plan documents, discrimination testing, safe harbor plans

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. ...

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...

Effective Retirement Plan Education: Reaching All Learning Styles

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, adult learning, AI, benefit education, benefits committee, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, Confidence, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, Economy, education, Employee Benefits, Employee engagement, Employee happiness, evolving and adapting, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial literacy, Financial Wellness, Peer to peer learning, Retirement Committee, virtual learning

Effective Retirement Plan Education: Reaching All Learning Styles Educating employees about retirement plans is essential for any successful retirement program. By providing the right knowledge,...

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...

Transforming the 401(k) Landscape: Embrace the Change

By Fred Barstein / Adaptability, AI, artificial intelligence, Change, Client connection, collaboration, Communication, Convergence, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Documents & testing, Economy, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Fintech Record Keepers, mindfulness, Regs and Regulators

The 401(k) and defined contribution industry is going through major changes, driven by a mix of historical events and recent developments. The COVID-19 pandemic has...

DOL Finalizes New Fiduciary Rule: Industry Reception Is a Mixed Bag

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Change, courts, DC plans, Documents & testing, DOL, DOL Guidance, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Legislation

The Department of Labor (DOL) finalized the Retirement Security Rule last week. It’s set to take effect on September 23. The rule revises the definition...

Strengthening Retirement Plans: The Role of Fiduciary Governance

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, automation, benefit education, benefits committee, Client connection, Distribution, Documents & testing, education, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Regs and Regulators, TRIPLE F ADVISOR

Fred Barstein, CEO & Founder with Kathleen Kelly, Adjunct Lecturer In a recent TPSU program session in North Carolina, Kathleen Kelly, a distinguished DC consultant,...

Recordkeeper Shifts Mean Plan Sponsors & Advisors Must Evolve Too

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Adaptability, Communication, competition, Consolidation, Convergence, Cyber Security, DC plans, Documents & testing, Due Diligence, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Improving Outcomes, Record Keepers, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators

Retirement plan recordkeepers have undergone tremendous change in recent years, driven by consolidation and a race to innovate and scale. According to Mike Webb CAPTRUST...

401(k) Plans Becoming More Accessible to Small Businesses

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, auto enroll, auto escalate, Auto Portability, DC Plan Sponsors, Documents & testing, DOL, Employee Benefits, Fiduciary, Financial Security, financial wellness, Ideal Plan, Improving Outcomes, SECURE 2.0, Secure Act Changes, Senior Management Engagement, small business

The retirement industry continues to evolve, creating additional opportunities for employers, especially small businesses, to help American workers create financial security for the future. Two...

Insights from the 2023 RPA Record Keeper Roundtable & Thinktank

By Fred Barstein / 401k News, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Documents & testing, Economy, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Security, investment comittee, Managed Accounts, Plan Acquisition, Record Keepers, Recordkeeping, Retirement Committee, RPA Record Keeper Roundtable & Thinktank, Senior Management Engagement

During the fifth annual RPA Record Keeper Roundtable & Thinktank in New York City, senior leaders from major firms gathered to discuss the challenges and...