Our process begins with a fact finding meeting to gather the necessary information we need to recommend the most suitable, cost-effective retirement plan. Every company has its own unique goals and priorities when considering specific retirement plans. Our initial role is to specifically define the objectives and then recommend the best retirement plan solution.
The next important step is for us to help you develop or review your Investment Policy Statement (IPS), the foundation for how your investment program is expected to operate, spelling out risk and return objectives, performance evaluation standards and any portfolio constraints that must be considered.
Once the IPS has been written and the plan design completed, the enrollment meeting will be scheduled. Plan materials for the employees will be mailed before the enrollment meeting where we will assist employees with their enrollment and answer questions.
Twice a year we will visit your office to review your plan’s status and progress, update you on current market trends and present our long-term perspective. Last – but equally important – to encourage plan participation, we will meet with your employees to answer questions about the plan, their investment options and the markets.
An overview of how we help:
Developing an overall retirement plan strategy with specific goals is critical in helping to ensure success.
We can diagnose the particular aspects of service delivery that are most important to your situation, and recommend appropriate alternatives.
A review of the plan design is very important because plan-design provisions can make a big difference in whether the plan meets your needs.
As a plan sponsor, you can minimize your fiduciary liability by implementing an IPS, which outlines a detailed, prudent plan of action for the trust’s investment managers and advisors to follow.
This is often one of the most problematic functions, as many “fired” providers are less than anxious to cooperate with new providers. Having one individual responsible for coordination makes the process less stressful for you.
We’ll act as the single source responsible for managing all the moving parts of your plan, and will troubleshoot as needed. You and your employees will never wonder who to call when problems or questions arise.
This includes discussing overall plan service, operation and results, participation levels, deferral percentages, loans, nondiscrimination testing, enrollment communication strategies, and all other items of importance.
We are available to your employees by phone and, periodically, in person for individual consultation. If enrollment and/or education teams from the provider are necessary due to multiple company locations, we will coordinate those efforts. We can also provide supplemental educational materials, if desired.
