Monthly Archives: May 2025

New Book: The Circle Complete June 9th with Full Circle

When I titled my new book Full Circle, I didn’t just pick a catchy phrase—I picked a truth. In life and business, we often think progress means always moving forward. But the longer I’ve worked in the retirement plan industry, … Continue reading

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Northrop Grumman is target for another Schlicter case

If there’s a Mount Rushmore of ERISA class-action litigators, you better believe Jerry Schlichter’s face is carved into it—probably right next to a 408(b)(2) disclosure and a stack of mutual fund fee charts. And once again, the law firm of … Continue reading

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The death of the department store should clue you in about the 401(k) business

The department store has been a dying business for 50 years. That’s not hyperbole—it’s a fact. Ever since the rise of the shopping mall, the explosion of discount retailers like Walmart and Target, and now online shopping, the traditional department … Continue reading

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That 401(k) Conference: Sponsoring While Not Burning You Out

When I first started my law practice, I’d get invited to sponsor networking events or plan sponsor forums. They’d ask for a check, promise big exposure, and deliver… almost nothing. The room would be filled with the wrong audience or … Continue reading

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You need a change of culture to change

Businesses in the retirement plan industry don’t collapse overnight. It’s never sudden. Like Sears, the decline drags out over years—death by a thousand paper cuts. One day you’re a major player, the next you’re just a name people remember from … Continue reading

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The Retirement Plan Dentist

About 20 years ago, there was a medical report claiming that dental plaque could cause heart disease. Now, the cynic in me can’t help but wonder if that was cooked up by the dental lobby as a way to generate … Continue reading

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Maybe time to get rid of the SEP?

Those small employer plans like SEPs and SIMPLE-IRAs? They’re great starter tools for retirement savings. Think of them like toddler clothes: low maintenance, affordable, and easy to manage. No administration costs, no annual 5500s, and they get the job done—for … Continue reading

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That 401(k) Conference returned to KC

For the first time, That 401(k) Conference returned to the same venue. On Friday, May 9, 2025, we returned to Kansas City at Kaufmann Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. We had a great event there in 2019 and … Continue reading

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DOL offers temporary policy on transfers of small amounts to state unclaimed funds

The Department of Labor recently issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2025-01, which amounts to a temporary enforcement policy around the transfer of small retirement plan benefits — think $1,000 or less — to state unclaimed property funds. If that sentence … Continue reading

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Down goes Pentegra in a jury trial verdict

If you’re a 401(k) plan provider and think you can get away with charging sky-high fees while prioritizing your own bottom line, think again. A federal jury just reminded us all—fiduciary responsibility under ERISA isn’t just a suggestion, it’s the law. In … Continue reading

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