Macroeconomic Alphabet Soup: V, W, L, U, or K?
While certain sectors of the economy have rebounded more quickly than expected, the trajectory of the recovery is still unclear.
Survey: ESG Incorporation Nearly Doubles in 5 Years; Those Considering It Jumps
A third of respondents not yet incorporating ESG were considering doing so, the highest in the survey’s history and nearly triple the level in 2019.
DOL Proposes Tightened Proxy Voting Guidelines
The department’s new proposal dovetails with SEC guidance finalized in 2020 and would create a refined set of circumstances in which plan fiduciaries may engage in proxy voting.
The Stock Market Is Not the Economy
The word “unprecedented” to describe the current environment may seem overused, but the speed and depth of the economic disruption was indeed unprecedented.
Stocks Rebound in 2Q20; Fixed Income Sees More Modest Returns
U.S. stocks posted double-digit returns, with big gains in global ex-U.S. markets. Treasuries were range-bound during the quarter and most fixed income indices posted solid but not spectacular returns
Fine-Tuning Implementation of the CARES Act
The IRS has issued two notices and a FAQ to clarify how defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors should implement the provisions of the act, touching on required notices, tax reporting, and recordkeeping
DOL Calls for Stricter Rules Around ESG Investing in Retirement Plans
The Department of Labor (DOL) in late June proposed guidance for considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in the investment duties of fiduciaries for both defined benefit and defined contribution plans subject to ERISA. In general, the DOL rule seems intended to create a larger hurdle to incorporating ESG factors into ERISA plan investments. […]
Our DC Index Had a Noteworthy First Quarter
The Callan DC Index™ tracks roughly 100 defined contribution (DC) plans with about $250 billion in total assets. The Index serves as a proxy for the DC universe and provides plan-related statistics such as asset class prevalence, average allocation figures, and the average number of plan investment options. With our comprehensive perspective on the DC […]
DOL Issues Common-Sense Information Letter About Private Equity in DC Plans
In an information letter released in June, the Department of Labor said that defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors considering the inclusion of private equity in their plans (in a multi-asset framework) must adhere to the same standards and weigh the same considerations as they would for other asset classes. Namely, plan fiduciaries “have duties to […]
Callan Survey: DC Plan Response to CARES Act Varied by Industry and Recordkeeper
Callan conducted a survey in mid-April to assess what defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors have done in response to the CARES Act and the recent economic turmoil spurred by the pandemic. The survey includes responses from 63 non-government plan sponsors, and in general we found that their actions were primarily influenced by the industry they […]