401K Planning Archives - The Segrust Group

Questions You Were Afraid to Ask #2: Why is the price of the Dow so much higher than the S&P 500?

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023Cliff Cadle

I recently started a new series of letters called “Questions You Were Afraid to Ask.” Each month, we will look at a common question that many investors have but feel uncomfortable asking. Because, after all, when it comes to your finances, there’s no such thing as a bad question! In our first letter, we looked at the difference between the Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ indices. This month, let’s discuss a related question: Why is the price of the Dow so much higher than the S&P 500? Before we get started, do me a favor. Pick up your phone or go to your computer. Open your internet browser and search for “S&P 500.” The first result will show the current price of the index. Make a note of the number. Next, search for “Dow Jones.” Notice how much higher it is? As in, tens of thousands of dollars...

Aligning Your Retirement Plan with Company Values

Aligning Your Investments with Your Values

May 11, 2022May 11, 2022Cliff Cadle

110 million employees in the United States have over 8.4 billion collective dollars invested in employer-sponsored retirement plans. In order to attract top millennial and Gen Z talent, many organizations have made a push in recent years to outwardly embrace the causes their employee bases are most passionate about. Lately, however, many have been pointing out a growing disconnect between their employers’ stated values and the assets in their company stock portfolios. Now more than ever, employees (especially younger ones) are personally invested in a number of social, economic, and environmental causes ranging from climate change to gender and racial equality. 401(k) plans, on the other hand, don’t quite seem to be keeping up. Despite the major cultural strides that have been made over the last several years, many 401(k) plans are still heavily invested in firms that are not progressive on the issues today’s employees value the most. Today,...

Designing a Benefit Package for Your Small Business

August 11, 2014March 19, 2021Cliff Cadle

When your primary goals are managing costs and increasing revenue, how do you sufficiently entice new recruits and reward current staff members for continually putting their best efforts forward?...

Using A Specialist Advisor Benefits Plan Sponsors in Many Ways

May 23, 2014March 19, 2021Cliff Cadle

Enhanced participant retirement readiness is only one of many benefits plan sponsors gain from hiring a Professional Retirement Plan Advisor. Over 95% of plan sponsors who partner with an Advisor entirely dedicated to the retirement plans business report that partnering with a Professional Retirement Plan Advisor is either “very beneficial” or “a necessity.” Advisors who work exclusively with retirement plans surpass their counterparts in the percent of clients receiving core services* such as: Assisting with the implementation of the fiduciary process Reviewing investment options periodically Making plan design recommendations Meeting participants in groups to provide retirement plan education Supporting with service provider due diligence The majority of plan sponsors who retain a Professional Retirement Plan Advisor also rely on their Advisor to provide services such as: Meeting with employees one-on-one to provide retirement plan guidance Examining plan compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and stated polices...