Tag: retirement plan

Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Buck! – Negotiating Retirement Plan Fees with Your Provider

October 31, 2016

According to plan sponsors, one of the most harrowing aspects of their fiduciary obligations is to ensure that plan fees are reasonable. From administration and recordkeeping to compliance and investment management, how can a plan sponsor feel assured that they are aware of all plan fees, understand them thoroughly and then determine their fair and reasonableness? … More Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Buck! – Negotiating Retirement Plan Fees with Your Provider

Competing with Starbucks / Franchising of 401(k) Advisory Services

October 26, 2016

Imagine you own an independent coffee shop and Starbucks offers you a franchise with no upfront costs and a healthy revenue share going forward. Well, you could continue to figure out where to buy your napkins, how long to roast the beans, and a thousand other operational details, or you can implement a proven business … More Competing with Starbucks / Franchising of 401(k) Advisory Services

Waiver of 60-Day Rollover Requirement

October 6, 2016

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows distributions to be excluded from income if they are rolled over to an eligible retirement plan or Individual Retirement Account (IRA) within 60 days. Revenue Procedure 2016-47 offers additional guidance, as well as a self-certification process that details how a taxpayer could accomplish a rollover that does not meet … More Waiver of 60-Day Rollover Requirement

Establishing Your Retirement Plan Committee Charter

September 6, 2016

As retirement plan consultants we strongly encourage our clients to formally establish a retirement plan committee. The establishment of a committee may be formalized by adopting a Committee Charter. This document helps to protect the named fiduciary, typically the Board of Directors, by delegating certain identified fiduciary responsibilities to the committee. It protects committee members … More Establishing Your Retirement Plan Committee Charter

Fiduciaries, Plan Administrator, Trustee, Investment Manager

Are You Excluding Part-Timers From the Retirement Plan?

July 5, 2016

Many plan sponsors mistakenly believe that they are not required to offer the retirement plan to part-time employees. Regardless of what type of retirement plan you have, all employees, including part-time employees that work 1,000 hours in a year, must be offered the retirement benefit. Though your plan may contain a service requirement that essentially … More Are You Excluding Part-Timers From the Retirement Plan?

Retirement Plan Investment Design

May 9, 2016

“5…4…3…2…1…liftoff!” Ultimately the value a retirement plan advisor brings to plan clients can be measured in plan outcomes and participant readiness for retirement.  Offering meaningful processes for investment selection and monitoring, benchmarking vendor services and fees, and supporting plan fiduciaries are now just table stakes.   Advisors who cannot offer independent processes for supporting plan clients … More Retirement Plan Investment Design

Social Security, Social Security Benefits, Retirement

When should I take Social Security benefits?

November 11, 2015

Before deciding when to begin taking Social Security, consider these factors: Other sources of income. Work with your retirement plan consultant to evaluate the tradeoffs involved in taking your Social Security benefits earlier (and letting other assets grow untouched for a longer period) vs. dipping into retirement assets immediately and deferring your Social Security benefits. … More When should I take Social Security benefits?

Retirement Plan Consultants, Retirement Plan Committee

Establishing Your Retirement Plan Committee Charter

October 28, 2015

As retirement plan consultants we strongly encourage our clients to formally establish a Retirement Plan Committee. The establishment of a Committee may be formalized by adopting a Retirement Plan Committee Charter. This Committee Charter helps to protectthe named fiduciary, typically the Board of Directors, by delegating certain identified fiduciary responsibilities to the Committee. It protects … More Establishing Your Retirement Plan Committee Charter