3(21) Fiduciary Advisor Services
As your 3(21) fiduciary advisor, PointOak shares the burden of advising plan sponsors while you retain control over investment decisions. We navigate ERISA's fiduciary responsibilities so you can focus on running your business.
Named fiduciary acting in participants' best interests
90% revenue from retirement plan advising exclusively
Independent advice free from conflicts of interest
Why Choose Us for 3(21) Fiduciary Advisory?
The Department of Labor restored nearly $1.4 billion to retirement plans last year due to fiduciary breaches. We've been advising plan fiduciaries since day one, wholly focused on fiduciary responsibilities for plan sponsors nationwide.
What sets us apart is our specialization. We generate over 90% of our revenue from corporate retirement plan advisory services. As an independently owned registered investment advisor, we offer unbiased guidance without pressure to push proprietary products.
Our 3(21) Fiduciary Advisory Services
3(21) Co-Fiduciary Services
We provide investment recommendations while you retain authority over final investment decisions. We share fiduciary liability without taking discretionary authority over your plan's assets. Acting as your named fiduciary under ERISA, we render investment advice in your plan participants' best interests.
Investment Policy Statement Development
Your IPS outlines investment objectives required under ERISA. We draft comprehensive IPS documents aligned with plan participants' needs and your fiduciary duties, creating the foundation for prudent management of plan assets.
Investment Monitoring & Committee Support
Our quarterly investment monitoring uses institutional techniques to evaluate investment performance. We attend Investment Committee meetings to present analysis, answer questions, and document decisions using our proprietary 10-point scoring system.
Provider & Fee Benchmarking
Our Live Bid process analyzes 450+ data points per bidder using your actual plan information. We review recordkeepers, TPAs, and investment managers to ensure reasonable compensation, exceeding the DOL's three-year benchmarking requirement with annual reviews.
Virtual 401(k) Fiduciary File
Every investment decision, committee meeting, and recommendation gets recorded in your Virtual 401(k) Fiduciary File. This comprehensive documentation demonstrates your prudent process and protects plan fiduciaries from DOL audits.
Common 3(21) Fiduciary Challenges
| Challenge | What It Looks Like | How We Help |
|---|---|---|
| ERISA complexity | Most business owners lack the expertise required under the Prudent Expert Standard. | We provide guidance on fiduciary duties and implement documented best practices. |
| Personal liability | Recent lawsuits resulted in $50M+ settlements against employers. | As your named fiduciary, we share liability and minimize your risk exposure. |
| Fee benchmarking | 84% of plans have violations. Hidden fees make true costs unclear. | Live Bid benchmarking reviews recordkeeper, TPA, and investment manager fees annually. |
| Investment selection | 40,000+ investment options. Plan sponsors lack expertise to evaluate them. | Our methodology evaluates $120B quarterly using institutional metrics. |
| Conflicted advice | Recordkeeper-affiliated advisors have inherent conflicts of interest. | We're an independent RIA with no parent company or revenue sharing. |
What To Expect: Our Process
Initial Consultation
You schedule a consultation. We respond within 24 hours to understand your fiduciary responsibilities.
Comprehensive Plan Analysis
We analyze your plan's assets, fees, and investment options. You receive detailed findings within two weeks.
Strategic Recommendations
We provide investment recommendations on funds, fees, and compliance. You decide what investment decisions to implement.
Implementation & Ongoing Support
We implement approved changes on your behalf. Quarterly monitoring keeps investments aligned with participants' best interests and ERISA requirements.
About PointOak Retirement Advisors
PointOak Retirement Advisors is an independent retirement plan consulting firm headquartered in McLean, Virginia, serving plan sponsors nationwide. The firm generates over 90% of its revenue from corporate retirement plans and acts as a 3(21) or 3(38) named fiduciary under ERISA with every client. PointOak evaluates over $120 billion in retirement plan assets quarterly.
Frequently Asked Questions
3(21) fiduciary advisor fees typically range from 0.25% to 1.00% of plan assets annually. Smaller plans under $1 million may pay 0.75%-1.00%, while larger plans often pay 0.25%-0.50%. We provide transparent cost quotes with no hidden service provider fees or revenue sharing arrangements.
Three key differences: we generate over 90% of revenue from retirement plan fiduciary services (true specialists, not generalists), we're an independent registered investment advisor with zero conflicts from parent companies, and our investment methodology evaluates $120 billion using institutional-grade analytics.
Initial plan analysis takes 2-3 weeks. Implementing our investment recommendations typically spans 30-90 days. Quarterly monitoring of investment performance begins immediately. Most plan sponsors see measurable improvements in documentation and fee competitiveness within 90 days.
A 3(21) investment advisor is a co-fiduciary who provides investment recommendations, but you retain final authority over investment decisions. A 3(38) investment manager has full discretion to select and replace investments without employer approval. The 3(21) costs less and maintains your control, while the 3(38) offers maximum liability transfer.
Yes. As a named fiduciary under ERISA, we share fiduciary responsibilities and render investment advice you can rely upon. While you retain final authority, courts recognize that acting on prudent 3(21) investment recommendations significantly reduces business owner personal liability exposure.
No. Many are broker-dealers held only to a 'suitability' standard, meaning they must recommend appropriate investment options but not necessarily the best choices serving participants' best interests. Only registered investment advisors are legally required to act as investment fiduciaries. Always ask if your advisor is a fiduciary 100% of the time.
Investment advisory services offered through PointOak Retirement Advisors, LLC. This site is published for residents of the United States only. PointOak Retirement Advisors, LLC does not provide tax or legal advice.
Ready to Simplify Your Financial Life?
Schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your financial goals and how we can help. There's no cost for the initial meeting. No obligation. Just a conversation to see if we're the right fit for your needs.
What To Expect
Our initial consultation typically lasts 30–45 minutes. We'll discuss your goals, current situation, and how we might work together. Come prepared with questions.