benchmarking-monitoring-fees-partners

The 3(21) vs. 3(38) Debate: Why Delegation Doesn’t Mean You’re Off the Hook

By Fred Barstein / 3(16) Plan Administrator, 401(k) advisor trust, 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, benefits committee, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Distribution, Documents & testing, DOL, DOL Guidance, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Advisors, Financial Stress, investment, investment comittee, Retirement Committee, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence

The promise sounds appealing: hire a fiduciary advisor, hand over investment decisions, and sleep better at night knowing someone else is handling the heavy lifting. ...

Supreme Court Decision Lowers the Bar for ERISA Lawsuits Against Plan Sponsors

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, Communication, DOL, DOL Guidance, erisa, ERISA Advisory Council, fee compression, fee lawsuits, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, investment, Managed Accounts, provider due diligence, Record Keepers, Recordkeeping, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, Retirement Plan Fees

A recent Supreme Court decision has changed the legal landscape for plan sponsors, making it easier for plaintiffs to file lawsuits over how plans do...

Why Advisor Due Diligence Matters for 401(k) and 403(b) Plan Sponsors

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401k News, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Due Diligence, Employee engagement, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, HR, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, Retirement plan management

Many plan sponsors are recognizing the complex responsibilities tied to managing retirement plans. While ERISA requires them to act as prudent experts, most lack formal...

Most U.S. Retirement Plans Have Red Flags – Is Yours at Risk?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 6th Annual RPA Broker/Dealer Roundtable, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, CEO Engagement, Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compliance, Early retirement, Economy, fee lawsuits, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, fraud, Legislation, litigation, Managed Accounts, product quality, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Regs and Regulators, Retirement planning, Specialization, specialized team, Target Date Fund, Target Date Funds

If you oversee a company retirement plan, here’s a startling statistic that should grab your attention: 84% of U.S.-based retirement plans have at least one...

Why Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence is so Critical Now

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, benefit education, Changing dynamics, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, fee transparency, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Recordkeeping, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence

Anatomy of a Recent RFP When the benefits administrator at an $80 million plan contacted TPSU (The Plan Sponsor University) recently about conducting due diligence...

Target Date Funds: The Key to Enhanced Retirement Outcomes

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, 403b, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Collective Investment Trust, Communication, Compliance, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, DOL, ESG, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, Regs and Regulators, Secure Act Changes, Target Date Funds

Target Date Funds (TDFs) have significantly changed the Defined Contribution (DC) retirement landscape, making retirement planning simpler. TDFs allow individuals to invest in a single...

Transforming 401(k) Plans Through AI

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, AI, artificial intelligence, auto enroll, Auto Portability, automation, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, benefit education, Client connection, Communication, Consolidation, DC Plan Sponsors, Digital Tools, Economy, ESG, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, innovation, Managed Accounts, Regs and Regulators, Robo Advisor Technology, Selecting & Monitoring

Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform the 401(k) industry in a way similar to the impact behavioral finance has had on retirement planning. While the industry...

Why Hire a Professional Fiduciary?

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, benefits committee, Client connection, Communication, Compliance, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, DOL, erisa, fee lawsuits, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, Legislation, participation, personal financial advice, Retirement Advisor Specialist, retirement income, Retirement Plan Participation, Senior Management Engagement, Specialization, wellness assessment

Retirement plan sponsors often grapple with the decision to hire an outside fiduciary. With regulatory scrutiny increasing in intensity and fee lawsuits continuing to proliferate,...

Annual Benchmarking Is a Must for Plan Sponsors

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, Benchmarking & Fees (ERISA, retirement plan), Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Benchmarking Fees, Benchmarking Funds, Benefits integration, Communication, Compensation, Compliance, Consolidation, Convergence, cybersecurity, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, Due Diligence, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, investment, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Committee, Retirement Plan Fees

Evolving regulations mean plan sponsors continue to face increasing scrutiny when it comes to their fiduciary responsibilities. A recent analysis of 50,000 retirement plans in...

Voya’s Acquisition of OneAmerica: What Advisors Need to Know

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, acquisition, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Change, Compensation, Convergence, Convergence & Advisor M&A, cybersecurity, DC Plan Sponsors, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, investment, Plan Acquisition

Voya’s recent acquisition of OneAmerica’s retirement division is noteworthy, particularly due to the significantly lower price compared to previous industry acquisitions. This deal highlights the...