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RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES LEARNING CENTER

Because It's Important to Know Your Responsibilities and Liability.

RETIREMENT PLAN FIDUCIARIES | Identifying Fiduciaries in Your Organization

  • Those responsible for the management of the plan and plan assets.

  • Those named in the plan.

  • Those who render investment advice for a fee.

  • Those who provide discretionary oversight of the plan’s administration.

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RESPONSIBILITY | What Are Your Duties as a Fiduciary?

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LOYALTY

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This is also known as the exclusive benefit rule, which means you must act in the best interest of the plan participants and their beneficiaries.  You must never put the company interests first when dealing with retirement plan fiduciary issues.

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PRUDENT

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This is the reasonable person standard.  The question fiduciaries must ask is, would 51/100 plan fiduciaries faced with the same question make the same answer?  Having a process and documenting the process on everything plan related makes it much easier to show the decisions are prudent.

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FOLLOW PLAN DOCUMENTS

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As a fiduciary you must ensure that the plan documents are being followed.  This means the adoption agreement provisions that cover eligibility, vesting, etc. and ancillary documents like investment policy statements.  Make sure you have read the plan documents so you can know if you are following them.

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PAYING REASONABLE PLAN EXPENSES

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Three questions that a fiduciary must be able to answer: 1) What are the expenses? 2) What are the services being received for the expenses? 3) Are the expenses reasonable? You must be able to benchmark or compare your fees to something similar.

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DIVERSIFICATION

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The plan must have at least three investment options offered to their participants.  Most plans have many more than three, so this duty is easy to meet.

LIABILITY | Three Areas of Concern

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  1. Department of Labor Investigations
  2. Internal Revenue Service Audits
  3. Lawsuits by Plan Participants

LIMITING LIABILITY | How to Minimize Your Risk

  • Know Your Role and Responsibility
  • Have a Process for All Things Related to Your 401(k) Plan and Document the Process
  • Understand Your Capacity and If Needed:
    • Delegate Responsibilities
    • Hire a Service Provider Like Central Trust Company
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REMEMBER: The Process is More Important Than the Result!

RECENT RETIREMENT PLANNING INSIGHTS | Helping You Understand Your Role and Responsibilities

When Should I Take Social Security Retirement Benefits?
Knowing when to take Social Security benefits is a common concern during financial planning discussions. Access valuable resources and make informed decisions for your unique situation with professional guidance.
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Plan ahead and take control of your retirement journey. Follow three simple steps to help safeguard your nest egg against the potential for unpredictable stock market performance.
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Business Retirement Plans
Business Retirement Plans: Are You On The Hook?
As a business owner or executive, you are most likely the fiduciary of your company’s retirement plan. As the plan’s fiduciary, you are responsible and liable for oversight of the plan’s administration, investments and fees.
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Six Questions to ask your Retirement Plan Advisor
It is a very good use of time for a business owner or executive to review your retirement plan to ensure that you are providing the best benefit possible to your employees and to also reduce the potential for a lawsuit for breach of fiduciary duty.
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Is Your 401(k) Plan Meeting Your Corporate Goals?
401(k) plans are very flexible in how they can be designed and can be changed as the company’s goals change, but most plan sponsors don’t review their plan’s provisions on a regular basis.
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How Does a Retirement Plan Fiduciary Reduce Their Risk?
There are three things retirement plan fiduciaries should implement and follow to reduce their risk.
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What Are My Duties as a Plan Fiduciary?
Your role as a fiduciary can have either a positive impact or a negative impact on the success of your employees.
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Am I a Fiduciary?
It is important for you to know because as a Retirement Plan Fiduciary you are held to a high standard of conduct.
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GETTING STARTED | Request Your Complimentary Plan Review Today

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