News Room: The Principal Research Center
As a global leader in offering a wide range of financial products and services, the Principal Financial Group continuously tracks trends that may affect employers, individuals and institutional investors. Click on the links below to access Principal Financial Group primary research, current newsletters, commentaries and timely studies. New information is added regularly. For more information, please contact Media Relations.
Retirement Savings & Retirement Plan Related Research
Retirement Income Strategies
- Income Annuities Help Bridge the Retirement Income Gap (PDF: 662 KB): Find out how an income annuity solution can provide plan participants with a secure, steady income for life.
- Sustaining Income Through Retirement (PDF: 788 KB): Learn some of the pros and cons of four potential strategies for converting retirement savings into a stream of income that will last.
Investments, Market Conditions & Fiduciary Responsibilities
- Implementation of a Reduction in Force (RIF) (PDF: 415 KB): Understand how your retirement plan can be affected by a RIF and how proper planning can help you minimize litigation and promote the best possible feelings toward the company by both impacted and remaining employees.
- Navigating Your Way Through Market Turbulence (PDF: 140 KB): Take an in-depth look at how the market volatility may be affecting 4 common retirement plan types and how retirement plan sponsors can take action.
- Implications for Changing Investment Managers (PDF: 420 KB): How do you address an underperforming investment manager? This paper from Principal Financial Advisors, Inc. explores several options as well as considerations for each.
- Investment Committee Best Practices (PDF 246 KB): Find out why forming an Investment Committee can help plan sponsors manage their fiduciary obligations and the best way to create one.
- Understanding and Managing Fiduciary Responsibility (PDF: 446 KB) is designed to help employers and their advisors understand the complex rules governing qualified retirement plans.
Government Rules & Regulations
- The Road to Transparency: Form 5500 Annual Reporting, 403(b) Plans and Fair Value Measurements (PDF: 110 KB): Employers who sponsor retirement plans face new reporting requirements at the end of this year. This guide can help you meet the new Form 5500 and retirement plan financial statement (FAS No. 157) requirements.
- 403(b) Plan Sponsor's Guide to the New Final 403(b) Regulations (PDF: 207 KB): The Principal® partnered with the Groom Law Group, one of the nation's largest employee benefits specialty law firms, to provide guidance and interpretation of these rules.
- Side-by-Side Comparison of 403(b) Final Regulations (PDF: 610 KB): Get help understanding the Final 403(b) regulations with this guide.
- Practical Implications of the 403(b) Regulations (PDF: 366 KB): a white paper for how the 403(b) regulations affect plan sponsors and actions they may consider taking.
- Tools & Resources to Address Pension Protection Act (PPA): a bill signed in 2006 intended to strengthen workers' retirement security.
Retirement Plan Trends
- Understanding Automatic Enrollment (PDF 102 KB): Find out if automatic enrollment is right for your organization and how it might help increase participation in your retirement plan.
- The Total View: Retirement Plan Trends report: provides insight on the changing retirement landscape based on an analysis of proprietary data belonging to The Principal®. The report covers four core retirement plan designs - defined contribution, including 401(k), defined benefit, nonqualified and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and is published every other year.
Employee Benefits Related Research
- The Principal Financial Well-Being IndexSM: a quarterly study to identify trends in consumer financial well-being, retirement planning, employee benefits, and workplace trends.
- Best Practices in Employee Benefits: A guide to best practices in employee benefits from The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security.
- The Principal Global Financial Well-Being StudySM: Conducted by Roper ASW in 2003-2004 and compared retirement confidence, organized saving, employee benefit coverage and benefit programs among employees in 12 countries: India, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States. View past results:
- 2004 Results (PDF: 534 KB)
- 2003 Results (PDF: 438 KB)
Economy Related Research
- The Knowledge Center: a collection of timely newsletters and research reports published by Principal Global Investors. Learn more about the impact of economic, political and investment trends on stocks, bonds and real estate investments.
