Staying Ahead of the Curve in 2013 - What every US 401(k) plan sponsor needs to know

US Defined Contribution (401k) Plans

Staying Ahead of the Curve in 2013 - What every US 401(k) plan sponsor needs to know, including:

Forces moving sponsors to benchmark, conduct targeted renegotiations with their current providers, or conduct a service provider RFP

• The aftermath of market turmoil, provider consolidation, regulatory initiatives.
• The recent settlement of 401(k) litigation
• 401(k) fee compression

Recent developments in the legal and regulatory environment

• Update on plans' compliance with fee disclosure requirements
• Upcoming guidance on the definition of fiduciary ”
• IRS pronouncements on annuity distributions
• Update on excessive fee and stock drop litigation and review of best practices for fiduciaries
• Review of developments affecting target-date retirement funds
• Trends — Washington Update on Retirement Savings Initiatives

Benchmark Studies and Provider Searches

• Fact and fiction regarding benchmark studies and provider searches.
• Pros and cons of a provider search for a total bundled provider versus separate searches for each plan.
• Benchmarking fees, services, plan provisions, and the providers' performance in comparison with marketplace and versus the needs of your plan participants.
• Required preparation for a benchmark study/provider search.
• Overview of the most common process used today.
• Our results —including highlights from actual benchmark studies / provider searches completed in 2012.

Plan Architecture / Plan Design

• A look at how plan sponsors have designed plan expense allocation
• Expense allocation methodology, per capita or pro rata and the unequal distribution of plan expenses
• Overview of trends in deriving revenue to pay plan expenses, including investment related revenue sharing or line item participant fees.
• Act 40 investment options vs. collective trust or separate account options

Participants will include retirement plan committee members, compensation & benefits, human resource, treasury & finance, and general councel

Participants will learn what requirements are placed on plan sponsors in maintaining a cost competitive defined contribution plan. You will learn what type of project will deliver outcomes needed to satisfy your fiduciary duty. Finally, you will learn how to implement plan design and architecture changes that both satisfy regulatory requirements and enhance the plan participant experience.

Selecting Plan Providers: Satisfying ERISA's Fiduciary Requirements Using Plansponsor Pathfinder A white paper by Fred Reish Esq. and Bruce Ashton Esq

		Michael Kozemchak Institutional Investment Consulting View Profile