Author Archives: admin

When I started in this business, plan sponsors worried about lost checks. Now, they should be worried about lost data. Back then, if a participant’s address was wrong, you mailed a letter and hoped for the best. Today, if a … Continue reading →

I’ve been in this business long enough to know that the only thing “simple” about a 401(k) plan is the way people pretend it is. Every provider brochure says “turnkey,” “easy to administer,” or my personal favorite, “set it and … Continue reading →

Somewhere in Washington, someone at the Department of Labor must have a “Fiduciary Rule” dartboard. Every few years, they take a throw, hit a new buzzword, and decide it’s time for another rewrite. We’ve had more drafts of this rule … Continue reading →

Working with a plan sponsor recently, I was helping sort out a late Form 5500 issue. Pretty routine stuff, until I learned they’d already heard from the IRS about it a year ago. A year! It reminded me of my … Continue reading →

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced plans to revisit and likely revise the fiduciary-advice rule in 2026, signaling significant potential shifts for plan sponsors and advisers. Here are my key takeaways: · At issue is the definition of “fiduciary … Continue reading →

I’m encouraged by the DOL’s issuance of Advisory Opinion 2025-04A, which affirms that a managed-account strategy incorporating a lifetime income component can qualify as a Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA). This is an important milestone for defined-contribution plans. Here are … Continue reading →

I love networking on LinkedIn. Some of the best connections I’ve made in this business, people I actually trust and respect, started with a simple connection request. The platform is an incredible tool for building professional relationships, sharing insights, and … Continue reading →

I love networking on LinkedIn. Some of the best connections I’ve made in this business, people I actually trust and respect, started with a simple connection request. The platform is an incredible tool for building professional relationships, sharing insights, and … Continue reading →

When I was younger, I wanted to get along. I really did. I wanted to keep the peace, stay out of trouble, and believe that if I worked hard and did the right thing, people would notice. They don’t. Not … Continue reading →

Working on an IRS audit is hard enough. But what’s even harder? When you discover the plan sponsor disposed of—or claims to have disposed of, the very records the IRS is demanding. Let’s not kid ourselves: that’s a hostage to … Continue reading →