Category Archives: Retirement Plans

Don’t Count on PEPs to Deliver Big for Amazon’s DSPs

Posted on July 16, 2025 by admin

Vestwell made headlines today by announcing a new partnership with Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program to offer Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) to delivery associates. Sounds impressive, right? Let’s slow down. I’ve been in this business long enough to know … Continue reading →

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Cybersecurity is an important concern as a plan provider

Posted on July 14, 2025 by admin

Without fail, every single day—like clockwork—I get a handful of emails trying to pry their way into my digital life. Sometimes it’s an alleged Amazon receipt I never made, sometimes a fake Dropbox notice, and sometimes it’s a desperate attempt … Continue reading →

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ERISA Attorneys have to provide real value for you

Posted on July 14, 2025 by admin

Fifteen years into running my own practice, I can say without hesitation—it was the right decision. Going out on my own as an ERISA attorney allowed me to focus on what truly matters: delivering value to clients, not inflating hours … Continue reading →

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Solo 401(k) Really Means Solo—So Don’t Be Surprised When You’re on Your Own

Posted on July 14, 2025 by admin

Let’s be honest: the Solo 401(k) is one of the great marketing wins of the retirement plan industry. It sounds easy. It sounds empowering. It sounds like freedom—no employees, no complex administration, no fuss. But let me tell you something … Continue reading →

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UnitedHealth settles for $69 million

Posted on July 14, 2025 by admin

When a $69 million settlement drops, it’s more than just a corporate write-off—it’s a signal flare in the murky world of fiduciary responsibility. UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest health care conglomerates in the country, has agreed to settle allegations … Continue reading →

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July finalizes another purchase

Posted on July 14, 2025 by admin

In the retirement plan industry, acquisitions aren’t just about numbers—they’re about narrative. And with its seventh deal in two years, July Business Services (JULY) is writing a very clear one: they’re not just growing, they’re building something with intention. JULY … Continue reading →

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Another Year, Another Reminder: Fees Still Matter – Especially for Small Plans

Posted on July 3, 2025 by admin

The just-released 25th Edition of the 401k Averages Book confirms what many of us on the fiduciary side have known—and preached—for years: fees continue to fall, but not evenly. While this is welcome news, it’s also a wake-up call for … Continue reading →

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There’s a hard truth in life, and I learned it the long, slow, and silent way: if you don’t speak up for yourself, you’ll be passed over, stepped on, and probably volunteered to clean up after someone else’s kugel spill. As I wrote in Full Circle, back in my teenage years at Young People’s Synagogue at East Midwood Jewish Center, I played the role of the dutiful nice guy. You know, the one who showed up early, stayed late, and never got the title—kind of like the unpaid intern who’s somehow also your carpool ride. Leadership roles were doled out like parts in a high school musical directed by someone’s passive-aggressive older cousin. The person assigning them? A college student named Adam. And every year, Adam gave me the same role: guy who does everything and gets nothing. He made people co-officers who didn’t even show up. He passed me over for president like it was a sacred tradition. And what did I do? Nothing. I sat there quietly, like a mensch with a clipboard, smiling through clenched teeth and rationalizing, “Maybe next year.” Spoiler: next year never came. Fast forward a couple of decades, and the stakes are a little higher now than who leads Shabbat announcements. I’m running my own law firm, negotiating retainers, and trying to deliver ERISA compliance without losing my mind—or my voice. So when a client recently slighted me, again and again—ignoring my reasonable request to revise a retainer agreement—I remembered Adam. And I remembered that feeling. The one where you know you’re being taken for granted, but you stay silent because it’s easier. Only this time, I wasn’t seventeen. This time, I said something. Actually, I said everything. I warned one of the client’s employees, “I’ve got one foot out the door.” A week later, I picked up the other foot and walked. I quit. And it felt… amazing. Liberating. Like finally being promoted to president of a synagogue you no longer care about. Here’s the truth: no one’s coming to rescue you. No one’s handing you the title, the recognition, or the revised contract. If you’re waiting for fairness to find you, it’s probably stuck in traffic behind a bar mitzvah procession. So speak up. For your fees. For your worth. For your teenage self who should have gotten the gavel instead of the handout flyer duty. Because being silent doesn’t make you righteous—it just makes you invisible.

Posted on July 3, 2025 by admin

I’m not anti-life insurance. In fact, I have life insurance, and I believe it’s one of the most important financial tools out there for protecting your loved ones. But when it comes to stuffing life insurance into a 401(k) plan, … Continue reading →

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Speak Up, or Prepare to Be Stepped On (and Possibly Assigned to Kiddush Duty… Again)

Posted on July 3, 2025 by admin

There’s a hard truth in life, and I learned it the long, slow, and silent way: if you don’t speak up for yourself, you’ll be passed over, stepped on, and probably volunteered to clean up after someone else’s kugel spill. … Continue reading →

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Josh Itzoe Launches Fiduciary U: A New Era in 401(k) Committee Education

Posted on July 3, 2025 by admin

Let me be honest: most fiduciary training out there is about as exciting as watching paint dry in a compliance office. It’s often a checkbox exercise—generic, outdated, and completely divorced from the real-world problems that retirement plan fiduciaries face every … Continue reading →

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