Video: Advocating for Climate Action through Shareholder Engagement

Wespath seeks to address sustainability issues, like climate change, that could impact the performance of our participants’ retirement investments. We recently engaged with Cummins, an Indiana-based company that we invest in on behalf of participants. (Cummins makes engines for city buses, school buses and some Ram trucks, among other products.) This new video shares Wespath’s engagement process and the climate-related changes Cummins has committed to make.

Register Now: A Virtual Event—Live from Wespath

In this video, Bob Christophel, Manager of Benefits Education, welcomes all UMC participants to register for “Live from Wespath” on Wednesday, April 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Central). This virtual event features insights on the issues that matter most to our UMC Community, including General Conference, investments and clergy well-being. View the Live from Wespath agenda. Register for the event here.  

Less Than 6 Weeks to Go: General Conference Resources for You

After a four-year postponement and relocation from Minneapolis to Charlotte—the “2020” General Conference for the UMC is—finally—just weeks away. (April 23–May 3). Wespath’s legislative priorities focus on caring for you (our participants), supporting the UMC’s future, and building a more just and sustainable world. Learn more on our General Conference webpage. Read about Compass, Wespath’s new clergy retirement plan up for approval at General Conference.

Avoid a Higher Deductible Next Year for Your Health Plan

Have 10 minutes to spare? Take the Health Check questionnaire today to avoid a higher HealthFlex deductible* in 2025. It’s confidential, only takes about 10 minutes to complete, and is an easy way to evaluate lifestyle risks in areas of stress, sleep, physical activity and more. To access, go to your Virgin Pulse® account or via the app, select the “Health” tab and then choose the Health Check. If your spouse is also covered by HealthFlex, you both must take the Health Check by August 31 to avoid a higher deductible.

*Households with family coverage in the H5000 plan in 2025 who do not complete Health Check in 2024 will have their deductible and individual out-of-pocket maximum increased so the deductible and out-of-pocket max are the same amounts.

Investment Insights: Are the “Magnificent 7 Stocks” Creating a New Dot-Com Bubble?

Technology-fueled excitement is once again driving a runup in stocks. But is today’s “Magnificent 7” domination really the same as the dot-com bubble of the early 2000s? In this blog, we dig into this question.

What is America Saves Week?

America Saves Week is an annual celebration and call to action to prioritize personal savings. 2024’s campaign starts April 8 with the theme “Saving for What Matters Most,” which resonates with Wespath staff and our partners at EY Financial Planning Services (EY). It’s a perfect time to check in with EY on issues related to savings, such as saving automatically, saving for major milestones, and more! Visit wespath.eynavigate.com or call 1-800-360-2539 to set up confidential, professional consultations at no additional cost*! Check out Wespath social media April 8 through 12 for a closer look—just click on the links at the bottom of this email.

*EY Financial Planning Services are available to active Wespath participants and surviving spouses with account balances, and to retired and terminated participants with account balances of at least $10,000. Costs are included in Wespath’s operating expenses that are paid for by the funds.

For Your Education

Video: Why Does Wespath Invest in High-Yield Bonds?   Many participants are invested in Wespath’s Fixed Income Fund, which utilizes external asset managers to invest in various fixed income strategies. Oaktree Capital Management’s Sheldon Stone, who oversees a high-yield bond strategy for the fund, discusses both the risks and advantages of this strategy One advantage of high-yield bonds is they are not as significantly impacted by rising interest rates as higher-rated bonds, which is good news since the U.S. Federal Reserve has raised rates 11 times since the start of 2022. Video: “Markets At a Glance” Tackles AI and Inflation Our investment team highlights two drivers of the strong start to 2024 for U.S. stocks: inflation and enthusiasm about artificial intelligence (AI). Watch the video now.