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A face, not an interface.
In this PIMCO DC Dialogue, we talk with financial advisor Mark A. Davis about defined contribution plan design and issues, with a focus on mid-sized plans. Mark shares the importance of managing plan costs and emphasizes the importance of equitable fee distribution. He also talks about target-date funds and how often plan sponsors erroneously believe they have only one choice—that of their platform provider. Mark talks about the central role that target-date strategies play in DC plans and why plan sponsors may want to consider offering two sets of target-date funds rather than just one. He encourages plan sponsors to consider the glide path first as they consider an appropriate risk level for target-date strategies. He concludes by talking about the participant’s need for face-to-face financial counseling in addition to Web support, especially when it comes to retirement-income planning.
March 2011
This issue features an
interview with
Mark A. Davis,
 Senior Vice President,
Financial Advisor,
CAPTRUST Financial Advisors.
Moderated by
Stacy L. Schaus, CFP®,
PIMCO Senior Vice President and
Defined Contribution
Practice Leader
Volume 6, Issue 3
 
       
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  DC Publications Archive (PDF):  
 
Quick Links:
PIMCO DC Dialogues PIMCO DC Research  
PIMCO Analytics PIMCO DC Viewpoints  
     
 
   
PIMCO DC Dialogue:  
     
 Issue 53 February 2011
"First manage your risk."
a discussion with Zvi Bodie, about preparing for retirement, which he believes is too difficult for the average person without help from experts.
 
     
 Issue 52 January 2011
"Imperfect, but better."
a discussion with Don Ezra, about how to improve defined contribution plans.
     
 Issue 51 December 2010
"Retirement assets shepherd."
a discussion with Dave Zellner, about details on the investment structure of General Board DC plans, including the core asset offerings which employ multiple primarily active managers.
     
 Issue 50 November 2010
"Happy with less."
a discussion with Shlomo Benartzi, about how behavioral economics - including automatic enrollment and contribution escalation - has improved savings in defined contribution plans.
     
 Issue 49 October 2010
"Help wanted."
a discussion with Donald Stone, about how DC plan oversight has changed.
     
 Issue 48 September 2010
"One, but not the same."
a discussion with Juan Yermo, about pension program development in Europe, including the European Commission’s interest in promoting cross-border pension arrangements and the portability of pension rights across Europe.
     
 Issue 47 August 2010
"Worried sick."
a discussion with Somnath Basu, about saving for retirement and developing a personalized retirement-income goal.
     
 Issue 46 July 2010
"All shook up."
a discussion with Jack VanDerhei, about worker retirement-income adequacy and confidence.
     
 Issue 45 June 2010
"A port in the storm."
a discussion with Gina Mitchell, about the benefits of including stable
value in defined contribution (DC) plans.
     
 Issue 44 May 2010
"A holistic view."
a discussion with with Sue Walton, about improving the success of defined contribution (DC) plans.
     
 Issue 43 April 2010
"Dear prudence."
a discussion with with Brad Huss, about the many legal issues that defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors are confronting today.
     
 Issue 42 March 2010
"Take off the rosy glasses."
a discussion with Sheena S. Iyengar, about the impact of psychological study on improving retirement savings in the U.S.
     
 Issue 41 February 2010
"Nice plan. "
a discussion with Georgette Gestely, about the deemed traditional and Roth IRAs offered within its plan to employees, as well as retirees and spouses.
     
 Issue 40 January 2010
"The right thing to do. "
a discussion with Jay Vivian, about how to improve defined contribution plans.
     
 Issue 39 December 2009
"Plan for the worst, hope for the best. "
a discussion with Robert Arnott, about how asset allocation has changed and the need to diversify assets.
     
 Issue 38 November 2009
"And the beat goes on. "
a discussion with Kevin Vandolder, about plan sponsor concerns with Defined Contribution (DC) plans.
     
 Issue 37 October 2009
"Wishful thinking. "
a discussion with Mike Henkel, about how asset allocation has evolved.
     
 Issue 36 September 2009
"Simplify, simplify, simplify. "
a discussion with Charlie Claudio, about the redesign of defined contribution plans.
     
 Issue 35 August 2009
"Target-date strategies: On the
hot seat. "
a discussion with Marla Kreindler and Julie Stapel, about activity in Washington, D.C., related to defined contribution plans, with particular focus on target-date strategies.
     
 Issue 34 July 2009
"A complete flight plan. "
a discussion with David Fisser, consultant and former chairman of the Southwest Airline Pilots’ Association 401(k) Committee, about their pilots’ defined contribution plans.
     
 Issue 33 June 2009
"Don’t give up. "
a discussion with Anna Rappaport, FSA, MAAA, about retirement-income adequacy. Anna focuses on retirement-income models and her concerns about the many risks such as longevity, years of work, and inflation that typically aren’t adequately captured in the models.
     
 Issue 32 May 2009
"Basics of life. "
a discussion with Barbara Kontje, Director of the Retirement Plan Investments at American Express, about the company’s financial literacy programs, shares details on its financial planning help line and other planning support provided to employees.
     
 Issue 31 April 2009
"Shoot the Messenger? "
a discussion with Norman Boone, MBA, CFP®, founder and president of Mosaic Financial Partners, Inc., co-founder of IPS AdvisorPro™ and co-author of Creating an Investment Policy Statement, about how investors have reacted to the recent market turmoil.
     
 Issue 30 March 2009
"Stay the course...or not? "
a discussion with Roger Williams, managing director at Rogerscasey, about the impact of the market correction on defined contribution plan assets, participants and design.
     
 Issue 29 February 2009
"Diversify, diversify, diversify. "
a discussion with Thomas Idzorek, chief investment officer at Ibbotson Associates, about designing target-date asset-allocation strategies to meet the needs of different populations.
     
 Issue 28 January 2009
"A penny saved is a penny earned. "
a discussion with Paul Solman, business and economics correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, about the need for objective and entertaining financial and economic education in the U.S.
 
 
Click Here to View Previous Years
   
PIMCO Analytics:  
     
June 2009
Asset Allocation for a
Changing World
     
February 2009
Uncertainty-Handicapping: Building Target-Date Strategies with Robust Optimization
   
   
PIMCO DC Research:  
     
January 2010
Defined Contribution Consulting Support and Trends
     
March 2009
Collective Funds:
Facts, Figures and Trends
     
January 2009
Defined Contribution Consulting Support and Trends
 
   
   
PIMCO DC Viewpoints:  
     
June 2010
Take Control of Your DC Plan: Designing Successful Target-Date Strategies
     
February 2009
Look behind the curtain. Does your stable value fund stack up?
     
January 2009
Protecting Defined Contribution Assets
 
   
 
Click Here to View Previous Years
   

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