Making $1 million last through retirement; 10 considerations for DC health benefits; and how private HIXs are like the Kardashians: 3 things you need to know this week in employee benefits

How to make $1 million last through retirement

According to Fidelity, the keys to making $1 million last all the way through retirement—assuming employees can save that much—is knowing when and whether to follow the 4% rule, and having the right investment mix.

Other retirement planning nuggets Fidelity wants you to pass along to your workforce:

• Gradually lower their 401(k) withdrawal rate and contemplate early investments—such as a house. “Figure out trigger points and what kind of spending or withdrawal changes you may need to make.”
• Mix up investments by considering “tolerance for market volatility, non-investment sources of income, fixed and variable spending patterns and whether you plan to deplete your savings or leave money to heirs.”

10 signs you should consider defined contribution health benefits

As defined contribution health benefits emerges as the next big benefits trends, employers are taking a closer look at whether the model might be right for them and their employees.  

Zane Benefits (although not exactly an unbiased source) offers up 10 signs that DC health is a good move for your company.

The surest sign: You can’t afford (or don’t want to pay for) a small group plan. “Defined contribution allows [you] to keep all the good things about group health insurance, like the tax benefits, but on a controllable individualized basis,” a Zane blog post points out.

This week’s hidden gem: What private exchanges and the Kardashians have in common

Private exchanges are all the rage. Everybody’s talking about them. But why are they so popular? According to Christopher Nadeau, a principal at William Gallagher Associates, nobody knows “why there are famous” or “where they came from”—kind of like the Kardashians, he writes.

In a recent WGA blog post, Nadeau takes the stance that private exchanges don’t reduce health care spending, they aren’t free, value is unclear and prices won’t drop. He concludes that it’s too soon to judge whether private exchanges will work out—perhaps like Kim and Kanye?