What is an employer-sponsored retirement plan?
An employer-sponsored retirement plan, like a 401(k), helps your team save for the future with tax advantages, while giving your business a competitive edge in hiring. Our role is plan design and fiduciary-process education at the employee-benefits level: we help you understand plan types, compare providers, and grasp your responsibilities as a plan sponsor.
An important note: we do not provide investment advice, recommend specific investments, or manage plan assets. For investment decisions, you will work with a qualified investment adviser. Our job is to make sure the plan itself, its structure, providers, and processes, is sound.
Who it is for
Businesses that want to compete for talent and help their people build long-term financial security. Whether you are starting your first plan or wondering if your current one still serves you, we help you evaluate the structure, not pick the stocks.
What is included
- Plan-type education: 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, SEP, and other structures explained in plain English: what each is, and who each tends to fit.
- Provider comparisons: we help you evaluate recordkeepers and administrators side by side, including fee structures.
- Fiduciary-process education: what being a plan fiduciary means, what documentation you need, and how to build a repeatable process.
- Fee awareness: understanding what you and your employees are actually paying, and how to judge value.
- Employee education support: materials and enrollment guidance so your team understands the benefit, without crossing into investment advice.
How we work
We begin with your goals: are you trying to attract talent, maximize owner benefits within the rules, keep administration simple, or all three? Then we compare plan types and providers, explain the sponsor responsibilities that come with each, and help you build a documented process you can repeat every year. Clear structure, no jargon, no investment pitches.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 401(k) and a SIMPLE IRA?
Both help employees save for retirement with tax advantages, but they suit different situations. A 401(k) allows higher contribution limits and more design flexibility; a SIMPLE IRA is simpler and less costly to administer, designed for smaller employers. We will explain which fits your size, budget, and goals.
What does it mean to be a plan fiduciary?
As a plan sponsor, you have a legal responsibility to act in your participants’ best interests, choosing providers prudently, monitoring fees, and documenting decisions. It sounds intimidating, but a good process makes it manageable. We educate you on what the role requires and help you build that process.
Do you provide investment advice or manage investments?
No, and we are upfront about it. Our role is plan design and fiduciary-process education at the employee-benefits level: plan types, provider comparisons, and sponsor responsibilities. For investment selection and management, you will work with a qualified investment adviser. We will help you understand how the pieces fit together.
How much does it cost to run a retirement plan?
Costs vary by plan type, provider, and services included: recordkeeping, administration, and any advisory fees each play a role. We will help you compare provider proposals apples-to-apples and understand fee structures, so you can judge value rather than just price.
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