Hot Topics for 2021
Recent changes continue to reshape the Retirement landscape due to Recordkeeper and Advisor/Consultant Consolidation. Plan Sponsors should be prepared to evaluate how these changes will affect their plans and participants.
Managed Accounts
Managed Accounts All 401(k) Plan recordkeeping firms are experiencing margin compression in their core business and seeking ways to increase their revenue in other areas, such as selling Managed Accounts. It is critical that Plan Sponsors realize Managed Accounts are NOT a service but an investment product. Why the distinction? A Managed Account as an investment product means you have a fiduciary duty to conduct due diligence to evaluate the benefits. As with any fiduciary decision, it is important for…
OCIO/ERISA 3(38)
OCIO/ERISA 3(38) As this consolidation has occurred on the advisor side, Advisor firms are actively positioning OCIO (Outsourced Chief Investment Officers), ERISA 3(38) or Discretionary Asset Management services to Plan Sponsors. The three terms are used interchangeable and relate to hiring an advisor/consultant to take fiduciary responsibility from the Retirement Committee for all investment related decisions including hiring and firing investment managers/funds in your retirement plan. Generally, Committees are utilizing this service due to: Plan Sponsors considering the implementation of…
Advisors/Consultants Consolidation
Advisors/Consultants Consolidation The consolidation craze has made its way to the Retirement Plan Advisor/Consultant marketplace. Private equity firms, large financial services organizations and national benefits firms have all entered into agreements to acquire retirement plan advisory/consulting resources. Examples include: With 401(k) and other types of retirement plans becoming more complex, Plan Sponsors have become reliant on their advisor/consultant to provide unbiased advice. The recent advisor/consultant consolidation is blurring the lines as firms, who were primarily focused on independent 401(k) consulting,…
Recordkeeping Consolidation
Recordkeeping Consolidation It is imperative as a fiduciary to continually review and evaluate the services and fees delivered by your plan administrative/recordkeeping provider. Evaluating your recordkeeper and the changes underway due to consolidation is critical in knowing how it will impact you and your participants. Change is on the way and you need to be prepared to ask the right questions or have a firm to support you in this process.
CARES Act Update
CARES Act – New Employee Benefit Tools to Support Affected Employees By: Jim Rourke and Mike Brittingham with Nexsen Pruet, LLC. Signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020, the CARES Act adds a few new tools to employers’ employee benefit arsenal. Many changes – such as the increase in plan loans limits and hardship distribution conditions – expand longstanding benefits concepts. However, other changes – such as the availability of federal loans, that may be forgiven, to cover payroll…
S&P 500 Price Returns during Presidential Election Years
S&P 500 Price Returns during Presidential Elections Years It’s Super Tuesday! Heading into the year, all eyes were on the upcoming Presidential Election. Impeachment, trade disputes, and Brexit were all seemingly behind us and the only unknown on the horizon was the election. Then along came Corona… the Virus. Ahem. But here’s what we were thinking about before the pandemic. Below is a chart showing the price return (return excluding dividends) of the S&P 500 Index during each Presidential Election…
Comperio Retirement Consulting has been named one of the largest 100 Investment Consultants in the United States according to Pension & Investments (P&I)