs view the ability to meet with a financial planner during working hours as a perk that employees should be happy to pay for. But are they willing? Continue reading “Should (and Would) Employees Pay for One-on-One Financial Guidance in the Workplace?”

Mark Your Calendars: National Retirement Planning Week is April 9-13, 2012

April 03, 2012

Last week, I wrote about the importance of running a retirement calculator or a retirement preparedness assessment. With National Retirement Planning Week coming up April 9 -13, 2012, there’s no better time to highlight the necessity of your employees knowing where they stand regarding their own retirement readiness. This year’s theme is “Retire On Your Terms” and is sponsored by the National Retirement Planning Coalition. The NRPC was formed by a group of prominent financial industry and advocacy organizations to raise public awareness of the need for comprehensive retirement planning and to recognize that the need to educate Americans on retirement planning is an ongoing effort and is committed to making this a national priority. Members of the NRPC include the Jumpstart Coalition, the American College, EBRI, the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, and the American Savings Education Council, along with many others. Continue reading “Mark Your Calendars: National Retirement Planning Week is April 9-13, 2012”