401k Partners Archives - 401k Plan Optimization, Compliance, Investment & Partners

Recordkeeper Switches Can Go Wrong Fast. Is Your Plan Protected?

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, benefits committee, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, DOL Guidance, Employee engagement, ERISA Advisory Council, fee lawsuits, fees, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Liability, financial wellness, Improving Outcomes, lawsuits, Lifestyle Benefits, Qualified Advisor, Record Keepers, Recordkeeping, recordkeeping, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Readiness

Switching recordkeepers might seem like a straightforward administrative move, but when things go sideways, the consequences can be severe. A recent lawsuit against a Florida...

The Next Wave of 401(k) Record Keeper Consolidation

By Fred Barstein / Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, Consolidation, Convergence, Financial Wellness, Record Keepers, recordkeeper consolidation, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence

The 401(k) record-keeping industry is entering a new wave of consolidation, with more providers expected to merge or exit in the next three to five...

Free Tools Plan Sponsors Can Use to Vet Prospective Retirement Plan Advisors

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, 401(k) Plan Management, 401k Advisor, Client connection, DC Plan Sponsors, DC plans, Digital Tools, Employee happiness, Fiduciary, Fiduciary, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Improving Outcomes, Professional Retirement Plan Fiduciary Services, Record Keepers, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Plan Advisor, Retirement Plan Fiduciary, Retirement Readiness

Choosing the right financial advisor for your retirement plan is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a plan sponsor. It’s also a...

The Future of Aggregators: Key Takeaways From the 2025 Roundtable

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, Aggregators, Benchmarking & Monitoring Fees & Partners, Changing Recordkeepers, Client connection, DC plans, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Investment Managers, Plan Acquisition, Recordkeeping, Regs and Regulators, Retirement Committee, Roundtables

Aggregator Roundtable 2025: How RPAs and RIAs are Reshaping Workplace Saving and Benefits

The 2025 Aggregator Roundtable brought together leaders from major RIA and RPA aggregators to discuss how workplace retirement, wealth, and benefits are converging. With fees...

The Coming Battle Over 401(k) Participant Data

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Managed Accounts, 401(k) Plan Management, Changing Recordkeepers, DC plans, Employee Data Protection, Fiduciary, Financial Advisors, financial wellness, Investment Managers, participation, personal financial advice, Recordkeeping

The 401(k) industry is heading toward a major conflict over who can access and use participant data. Record keepers and advisors both depend on this...

Six Common Myths That Increase Plan Sponsors’ Fiduciary Liability

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) Plan Management, Communication, DC Plan Sponsors, Employee Benefits, erisa, fee lawsuits, Fiduciary, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Advice, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Stress, Financial Wellness, Regs and Regulators

Fiduciary lawsuits continue to make headlines, but many plan sponsors don’t realize they’re operating under dangerous misconceptions about their responsibilities. In a recent article, Carol...

Hybrid Advisors Lead the Wealth–Retirement Convergence

By Fred Barstein / 401(k) advisor trust, Convergence, Convergence & Advisor M&A, Creative approach, Financial Advisors, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Hybrid Advisors

Market Volatility and 401(k) Plans Navigating the Impact of Recent Tariff

A new NMG Consulting DC Advisor Insights study led by Joshua Dietch reveals that the convergence of retirement and wealth management is reshaping the advisor...

The CIT Takeover: What’s Driving the Shift in 401(k) Investing

By Fred Barstein / CIT, Collective Investment Trust, Company Contributions and Vesting, DC plans, Economy, erisa, ERISA Advisory Council, fee compression, Fiduciary, fiduciary, Financial Advisors, Financial Wellness, Investment Managers, Record Keepers

Collective investment trusts (CITs) are rapidly gaining market share in 401(k) plans, increasingly replacing traditional mutual funds. Over the past 5–10 years—especially in advisor-sold retirement...

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...

Switching Retirement Plan Providers? Don’t Skip These Steps

By Fred Barstein / Changing dynamics, Changing Recordkeepers, DC plans, Employee Benefits, Fiduciary, Financial Wellness, HR, Lifestyle Benefits, Plan design, Plan Optimization, provider due diligence, Retirement Happiness, Retirement Plan Advisor Due Diligence, Retirement plan providers, Roth 401k, Roth Contributions, Third party administrators

Changing retirement plan providers sounds straightforward. Move from Provider A to Provider B, transfer the assets, and you’re done. But anyone who’s actually been through...

The Future of Aggregators: Key Takeaways From the 2025 Roundtable

The Coming Battle Over 401(k) Participant Data

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