401(k) Participant Advice for Plan Sponsors

Participant education program fees depend on your plan size, participant count, and service frequency. Plans under $50 million typically see advisor fees of 17-37 basis points annually. We provide transparent pricing with no hidden costs and can often reduce your total plan expenses by identifying inefficiencies elsewhere.

Three factors: we generate over 90% of our revenue from retirement plans (true specialists, not generalists), all our advisors serve as named 3(21) or 3(38) fiduciaries under ERISA, and we're independently owned with no pressure to push proprietary investments. Our sole focus is helping your participants achieve successful retirement outcomes.

Most organizations launch their first education session within 30-45 days. Our Analyze phase takes 1-2 weeks to review your plan demographics and determine the right approach. We then Optimize your program design and schedule Implementation based on your preferred timeline and employee availability.

A 3(21) co-fiduciary provides investment advice and recommendations while you retain final decision authority. A 3(38) investment manager assumes discretionary responsibility for selecting and monitoring plan investments. Both share fiduciary liability, but 3(38) offers plan sponsors fewer direct obligations for investment decisions.

Target date funds offer a less burdensome investment option that can gradually shift to more conservative allocations as participants approach retirement. However, they don't reflect actual investment results for individual circumstances. Our investment analysis helps you evaluate whether TDFs or personalized advice better serves your participants.

Beyond enrollment materials, employees benefit from ongoing education addressing retirement planning, investing basics, and how to track progress toward goals. Group sessions create peer engagement while one-on-one consultations address individual questions about risk, distributions, and future projections.

Participants in the mass affluent category often need more sophisticated guidance than target date funds provide. They benefit from personalized consultations addressing tax implications, retirement income planning, and asset allocation strategies that account for their complete financial picture.

Survey data shows the majority of participants don't know if they're saving enough. Our education programs teach employees how to track progress, review their account balance against retirement goals, and determine whether their current savings rate will support their future income needs. Annual reviews help participants stay on course.

High fees directly impact participant retirement savings over time. Our provider and fee benchmarking services analyze your plan costs against 450+ data points to identify whether you're paying competitive rates. We provide the ammunition to renegotiate better fees or evaluate novel solutions.

Yes. Our advisors help participants nearing retirement understand their income options, withdrawal strategies, and how to maintain their savings through retirement. We address guarantees, distributions, and how to balance growth with conservative investments as participants move from accumulation to decumulation.