Wealthspire - Institutional Blog

Public Sector News and Views

The Wealthspire Team — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Recordkeeper Consolidation Impact to the Government Market

We continue to see further consolidation in recordkeepers with One America and Voya integrating and completing their consolidation through 2025. We recently saw one more announcement to start 2026 with Corebridge and Equitable looking to merge together. This continues to reduce the number of options of potential suitors when Plan Sponsors go out to bid for recordkeeper services.

For Love and Money: Financial Planning for Couples

Alison Fitzgerald — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Achieving Financial Harmony in Relationships

Public Pension and OPEB Plans: Core Elements and the Role of Asset Allocation

Christopher Rowlins — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Public pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) plans face a common challenge: investing assets to meet long-dated liabilities while managing contribution volatility, liquidity needs and governance constraints. Although both plan types are liability-driven in principle, their asset allocation frameworks often diverge.

AI as a Consultant Copilot

Maya Basak — Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Turning Time Saved into Better Conversations

Start With the Mission, Not the Benchmark

Robert DiMeo — Wed, 13 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Over the years, my colleagues and I have had the privilege of working alongside hundreds of nonprofit investment committees across the country. These committees are often composed of thoughtful, accomplished individuals who care deeply about the organizations they support. And yet, even among the most capable groups, a potentially costly challenge can emerge.

How to Maximize Your Employee Stock Options

Andrew Salak — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Is your role changing or were you recently promoted? Are stock options part of your new compensation package? If you answered ‘yes,’ this is no surprise. More and more companies are granting employee stock options (ESOs) to rank and file employees within compensation packages. ESOs can be a useful tool to attract, retain and motivate employees by aligning employee compensation with company growth. ESOs can also be a lucrative way for employees to grow wealth over time, however, they can be complex and difficult to understand. Familiarizing yourself with the basic concepts and terminology associated with ESOs is a good starting point.

The Importance of 401(k) Plans

Gregory Adams — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Securing Financial Futures Through Employer-Sponsored Retirement Accounts

The DOL’s New Investment Selection Proposal

The Wealthspire Team — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) issued proposed rulemaking titled Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment Alternatives. If finalized, this rulemaking will create a new process-based safe harbor for fiduciary investment selection. Though this proposed rulemaking is being discussed largely through the lens of alternatives in defined contribution plans, at its core, this is not simply an “alternatives rule.” It is a proposed framework for how ERISA fiduciaries should approach the selection of designated investment alternatives more generally, and it would provide fiduciaries a regulatory presumption of prudence in their investment selection decisions if six elements are met.

Should Cash Balance Plans Use Multiple Investment Pools?

Brian Carlson — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

As cash balance plans continue their rapid expansion, particularly among professional services firms, closely held businesses and partnerships, defined benefit Plan Sponsors are increasingly focused on investment strategy as a core component of plan success. One topic drawing more attention is the use of multiple investment pools within a single ERISA cash balance plan. While this structure can offer appealing design flexibility, it also introduces administrative, fiduciary and cost considerations.

Demystifying Pension Liabilities

Kathryn Pizzi — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Every year, when tax time comes around I dutifully provide my accountant with the requested items needed to complete my tax returns. After a few nail-biting weeks, one of two things happens: I either get a notice to pay the IRS some seemingly illogical amount, or, if I am lucky, I receive the positive news that I will be receiving a refund. The arbitrary nature of tax season in my household may sound familiar to you if you are a Defined Benefit (DB) Plan Sponsor.