News Archive

"Annuities are a potential solution for this challenge, but when the word 'annuity' comes up, many clients still recall old-school products with high commissions, confusing terms and limited flexibility."  MORE >>

"[S]ome may contend that [complexity has] been taken to an art form, but there are tools to address it ... Automation, partnership, and standardization are not the only tools that one can use ... [Questions to ask] about existing plans and procedures in order to reduce complexity for the plan and participants [include] What do you do well? What you can engage a partner on? Who does it serve? What do I have control over? What do I not have control over?"  MORE >>

"Multitasking, especially in meetings with plan sponsor clients or internal teams alike, quietly erodes trust, clarity, and ultimately, could impact the retirement outcomes of your plan sponsors' participants. However, the solution isn't to police devices or ban technology altogether. Instead, it's about designing meetings that are purposeful, structured, and worthy of attention. In other words: the antidote to distraction is not restriction, but relevance."  MORE >>

"Enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening compliance and risk functions, and staying competitive with peers are leading reasons in-house counsel cited as primary motivations to implement Al."  MORE >>

"Private equity's influence on service sectors ... has revealed a troubling pattern: quality can suffer when profit extraction takes precedence.... [P]rivate equity (PE)-backed roll-ups and shifting policy stances are changing how retirement plans are advised and constructed. Fiduciaries must scrutinize ownership structures, compensation models, and product incentives or risk exposing participants to degraded outcomes."  MORE >>

"The third-party administrator (TPA) necessarily wears many hats for retirement plans. Who better than TPAs themselves to talk about some of the hats they're wearing and how they fit? A recent panel did just that."  MORE >>

"[B]etter questions can unlock better results -- for employers, employees, and consultants alike. [1] Understanding the real drivers of cost ... [2] Rethinking navigation and employee experience ... [3] Evaluating ROI and value ... [4] Strengthening the employer -- consultant partnership ... [5] Future-proofing your benefits strategy."  MORE >>

"Back-to-the-office requirements arrived as the Pandemic waned, but in many cases, on a modified, or hybrid, scale that still incorporates remote work on some days. It appears that for now, at least, the genie is out of the bottle and will not be going back in any time soon. That spells challenges for any employer -- including those that serve retirement plans and offer them. They have to find remote control. Or build it."  MORE >>

"Three former Morgan Stanley financial advisers ... [allege] the agency acted unlawfully when it issued an advisory opinion siding with Morgan Stanley about whether certain deferred compensation plans are protected under [ERISA]. The lawsuit ... claims the DOL's [Advisory Opinion 2025-03A] violated the Administrative Procedure Act and unfairly interfered with ongoing arbitration proceedings." [Sheresky v. Chaves-DeRemer, No. 25-8935 (S.D.N.Y. complaint filed Oct. 28, 2025)]  MORE >>

"While only 19% of respondents' recent retirement decisions were influenced by a professional, 83% of those working with an adviser said they felt confident in managing investments.... Advisers are now using wealth management technology to gain visibility into all client's accounts -- not just those held at their own firm. This shift allows for more personalized, effective advice and a stronger financial strategy overall."  MORE >>

"Adapting to today's environment does not mean taking on massive, high-risk transformations. In fact, some of the most effective strategies are incremental and pragmatic. Modernize platforms gradually.... Elevate operational excellence.  ... Adopt adaptive workforce models.  ... Strengthen data foundations."  MORE >>

"Competition is expected to intensify in the mid-market defined contribution (DC) plan market in the coming years as asset managers seek to gain a foothold in an 'attractive market' ... To maintain and grow their presence in this segment, asset managers will need to remain focused on the advisors and consultants working with these plans, namely independent DC specialist practices and the retirement aggregators that are acquiring specialist practices, the report suggests."  MORE >>

"TPAs will have to decide whether to buy, build, or outsource their AI technology.... [T]he speed at which AI enhancements are coming to market may sway the calculus for many TPAs.... Traditional TPAs that underinvested in technology because there wasn't an overriding demand now realize they must embrace automation tools, platforms and systems or be left behind."  MORE >>

"A SOC 2 review evaluates the design and effectiveness of a firm’s controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. By undergoing this assessment, service firms can demonstrate transparency in their internal practices, reassuring clients and stakeholders that their sensitive data is being handled with the highest standards of care."  MORE >>

"Granted, RPAs must know the basics and help clients set up and run their retirement plan, minimizing work (time), liability and costs while integrating wealth and benefits services.... But before we pick a lane or personal brand, we must know ourselves, which can be a lifelong journey, maybe longer. "  MORE >>

"[1] Has your client acknowledged the policy change without treating it as a green light? ... [2] Can their recordkeeper actually handle daily pricing? ... [3] How often is the sleeve actually valued? ... [4] What happens when everyone wants out? ... [5] Can you defend the all-in fees to your client (and can they defend them to a judge)? ... [6] Where's the performance edge? ... [7] Are they telling participants the truth? ... [8] How will performance be measured?"  MORE >>

"As AI models improve, they will get better at replacing the 'human connection' that advisors bring to the table. The good news for advisors is that AI has a hard time establishing a high degree of trust."  MORE >>

"As a gateway, SEP-IRAs make sense. They're the training wheels of employer-sponsored retirement plans. But the problem is too many employers, and too many plan providers -- never take the training wheels off.... If your client has more than one employee, or plans to hire more, the SEP-IRA is a temporary fix at best, and a costly mistake at worst."  MORE >>

"These final regulations remove the physical presence requirement for formal continuing professional education programs required for active (printed page 40232) enrolled actuaries and the physical location requirement from course certifications. These final regulations also modify the continuing professional education requirement for certain actuaries who seek to return to active enrollment from inactive status due to their failure to timely satisfy the renewal requirements in the first enrollment cycle after their initial enrollment. Finally, the final regulations add a requirement that certificates of instruction for continuing professional education courses must reflect the hours credited toward the formal program requirement."  MORE >>

"At the heart of what a retirement plan professional does to serve clients, their plans, and their participants is the ability to address immediate priorities and anticipate needs. Some recent analyses offer concrete tips for achieving that level of service.... Compliance ... Data management ... Controlling costs."  MORE >>

"Here are five types of content you should be producing: [1] The 'Are we doing this right?' checklist ... [2] Short videos or posts on fiduciary duties ... [3] Quarterly 'What's new in 401(k)' updates ... [4] Case studies ... [5] Participant-facing tools they can share ... [P]lan sponsors are busy, confused, and terrified of doing something wrong. Your content should solve problems, reduce fear, and make you the provider they trust to keep them out of trouble."  MORE >>

"[T]echnology [is available] to record and transcribe our meetings, ... but there are associated risks, starting with whether you really want all of your clients' meetings to be recorded and available to be included as an exhibit in future litigation or disclosed to a regulatory agency.... [E]nsure you understand which tools your firm allows you to leverage and which information will be kept forever.... [D]epending on the AI tool or capability, many of these tools are publicly available. If you add your client's non-public personal information and hit 'summarize for me,' that may be a violation of the confidentiality provisions of the agreement with the plan sponsor or the participant. "  MORE >>

"Providing retirement coverage entails fulfilling a variety of roles. They are distinct, but they do sometimes draw on and even support each other -- and the roles of plan sponsors and defined contribution plan specialists are among those that intersect."  MORE >>

"Cold calls don't work as a first touch.... Your campaign isn't converting because it's all pitch, no purpose. LinkedIn is your modern-day business card.... Three months isn't a timeline, it's a test. Only a clear, consistent, value-driven marketing process will move the needle. This isn't about abandoning old-school tactics, it's about upgrading them."  MORE >>

"When results are framed in a way that feels personal and actionable, [risk tolerance questionnaires] can help prospects identify their concerns, recognize what's at stake, and clarify their own reasons for engaging a financial advisor -- without needing to be explicitly persuaded of the value of financial advice."  MORE >>