Retirement plan advisors can often miss opportunities to meet client needs, add revenue, and tighten relationships that are literally staring them in the face. While intent on designing and managing retirement plans for the benefit of plan sponsor clients and their workforce, 401(k) specialists may neglect the opportunity to help business owners and key executives … Continue reading “Non-Qualified” Success 401(k) Advisors Overlook
Plan sponsors often ask, “Is an ERISA fidelity bond the same thing as fiduciary liability insurance?” The answer is no, they are not the same. The two insure different people and have different requirements under the terms of ERISA. An ERISA fidelity bond is required under ERISA Section 412. Its purpose is to protect the … Continue reading ERISA Fidelity Bond versus Fiduciary Liability Insurance
Plan fiduciaries have a primary responsibility to understand and prudently discharge their duties in accordance with ERISA and their plan document. To complement the fiduciary consulting services we make available to you, consider taking advantage of fiduciary education sessions hosted by the DOL. The website provided below has great content on other fiduciary topics as … Continue reading Fiduciary Seminar Alert
According to ERISA, plans intending to comply with 404(c) must provide that participants: Have the opportunity to choose from a broad range of investment alternatives (which are adequately diversified); may direct the investment of their accounts with a frequency which is appropriate; and can obtain sufficient information to make informed investment decisions. The plan sponsor … Continue reading Complying With ERISA 404(c)
Recently there has been an emergence of entities offering to provide ERISA Section 3(16) services. Plan sponsors may be interested in divesting themselves of Section 3(16) plan administrator responsibilities and there are questions regarding this concept and its perceived desirability. The unfortunate reality is that the advertisements, marketing material and articles (often written by interested … Continue reading 3(16) ERISA Fiduciary Definition
Plan sponsors are often concerned with the prudence and process of obtaining insurance covering ERISA retirement plan fiduciaries. While fiduciary insurance is an important aspect in mitigating the financial impact of fiduciary litigation, there are a number of additional, important activities that are prudent for fiduciaries to embrace. ERISA fiduciaries are well advised to follow … Continue reading Fiduciary Liability Insurance
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) holds fiduciaries to a standard of prudence when making investment-related decisions for a qualified ERISA plan. The Department of Labor (DOL) and the courts have largely determined that said standard of prudence can best be determined by a fiduciary’s process, or procedures, used in making … Continue reading Investment Policy Statement Review: Beyond the Obvious
As we enter the New Year, many qualified retirement plan sponsors use this time as an opportunity to examine current fiduciary structure and processes to ensure all is in order. Whether or not your organization’s retirement plans have been recently audited by the Department of Labor and/or Internal Revenue Service, it is advisable to be … Continue reading Qualified Plan Governance: Is Your Fiduciary House in Order?
As a plan sponsor and fiduciary, it may be tempting to use your brother-in-law, old college roommate or golf buddy as your company’s retirement advisor. After all, you know them well and they would never steer you in the wrong direction, right? However, ERISA’s rules are crystal clear: every decision you make as a fiduciary … Continue reading But He’s My Brother-in-Law!
Recently there has been an emergence of entities offering to provide ERISA Section 3(16) services. Plan sponsors may be interested in divesting themselves of Section 3(16) plan administrator responsibilities and there are questions regarding this concept and its perceived desirability. The unfortunate reality is that the advertisements, marketing material and articles (often written by interested … Continue reading 3(16) ERISA Fiduciary Definition
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