The central role of the recordkeeper can create reverberations with other providers should the plan sponsor attempt to change recordkeepers. Any hiccup in the employees’ ability to manage their retirement assets can cause problems for plan sponsors.
Tag "401k"
Any focus on younger employees in terms of saving for retirement may all be for naught. For these often lower-paid workers, the higher contribution caps for 401k plans may not any practical benefit.
The relative quickness of this one-two shot from the District Courts suggests an obvious flaw in the new Rule.
It’s too easy for plan sponsors to get lost in the weeds when dealing with plan minutia. Yes, “the buck stops here” reality can overwhelm many. Delegation is the key. It’s also the Achilles Heel. This is where the magic word emerges.
“Industry participants also argue that the rule transforms one-off transactions into fiduciary relationships in violation of the common law, but the common law of the states is divided on this, and there is a need for a federal standard regulating investment advice fiduciaries.”
Plan sponsors ought naturally to know how the plan addresses the needs of their business, but do they really know how to tweak the plan to improve outcomes?
This isn’t a compliance audit, it’s an operating efficiency audit. That covers plenty of ground, from technology to benchmarking the value offered by the service provider.
Oddly, it’s usually the opposite for mutual funds. Actively managed (higher operating cost) funds tend to perform better during market downturns. Passive (lower operating cost) funds, on the other hand, generally perform better during growth markets.
If plan sponsors are working with the appropriate plan fiduciary, then an ongoing review of the fund’s performance, fees, and underlying risk should be part of their ongoing process
For all the rose-colored eyes that have a created a legend flawless certitude concerning memories of a time that never existed, pension plans simply can’t measure up to 401k plans.
