Category Archives: Retirement Plans

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on October 6 in Anderson v. Intel Corporation Investment Policy Committee, examining what constitutes a “meaningful benchmark” when participants challenge retirement plan investments based on alleged underperformance. The case involves challenges to Intel’s retirement … Continue reading →

I was a malcontent. I was always going to be a malcontent, and that is OK. When I worked for other people, I wasn’t particularly good at pretending everything was wonderful when it wasn’t. That didn’t always make me popular. … Continue reading →

Nobody likes paying to fix someone else’s mistake. I certainly don’t. If a retirement plan provider gives bad instructions, misses an eligibility date, or mishandles information, a plan sponsor has every reason to ask why it happened and who will … Continue reading →

When I worked for other people, I learned that the person with the biggest title wasn’t always the person keeping the place together. Sometimes it was the employee who knew where everything was, remembered every client’s peculiarities, and could fix … Continue reading →

Small businesses have a person who does everything. They handle payroll, order supplies, deal with the insurance broker, and somehow know why the copier stopped working. Because they’re dependable, the owner keeps adding responsibilities. Eventually, someone hands them the 401(k) … Continue reading →

When you’re trying to build a retirement plan practice, a good referral partner can feel like the greatest person in the world. An advisor sends you clients. A payroll company introduces you to business owners. An accountant recommends your services. … Continue reading →

I believe in flat fees because clients should know what they’re paying. That doesn’t mean every prospect who wants a lower price is a problem. Business owners have budgets, and comparing fees is reasonable. But there’s a difference between asking … Continue reading →

Another 401(k) forfeiture lawsuit has been dismissed, and plan sponsors should pay attention because this litigation trend has generated a lot more noise than clarity. In Lapko v. United Wholesale Mortgage, former employees challenged the company’s use of forfeitures from … Continue reading →

One of the biggest risks for retirement plan providers is trying to be too helpful. That sounds ridiculous because service is supposed to be about helping clients. The problem is that there is a line between helping a plan sponsor … Continue reading →

When a retirement plan changes TPAs or recordkeepers, everybody wants the conversion completed as quickly and smoothly as possible. Assets have to move, payroll files need to work, participant accounts need to be established, and somebody wants to declare the … Continue reading →