Retirement Plan Investment Advisory Services

We help plan sponsors by selecting and monitoring the plan's investments. Our goal is to offer a diverse menu of investment options that both satisfies fiduciary safe harbors and participant needs. Our menus generally include a suite of low-cost passive investments, alpha-seeking options, and capital preservation accounts. Furthermore, all menus include target date funds specifically tailored to the underlying demographics of the participant population.

Source: Morningstar & fi360, data updated quarterly

ERISA 3(38)

3(38)

ERISA section 3(38) defines an “investment manager.” An investment manager is special type of fiduciary who has been specifically appointed to have full discretionary authority to make actual investment decisions. The manager may select, monitor, remove and replace the investment options offered under the plan. The 3(38) investment manager carries the liability for the investment decisions, while the plan sponsor/trustee retain the responsibility for vetting/monitoring them.

ERISA 3(21)(A)(ii)

3(21)(A)(ii)

A 3(21) investment fiduciary is a paid professional who provides investment recommendations to the plan sponsor/trustee.  Though 3(21) fiduciaries have a duty act in the best interest of plan participants and beneficiaries, in this arrangement, the plan sponsor/trustee retains ultimate decision-making authority for the investments.  The plan sponsor/trustee may accept or reject the recommendations of the advisor.  Thus, they also both share in the fiduciary responsibility and liability.

Fee Benchmarking

For too long retirement plan service providers have been able to obscure fees and expenses deep within complex agreements and revenue sharing arrangements. As a responsible plan fiduciary, you have a duty to know what your fees are and a legal obligation to ensure they are reasonable and necessary for the value of services provided. Our goal is to help busy plan sponsors protect their plan from DOL auditors and plaintiffs attorneys by benchmarking plan fees.

Benchmarking data is sourced from FRA Plantools, an independent benchmarking service. No representation is being made that the results shown here will work effectively on a prospective basis.

Benchmark your fees

A message from Joe

Because ERISA subjects plan sponsors to a fiduciary standard to always act in the best interests of plan participants and their beneficiaries, our firm’s mission is to provide fiduciary relief, governance and protection for busy plan sponsors so they can focus on running their businesses profitably with the knowledge and peace of mind which comes from outsourcing these important decisions to prudent experts with over 20 years experience acting as fiduciaries for clients.

Our clients know we will document the process by which plan level decisions are made, select and monitor investments with a robust quarterly monitoring system, holding managers accountable to their peers on a risk adjusted performance basis. Not only do we annually scrutinize plan expenses of all service providers but we also help clients navigate the complicated regulations under ERISA 408(b)(2), known as the covered service provider fee disclosure regulations.

With almost 35+ years of experience, I am as passionate today as I was at age 22 in helping companies and participants get meaningful advice and innovative solutions with a goal of improving the likelihood of a successful retirement outcome.