Employee education is one of the most overlooked aspects of managing company retirement plans. Having the right plan is only part of the picture; employees need regular education about how their retirement plan works and how to utilize the options available to them.
Employees who plan for retirement tend to have less stress about finances, less missed work time, and more job satisfaction. Providing your employees with access to the tools and knowledge to succeed with their retirement improves overall employee retention and engagement.
Educational Requirements
Many businesses don’t understand the extent of their legal obligation to educate employees about their retirement plans. Auditors commonly ask what training programs are in place for employees. Offering simple and consistent training programs greatly reduces the risk of liabilities that can affect an employer if its employees mismanage their retirement plans due to ignorance. Here are a few areas where issues can arise:
- Pulling money out of a retirement plan when the market is down (or taking hardship distributions for the wrong reasons)
- Taking out 401(k) loans and defaulting upon separation from service
- Failing to understand vesting schedules
Training Programs
We can conduct regular training programs throughout the year and cover some of the most commonly misunderstood topics about your company’s retirement plan. These training sessions can be conducted virtually via videoconference and with employees one-on-one. A few of our most popular employee training programs include:
- Deciphering Your Plan Options: Where to Put Your Money?
- Matching and Rollovers: How to Take Full Advantage of Your Plan
- Distribution Basics: What Happens When You Retire?
- 5 Keys to Long-Term Success
Your Company’s One-Call Resource
Third-party plan administrators can’t provide financial advice; yet in many companies, the employee has no one to call except an 800 number. We serve as an extension of your company for your employees to get all their retirement plan questions answered. We can walk your employees through their retirement plans, break everything down into simple language, and help them gain clarity and more information about their finances.
When you work with us, part of our job is to make sure your employees have the resources they need to fully understand their retirement plan. We want them to succeed not only with their retirement plans but in every aspect of their financial lives.
Financial Coaching for Employees
If you have a retirement plan through your employer, we can offer independent advice to help you better understand your retirement plan and how best to utilize your options.
We have found that employees often do not have anyone to talk to about the big-picture questions about their retirement accounts. We enjoy serving as that resource and growing to become like a part of the company family.
Whether you own a company or work for one, we at McClure Wealth want to help you save time and know that you are making informed decisions about your retirement.
Do you want to know if you’re on the right track?
Give us a call to learn more about how we equip you and your employees with the tools to succeed financially.