Author Archives: admin

Some plan sponsors believe that holding committee meetings automatically makes them good fiduciaries. I’ve sat through enough meetings to know that’s not true. A calendar invite doesn’t fulfill fiduciary duties. What matters is what actually happens in the room—and what … Continue reading →

There’s a growing belief in the retirement industry that technology equals quality. Sleek dashboards, mobile apps, and automation are valuable, but technology alone doesn’t make a great plan provider. If it did, fiduciary breaches would have disappeared years ago. Technology … Continue reading →

One of the hardest parts of being a plan provider isn’t the complexity of ERISA—it’s the incomplete information. Providers are often asked to solve problems without being given the full picture, and that’s a recipe for compliance failures that no … Continue reading →

I understand why some plan sponsors withhold information from their plan providers. Sometimes it’s embarrassment. Sometimes it’s fear of added cost. Sometimes it’s just not knowing what matters. Unfortunately, in the retirement plan world, hiding information never protects you—it only … Continue reading →

If you’ve been paying attention to retirement plan news lately, you know that alternative investments are no longer a fringe conversation. They’re front and center. The Department of Labor has now taken a significant step by sending a proposed rule … Continue reading →

If someone had told me 15 years ago that one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers would be partnering with a mainstream retirement plan provider to bring private market investments into 401(k) plans, I would have assumed they were … Continue reading →

For years, forfeitures were treated like found money in 401(k) plans. Someone leaves before vesting, the plan keeps the unvested employer contribution, and no one loses sleep. Then came the lawsuits. Plaintiffs have begun challenging how forfeitures are used—particularly when … Continue reading →

When a 401(k) lawsuit is filed, the first thing plaintiffs’ counsel asks for isn’t your investment returns. It’s your committee minutes. That surprises plan sponsors. It shouldn’t. ERISA litigation is less about outcomes and more about process. Committee minutes are … Continue reading →

One of the most dangerous phrases in the 401(k) world isn’t “lawsuit” or “DOL audit.” It’s: “Everyone does it this way.” I hear it all the time from plan sponsors. Everyone uses revenue sharing. Everyone uses forfeitures to offset employer … Continue reading →

Every few years, someone declares revenue sharing “dead.” And every few years, it stubbornly survives. Revenue sharing is still legal. It’s still widely used. And yes, it’s still dangerous—especially for plan providers who don’t explain it well. The risk isn’t … Continue reading →