Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans Play Vital Role In Helping Companies Retain Top Talent

NFP, a leading benefits consultant, property and casualty broker, wealth manager and retirement plan advisor, reported findings today from its inaugural Executive Benefits Trends Study. In a notable show of effectiveness, 92% of the study's respondents said offering a nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan helps them retain their top executive talent, with 93% ranking executive retention as important or critical to their company's success.

The survey also revealed employers have opportunities to improve their NQDC plans, including driving higher usage and better long-term outcomes. Respondents reported their NQDC plan eligibility rates have increased by 45% since 2020, a favorable trend, but have only seen a 32% increase in participation rates over the same period. Most respondents seem content with the status quo of their NQDC plans, as only a limited number (25%) intend to make adjustments in the near-term that could increase their appeal. READ MORE

Executives, Beware: Your Salary Could Be On the Line - 5 Steps You Should Take To Address New Clawback Rules

Executives at public and private companies will soon run the risk of having their compensation subject to forfeiture for financial misstatements and corporate criminal misconduct under their watch thanks to new “clawback” rules from the federal government. The new public company clawback standards– proposed in January and expected to take effect this December – are being issued by the NYSE and NASDAQ as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission with a complimentary program in effect for both public and private companies behind the full weight and force of the U.S. Department of Justice. At one time solely the province of public company executives, the DOJ program will work to scoop money out of the pockets of private company leaders. What are the five steps you should take to address these new clawback rules? READ MORE

Why location matters in compensation lawsuits

The location where a former employee filed a lawsuit had little relationship to his compensation arrangement with the employer, the contract’s formation, its performance, or its breach, the Texas Court of Appeals said in a recent case.

The plaintiff was employed as an associate at Domingo Garcia’s law office in Dallas County, which was the principal office from which the firm operated. He worked there for almost 10 years and mostly handled cases valued between $30,000 and $50,000. READ MORE

What is a restricted stock unit?

These company shares are issued to employees upon meeting predetermined performance goals and/or remaining with the company for a stipulated period, according to a vesting plan.

However, this compensation is a little more complex than a cash bonus and is different from the shares you buy in the open market. It’s important to fully understand what restricted stock units are so you can make an informed decision on your compensation package. READ MORE

Workers are demanding record-high salaries, but here’s what the average full-time job pays

If you’re looking to hire a new employee, you should know that what employers are offering has risen dramatically in the past year. But what employees want has also gone up. That’s according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data July 2023 Survey of Consumer Expectations (via Reuters). The report parses respondents’ thoughts and expectations on inflation, household finances, and the labor market.

Regarding the labor market, the report found that both the salary being offered to employees to switch jobs and the salary employees say they expect have risen dramatically in the past year. READ MORE

44-year-old quit his $2.3 million job without a backup—here’s why he’s never been happier

Many people might find it difficult to walk away from a million-dollar salary, no matter how miserable they are. But taking the leap to explore a different career can make you realize how much happiness money can’t buy.

That was the case for 44-year-old Khemaridh Hy, who I interviewed for my book, “Next! The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work,” about how to navigate change and find meaning in the way we live and work. READ MORE

A Word on Salary Transparency From THE Transparency Guy: Stop Going in Blind on Compensation

Look, we all know that public accounting salaries always have been and probably always will be a major point of contention. It’s a career path of extremes when it comes to compensation, with analysts working long hours for tough pay, new staff barely scraping by, and some higher ups really raking it in. These variations and feelings about them – good or bad – make compensation a favorite topic among accounting professionals. READ MORE

SVB changes executive bonuses after DOJ pushback

SVB Financial Group, the bankrupt former parent of Silicon Valley Bank, reportedly said it is changing its executive bonuses after pushback from the Department of Justice, according to a Bloomberg report.

James Bromley of Sullivan & Cromwell said Tuesday that bonus benchmarks for nine leaders of SVB Capital, the capital and investment arm of SVB Financial Group, are now more “substantive and focused,” Bloomberg reported.  READ MORE

Employers Look to Nonqualified Plans to Compete for Talent

Employers are focused on upgrading their nonqualified deferred compensation retirement plans in the ongoing tight labor market, to the benefit of key executives and higher-paid employees, according to a Willis Towers Watson survey released Wednesday.

Of 396 U.S. employers surveyed, three-quarters (75%) either made changes to their nonqualified defined contribution retirement plans in the last two years or plan to make changes in the next two years, the advisory and brokerage found. Employers with defined benefit plans clocked in a bit lower, with 55% either having made changes in the past two years or having plans to in the next two years. READ MORE

Apple's Lesser-Known Co-Founder Owned ⅓ Of The Company But Missed Out On A Potential $900 Billion Fortune

With the late Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple Inc.'s co-founders, dominating the tech world for decades, it’s easy to overlook the vital role played by a lesser-known figure: Mike Markkula.

While Jobs and Wozniak captured the limelight, Markkula’s contributions to Apple's success were no less significant. From angel investor to CEO and chairman, Markkula’s journey with Apple showcased his belief in the power of personal computers. READ MORE

How Do Politicians Become Millionaires Making Under $200,000 Per Year? Economist Identifies 'Suspicious Personal Profit Pattern'

Grant Cardone, a renowned sales trainer, speaker and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $600 million, recently took to X, formerly Twitter, to raise a thought-provoking question: "Can someone explain to me how public servants (politicians) are becoming multimillionaires on $100,000 salaries?"

While the message did not specify which public servants he was referring to, it is presumed that Cardone’s remarks were primarily aimed at members of the U.S. Congress. READ MORE

Retirement millionaires just jumped

Retirement millionaires saw a jump in their numbers in the second quarter, according to a Fidelity Investments report. 

In its second-quarter retirement analysis of its accounts, the financial services company reported double-digit growth in the number of people holding seven-figures in their 401(k) accounts and individual retirement accounts (IRAs), with the former rising by 10% and the latter climbing by 13%.  READ MORE

Workers now demanding nearly $80K to start new job

The lowest wage that American workers are willing to take in order to accept a new job hit a record high this year, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey published Monday.

The average "reservation wage" – or the minimum acceptable salary offer required for workers to switch jobs – hit $78,645 during the second quarter of 2023, according to the Fed's latest survey of consumer expectations. READ MORE

Illinois pay transparency law mandates pay scale, benefits in job postings

Illinois is the latest in a string of states passing new pay transparency laws, joining others like Colorado and California in expanding employers’ requirements. 

New York City’s pay transparency mandate went into effect in November, requiring companies to post a “good faith” salary range in job listings. Almost immediately, some companies listed ranges spanning more than $100,000. READ MORE