Now is the time for 401k plan sponsors to seize their fiduciary mantle and provide the guidance and tools plan participants need to dodge emotional decisions that could ruin their chance for a comfortable retirement.
Basic Members
An IPS must be thoroughly documented and clearly written and understood by all interested parties. Here’s what to include.
401k plan sponsors can’t afford to fall victim to the lure of heuristics. Index funds can generate just as much fiduciary headaches as actively managed funds.
He also reveals the greatest misconception regarding MEPs, what the SECURE Act really did, and when we might begin to see the mass media start paying attention.
Since the plan sponsor tends to rely on third party service providers (usually the recordkeeper) to maintain and operate these web-based gateways, this should be a significant factor when deciding which vendor to select.
The Investment Policy Statement is a legal plan document. It needs to be treated accordingly. This means to deliberate it with diligence before adopting it. Even when it is adopted, it must be regularly inspected and revised as needed.
There are many different types of plans, particularly when plan sponsors pick a 3(21) or 3(38) adviser. Which service provider arrangement a plan sponsor chooses impacts how the IPS will be constructed – and how the relevant parties contribute to that draft.
“As far as adopting employers, I would recommend an ERISA attorney because an MEP isn’t the right fit and fiduciary solution for every plan sponsor.”
Including these will make 401k plans safer for plan sponsors and more successful for plan participants.
Unlike a generic vendor agreement, the IPS is a formal plan policy document that defines the parameters between the plan and relevant vendors. This is why it can also be a terrible trap.
