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Cybersecurity in the Benefit Plan Committee Room (PDF)

"This article discusses 10 questions that can equip leaders with insights that fuel a comprehensive response to regulatory pressure and threats in the cyber landscape. [It also provides] eight steps for upgrading a committee's management framework."

AI Is Radically Transforming Benefit Plan Management (PDF)

"Many plan committees are still digesting the cybersecurity guidelines issued by [EBSA] in 2021, only to be confronted by an explosion of concerns over the proliferation of AI apps in the hands of plan participants and AI-enabled systems coming into service with recordkeepers, payroll providers, health systems, and other vendors. Few fiduciary committees have fully realized AI's impact.... This article discusses initiatives that can help fiduciaries and suggests a course of action to benefit from them."

Employee Benefit Risk Management from a Board's Perspective (PDF)

"This article discusses tactics boards use to gain a thorough understanding of their organizations' risks, how fiduciary risk ranks among other hazards, [and] the effect risk culture has on how directors prioritize risks. [It] includes suggestions on how to strengthen the management of risks associated with employee benefit plans."

For Plan Sponsors: Six Steps to Comply with the New Conflict of Interest Rule (PDF)

"Determine the investment advice needs of the plan's fiduciaries, participants, and beneficiaries.... Evaluate which of the plan's current vendors are investment advice providers as defined by the Rule.... Examine the vendors' service agreements with the plan.... Test whether vendors' credentials verify their compliance with the Rule.... Determine if each vendor's compensation is reasonable.... Document the steps taken in the compliance process."

Top Three Fiduciary Priorities in 2015 (PDF)

"An annual Fiduciary Qualified Plan Review ... which assesses key compliance processes and satisfies a vital risk management need, is a standards-based retirement plan review that should utilize DOL guidelines and adhere to current fiduciary standards to ensure the authenticity of its results.... [T]raining can provide practical insights and proven strategies for fiduciary leadership, plan management, and regulatory compliance under ERISA.... Determining the 'reasonableness' of retirement plan fees can be difficult for plan sponsors, and fee benchmarking alone does not fulfill ERISA's requirements."

The Excellent Fiduciary: Traits of Effective Committee Members (PDF)

"The architecture of employee benefit plan committees, also known as plan fiduciary or plan oversight committees, is as diverse as the organizations that sponsor them. There is, however, essential consistency in the skills and experiences of the individuals employers appoint to serve as committee members."

The 'Gotchas' of Retirement Services Purchasing (PDF)

"The information gap that has existed between retirement services vendors and retirement plan sponsors has created fertile ground for 'gotchas' in vendor service arrangements that continue to waste millions of dollars of retirement plan savings annually. This article explores the most common 'gotchas' plan sponsors face, and offers real-world solutions for those organizations seeking to improve their fiduciary supply chain management approach."

Secrets of a Professional Fiduciary (PDF)

A professional fiduciary ... is quick to identify and understand the roles of all of the players within her fiduciary community, in order to construct the best fiduciary plan for her stakeholders.

What Every Qualified Sponsor Should Know about Fee Disclosure (PDF)

The new disclosures require vendors to focus on compensation paid to them, both direct and indirect. It is possible that the information will overwhelm fiduciaries, and even disturb them and their plans' participants.

How ERISA Has Changed the Game for Nonprofits (PDF)

"Since coming under ERISA jurisdiction in 2008, 403(b) retirement plans -- predominantly present in the nonprofit sector -- are now subject to a litany of compliance checks and balances.... This article provides an overview of the biggest challenges ERISA has instigated for nonprofits, and how these organizations are reacting to managing their retirement plans effectively and efficiently in light of this shift."