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A multinational biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Mass., has agreed to pay $9.75 million to retirement plan participants and beneficiaries to settle a lawsuit over alleged ERISA violations, according to a recent settlement notice filed in a U.S. District Court in Boston. Biogen, which specializes in therapies for neurological disorders, was accused of failing to properly monitor its 401(k) plan’s investment performance and neglecting to protect participants from excessive fees. The case serves as a reminder of the critical importance of fiduciary responsibility and diligence in managing retirement plan fees, especially in today's litigious and complex environment.

With the recent uptick in excessive fee lawsuits, it’s only natural to think of high fees as nothing but trouble for plans. After all, 401(k) fee litigation resulted in more than $150 million in corporate settlements between 2019 and 2022 alone. But while a certain degree of trepidation is warranted, don’t let fear obscure your ability to identify opportunities for improvement. 

The retirement plan industry is like a high-stakes chess game, and financial advisors need power moves to control the board and capture market share. In this competitive arena, staying ahead of the curve and offering value-added services can set you apart from the competition. In this blog post, we'll explore the key strategies and power moves that winning advisors use to thrive in the retirement plan industry.

RFP Express is a game changer for retirement plan advisors who want to provide higher touch service and grow their book of business. While customary live bid benchmarks will always have a place in maintaining plan compliance, RFP Express gives advisors a means of generating fast, accurate and revealing benchmarks in between taking plans to market every three to five years. Here are just a few reasons why this revolutionary platform is so different.

In the past few years, a spate of excessive fee lawsuits has caused anxiety for many plan fiduciaries. In 2022 alone, 88 excessive fee suits were filed, which is the second highest in any year, according to InvestmentNews. But while some cases have left fiduciaries responsible for large payouts — like the VCA Inc. Salary Savings Plan, in which the company paid a whopping $1.5 million cash settlement — other sponsors have been able to avoid these types of judgments. In one recent case against human resources firm TriNet, a judge dismissed the excessive fee complaint brought by plaintiffs, noting the firm’s fee benchmarking exercises as one indication that they had upheld their fiduciary duty.

Get ready to witness a revolution in the way you navigate retirement plan offerings. We are proud to introduce RFP Express, the bullet train of plan fee benchmarking solutions that is set to transform your advisory offerings and take your practice on the fast track to success.

As a retirement plan advisor, one of the most critical parts of your job is ensuring reasonable plan fees. High fees can erode retirement savings and lead to legal entanglements if not properly managed. But having powerful and robust tools at your disposal can help you discharge your fiduciary duty more efficiently and effectively — as well as help provide actionable solutions.

Harnessing the power of benchmarking can go far beyond simply helping to ensure retirement plan fees remain reasonable for plan participants. As an advisor, you can leverage benchmarking data in a number of ways to provide better, higher touch service to plan sponsor clients and propel the growth of your advisory practice. 

When it comes to retirement plans, organizations of different sizes and types have unique requirements. A one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn't cut it. let's explore the importance of expanded advisory offerings and how they can address specific situations that organizations face. Whether it's navigating mergers and acquisitions, managing plan terminations, implementing non-traditional benefits, or ensuring robust financial wellness programming, a tailored advisory approach can make a world of difference.

Adding retirement plan clients to your advisory practice can boost your assets under management with stickier investment dollars and open up lucrative new prospecting paths. But there are many pressures on today’s advisors. Plan sponsors want more from their RPAs, and this along with steeper competition has led advisors to broaden their scope of services to improve outcomes for organizations and participants. Additionally, fee compression and increased litigation require advisors to constantly keep a close eye on fees to win — and keep — business. Here are ways to set yourself apart from the pack.