Author Archives: admin

As a financial advisor, you’ve been volunteered as a plan ombudsman and the problem is that you probably don’t have the knowledge of an ERISA expert. That’s why it’s important to work with ERISA experts like ERISA attorneys, and especially … Continue reading →

For the past 9 1/2 years, fee disclosure has certainly helped you as a plan sponsor to finally understand the true cost of plan administration. That’s important because you have a fiduciary duty to only pay reasonable plan expenses. The … Continue reading →

In any service industry, the quality of service and price can be far and wide. While people say that I focus way too much on the workings of the third-party administration (TPA) business, I have more experience in that field … Continue reading →

The consolidation of the retirement plan business has not let up Smart, a British company that is about to launch a pooled employer plan in the U.S. this year, is buying Stadion Money Management. Stadion’s business includes more than 4,000 … Continue reading →

It seemed like a good idea at the time, replacing Matt Hutcheson as the fiduciary of an open multiple employer plan (MEP). Within a few weeks including conversations with adopting employers with missing money, I realized that this was a … Continue reading →

Changing third-party administrators (TPAs) isn’t fun. If you have to for it, do it. However, you need to coordinate with the new TPA with the entire conversion process. TPAs are greater experts at the conversion process than you are, so … Continue reading →

Litigation isn’t fun, but there are times when you have to sue to protect your rights. The American Retirement Association recently had to sue the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA) for a trademark violation of Accredited 401(k) Administrator. As … Continue reading →

I like when people state the obvious, but the concept is way over their head. The National Institute on Retirement Security did a study that states that a typically defined benefit plan has a 49 percent cost advantage compared to … Continue reading →

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