Detect

We will conduct a fiduciary review  of the processes you have in  place to ensure ERISA compliance. Through an in-depth r isk assessment, we will detect any red flags or areas of vulnerability within your p lan. Red flags can result from fees and lack of documentation of processes among  many other items.

Correct

With our fiduciary resources and expertise, we apply measure to avoid plan failure. We will help you to create an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) which documents the selection process for the plan’s investments. We develop and maintain a Fiduciary Binder which houses the necessary documents and outlines the processes used to manage the plan.

Protect

Through an ongoing assessment process, we ensure that your plan remains compliant with evolving ERISA and Department of Labor (DOL) regulations. We will work closely with your team of professional advisors to provide you with a collaborative    retirement plan solution.

Fiduciary Advising

As a plan sponsor, you maintain a fiduciary obligation to your company’s retirement plan and your employees. You are held personally liable for the plan, and as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we understand the fiduciary roles within a plan and can assist in the facilitation of this liability.

3(16) Fiduciary

An ERISA Section 3(16) fiduciary acts as the plan administrator. The 3(16) administrator is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the plan. The duties of the plan administrator are set by ERISA and the terms of the plan document. The services of a 3(16) include the signing of a 5500 which means that they are responsible for all of the content that is reported throughout the year on the tax filing at the end of the year.

3(21) Fiduciary

A 3(21) investment fiduciary is a paid professional who provides investment recommendations to the plan sponsor/trustee. A 3(21) can give direct guidance and recommendations to each participant on their investment selections. The plan sponsor/trustee retains ultimate decision-making authority for the investments and may accept or reject the recommendations. Both share the fiduciary responsibility, and a 3(21) will assist in writing the IPS.

3(38) Fiduciary

Section 3(38) is an "investment manager" and by definition is a fiduciary because they take 1) discretion, 2) authority and 3) control of the plan's assets. ERISA provides that a plan sponsor can delegate the significant responsibility (and significant liability) of selecting, monitoring and replacing of investments to the 3(38) investment manager fiduciary. A 3(38) will solely write the IPS.

Types of Retirement Plans

There are many retirement plan options and many elements to consider when choosing the right one such as tax benefits, company size, employee count, and much more.  Our advisors provide unbiased expertise and guidance in the decision process.

Bundled 401(k)

A bundled plan receives all services from one provider but offers fewer options within the plan, disparity with the providers' expertise with the various service components, and fees that are not fully transparent.

Unbundled 401(k)

An unbundled plan offers the flexibility to select the best providers for each service component in an open architecture environment with fee transparency.

Participant Education and Advice

Our advisors can conduct one-on-one enrollment meetings with each newly eligible employee and can also provide valuable services to existing participants such as individual education meetings, investment advice, family retirement planning, and more. We customize our delivery to your employees’ needs and can even broaden our education to present to large groups or utilize technology to present through webinars.