Trillions of dollars are held in US retirement accounts, according to the Investment Company Institute. This tremendous value in assets is a tempting target for those seeking to compromise personal data or gain access to these accounts. And with plan participants becoming increasingly reliant on mobile apps and online platforms to access and monitor their retirement funds, it seems that more cyberattacks on retirement plans are inevitable in our digital world. Plan sponsors and their fiduciaries should consider taking proactive steps to protect their participants and their plan assets. We review retirement plans cybersecurity best practices that plan sponsors should consider to adhere to safeguard against cyberattacks.
Benefits of an OCIO Search Consultant
The outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) model continues to expand in its adoption and complexity. Nearly $2 trillion in assets are under OCIO management and is expected to grow significantly. There are many reasons it can make sense to outsource your chief investment officer (CIO) functions and duties, but finding the right OCIO manager is not an easy task. This is why it’s expected—and highly recommended—to partner with an OCIO search consultant who can guide both the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee through the selection process. Learn more about the key qualities of an OCIO search consultant and how your organization can benefit from a well-vetted consultant.
Creating an Effective Investment Policy Statement
Retirement plan sponsors aren’t required to have an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) for their plan. However, having a written statement in place can facilitate your organization’s plan meeting federal and state regulations and fulfilling the fiduciary duties of a plan sponsor and/or their committee. However, not all policy statements are created equal, and there are a few topics every IPS should cover. Learn about what should be included in an effective Investment Policy Statement and how a well-crafted IPS can lighten the load of a committee that’s tasked with difficult plan decisions.
PlanPILOT Named to 2020 PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers
CHICAGO, IL – March 6, 2020 – PlanPILOT is pleased to announce it has been named as one of the 2020 PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers.
The PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers is an annual listing of adviser individuals and teams that stand out in the industry in terms of a series of quantitative measures. These include the dollar value of qualified plan assets under administration (AUA), as well as the number of plans under advisement.
PlanPILOT was recognized in the “Small Teams With $1.7 Billion or More in Retirement Plan Assets Under Advisement” and “Small Teams With 115 Retirement Plans or More Under Advisement” categories.
403(b) Sales Practices in Question
Over the past few months, we have seen several news stories that raised concerns about insurance companies and their retirement plan sales practices. For example, here is an article that was published in late 2019 by The Wall Street Journal:
Based on the investigations that have reportedly been launched by the New York Department of Financial Services, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), how should retirement plan sponsors respond?