Retirement Plans

• Articles

  • A Cultural Shift Needed on Risk (2012 Issue 3)

    Investors' changing views on risk management open the door to more dynamic portfolio strategies.

  • From DB to DC: Adopting Winning Strategies (2012 Issue 3)

    By leveraging the best defined benefit plan approaches, defined contribution plan sponsors can help improve participants' retirement savings outcomes.

  • The Evolution of DC Plan Diversification (October 2012)

    As defined contribution (DC) plans evolve as the primary retirement vehicle for many people, plan sponsors pursuing diversification are taking a page from the playbook of defined benefit (DB) plans.

  • Younger Adults Face Financial Headwinds (2012 Issue 2)

    Pew Research Center’s Richard Fry sees significant challenges — and some encouraging signs — for younger defined contribution plan participants’ retirement planning.

  • All Glidepaths Are Not Created Equal (April 2012)

    With the growing popularity of target retirement date funds, plan sponsors must consider the underlying methodology evaluating alternatives.

  • DC Plan Considerations when Terminating or Freezing a DB Plan (2012 Issue 1)

    As the role of DC plans evolves, plan sponsors need to help plan participants by more actively managing the transition process.

  • Retirement’s New Normal (Fall 2011)

    Boston College’s Alicia Munnell says employees need to save smarter and work longer to maximize retirement security.

  • The Changing World of Fiduciary Management (Fall 2011)

    Many investors are rethinking the degree to which pension fund trustees should outsource responsibility to third-party solution providers.

  • Custom Target Retirement Date: The Optimal Solution? (Winter 2011)

    Time, expense and outcomes need to be considered before pursuing a customized target date solution.

  • Insights Into DC Plan Expenses (Summer/Fall 2010)

    Controlling defined contribution plan expenses should be a high priority for plan sponsors.

  • Bringing DB Discipline to DC Investing (Spring 2010)

    Including extended asset classes in target date funds can benefit investors.

  • DC Plans: Retirement Income Strategies (Spring 2010)

    Point of View’s recent survey on retirement income strategies reveals that plan sponsors don’t believe their DC plans are adequately structured to address plan participants’ “decumulation of wealth” in retirement.

  • The Next Priority for DC Plans (Fall/Winter 2009)

    U.S. researcher advocates shifting plan sponsor focus to asset distribution rather than wealth accumulation.

  • Redefining Risk Management (Summer 2009)

    Putting a premium on risk assessment and solutions.

  • Participant Behavior in DC Plans (Summer 2009)

    Plan design should consider savings and investment patterns.

  • Transitioning a Fixed-Income Portfolio (Summer 2009)

    Moving bond portfolios presents different challenges for investors.

  • Investment Program Outsourcing (Spring 2009)

    Plan sponsors are more comfortable using external resources to meet new challenges.

  • The DB-ization of Defined Contribution Plans (Spring 2009)

    Defined contribution plans are receiving more attention from sponsors, regulators.

  • The Shifting Corporate Pension Landscape (October 2008)

    Investment product innovation helps U.S. plan sponsors tackle an evolving set of challenges.

  • A Holistic Approach to Risk Budgeting (July 2008)

    Approach helps U.S. plan sponsors balance short- and long-term funding considerations.

  • Risk Management or Risk Shifting? (April 2008)

    Popular academic theory meets real-world pension plan investment strategy.

  • Trends in the DC Plan Universe (January 2008)

    Use of auto enrollment, target date funds surges among defined contribution plans.

  • Developing a Liability Benchmark (January 2008)

    New scorecard gives sponsors a clearer view of a plan's ongoing health and viability.

  • Laying the Groundwork (January 2008)

    Keys to successfully restructuring defined contribution plan assets.

  • The Evolving Plan Structure Landscape (July 2007)

    New types of retirement plans address changing regulations and market trends.

  • Handing Over the Investment Reins (July 2007)

    Total investment program management can allow investors to focus on core competencies.

  • Outsourcing as a Solution to Plan Administration and Investment Challenges (April 2007)

    Plan sponsors are increasingly turning to outsourcing to gain simplicity in plan management.

  • The Move Toward DC Plans (January 2007)

    Defined contribution plans gain favor with employers around the globe.

• White Papers

  • Path Forward: Importing Winning DB Strategies to DC Plans (October 2012)

    The 2012 installment of Northern Trust's defined contribution plan research series.

  • Transition Management: How to Effectively Manage Risk When Transitioning Assets (June 2012)

    How to better plan your next transition event and mitigate much of the risk.

  • Transition Management: Fixed Income—Adding Transparency to an Opaque Market (June 2012)

    Addressing the nuances of transitioning a bond portfolio and how hiring a transition manager can help.

  • Making Target Retirement Date Funds Work—Glidepath Analysis (March 2012)

    Examining the Northern Trust glidepath construction methodology.

  • The Path Forward: The Ideal Defined Contribution Plan (October 2010)
  • Closing the Gaps in Retirement Readiness (April 2010)
  • International Transitions Costs and Risks (March 2010)
  • How to Select a Transition Manager (September 2009)
  • Transition Management: Understanding & Evaluating Interim Investment Management Solutions (December 2008)
  • Risk Budgeting in an LDI Framwork (August 2008)
  • Transition Management: A Review of Market Volatility and Implications When Restructuring Assets (April 2008)

• Audio Podcasts

  • An Extended Conversation With Pew’s Richard Fry (August 2012)

    Listen to the entire discussion between Northern Trust’s Jim Danaher and Pew Research’s Richard Fry on the financial challenges and encouraging signs for younger adults.

  • More Thoughts from Boston College's Alicia Munnell (Fall 2011)

    Boston College’s Alicia Munnell and Northern Trust’s Jim Danaher on the effectiveness of defined contribution plans as retirement savings vehicles.

  • Web Trade Services (6 min. 56 sec/4.87 MB)

    Learn how Web Trade Services can increase straight-through processing in the post-execution trade process.

    Listen now to Web Trade Services (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As".

  • Target Date Funds (7 min. 13sec/5.1 MB)

    While target date funds have been in existence for several years, the recent surge in interest is a result of the Pension Protection Act which was signed into law in 2006. Many plan sponsors are adopting target date strategies as their new default investment option. Listen to this podcast to find out more about Target Date Strategies.

    Listen now to Target Date Funds (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

  • The Pension Liability Equation/LDI (8 min. 02 sec/5.6 MB)

    Pension Plan sponsors in Europe and North America are looking for alternatives to traditional pension management strategies. A host of issues are prompting plan sponsors to seek out new solutions with the potential to relieve the pressure building on their funds. Listen to this podcast to find out more about trends in the use of liability driven investment strategies.

    Listen now to The Pension Liability Equation/LDI (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

  • Cross-Border Pension Pooling Helps Multinationals Meet the Challenge of Globalization (22 min. 42 sec/15.5 MB)

    Multinationals and investment managers who have interest in meeting the challenges of globalization will be interested in how Northern Trust has developed an innovative approach to cross border pension pooling, offering clients a unique solution to their needs.

    Listen now to Cross-Border Pension Pooling Helps Multinationals Meet the Challenge of Globalization (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

  • The Top Five Myths of Transition Management (8 min. 50 sec/6.07 MB)

    Each year, institutional investors shuffle between $2 trillion and $2.5 trillion dollars among portfolios. Given the continued search for alpha and new funding and reporting requirements, most industry analysts expect the number of portfolio restructurings to increase. As the pace of fund restructurings continues to accelerate (due to these changes), it’s important to separate truth from the transition management myths.

    Listen now to The Top Five Myths of Transition Management (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

  • Global Pension Shift (18 min./12 MB)

    Pension plans around the globe are adopting new investing mindsets and changing behaviors as they grapple with aging populations, funding issues and new regulations. This podcast is intended for institutional investors who want to learn more about how pension plans around the globe are responding to new pension funding laws and regulations, and the strategies - such as liability driven investing - that are being developed to deal with these issues.

    Listen now to Global Pension Shift (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

• Videos

  • The Path Forward II: Engaging the Younger Employee in DC Plan Participation

    The second edition of The Northern Trust DC research series asks plan sponsors and consultants: how can DC plan sponsors drive participation rates among younger workers? Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

  • Controlling the Costs of DC Plans (2012 Issue 1)

    Northern Trust's Defined Contribution Solutions Group examines the effect of fees on retirement plan assets, plus strategies to help control costs and improve disclosure. Part 1 Part 2

  • Asset & Liability Management in a New Era (Fall 2011)

    A two-part series offering fresh approaches and integrated strategies for managing assets and liabilities in an uncertain environment. Part 1 Part 2

  • Perspectives on the Ideal DC Plan
  • Chapter 4: Implementing the Ideal DC Plan
  • Expert View on Occupational Pension Fund Challenges, Pensions Insight Podcast (4 min. 28 sec.)

    Bob Campion of Pensions Insight Magazine interviews Penny Biggs from Northern Trust's Retirement Solutions Practice about the challenges facing occupational pension funds, December 2010.

  • Retirement Solutions On Demand Series

    In this ongoing series, Pensions Insights magazine interviews experts within Northern Trust’s Retirement Solutions Practice about issues facing retirement plans.

  • DC Insights: Participant Education (2 min. 27 sec.)

    Jim Danaher, senior product manager in Northern Trust's DC Solutions Group, offers insight into how plan sponsors’ efforts to provide participant education helps increase employee potential for successfully saving for retirement.

  • DC Insights: Scenario Testing (2 min. 34 sec.)

    Susan Czochara, senior product manager in Northern Trust's DC Solutions Group, Take a look at how scenario testing evaluates the robustness of the glide path within a target date funds' offerings.

  • DC Insights: Cross Border Pension Pooling (2 min. 34 sec.)

    Aaron Overy, cross border pooling specialist at Northern Trust, discuss opportunities for multi-national employers to construct a single-platform, global, DC offering for employees in different countries.