Retirement Plan Provider Guide Workplace retirement plans can be complicated. The compliance rules, investments, reporting, tax forms, and terminology are enough to make any plan sponsor’s head spin. Even the roles of service providers can be confusing. Our retirement plan provider guide enables plan sponsors to tear up all those business cards and get to the root of what each service provider does. June 5, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Education providers, services, ERISA, education, guide Comments Read More >>
Student Loan Debt | Boost Retirement Savings | IRS Private Rulings | And More Our second quarter 2019 newsletter features an article on innovative plan designs to solve the student loan debt crisis. Also included are articles on IRS Private Letter Rulings, DB/DC Combination Plans to Boost Retirement Savings, ABG News, and More. May 14, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Newsletter student loans, debt, irs, db/dc, plan design Comments Read More >>
Spectrum Update and Service Enhancements Q1'2019 It seems incredible that Q2'2019 has closed and we are already past tax season. Over the past quarter Spectrum launched the Spectrum Employer Connect Video Series, improved participant account security through widespread deployment of multi-factor authentication, and enhanced our plan consultation report to support retirement plan reviews. April 30, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Announcements consulting, cybersecurity, employer connect, mfa, reports, video Comments Read More >>
Plan Design | Participant Outcomes | Uncashed Checks | And More Our first quarter 2019 newsletter features an article on addressing participant inertia with retirement plan design. Also included are articles on Participant Outcomes, Addressing Uncashed Distribution Checks, ABG News, and More. February 12, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Newsletter newsletter, plan design, participant outcomes, uncashed checks, distributions Comments Read More >>
Aligning Plan Design with Your Goals We focus on aligning your retirement plan design to your specific situation. By determining the plan design that’s the right fit, you’ll be well positioned to take full advantage of the special savings and tax treatments afforded qualified retirement plans. Take a couple of minutes to watch this Spectrum Employer Connect video to refresh yourself on the broad retirement plan design options available. February 1, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Employer Connect 401k, defined benefit, plan design, cash balance, video Comments Read More >>
Advantages of an Unbundled Retirement Plan Solution Buying “off the rack” can be cost effective, but often limits choice and flexibility. And we all know that a custom approach will typically offer the best fit. This analogy accurately describes the difference between a “bundled” 401(k) solution from a single provider and an “unbundled” solution delivered by multiple expert specialists. In this episode of Spectrum Employer Connect we contrast bundled and unbundled platforms. We invite you to take a few minutes to watch the video and review the accompanying Action Doc. January 15, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Employer Connect bundled, unbundled, 401k, video Comments Read More >>
Spectrum Update and Service Enhancements Q4'2018 Q4'2018 was a strong quarter for Spectrum. We were thrilled that one of Spectrum's clients, Seattle Indian Health Board, was recognized as ABG's Plan Sponsor of the Year. Spectrum enhanced participant account security by implementing multi-factor authentication on its retirement platform. Finally, we launched a Cash Balance Pension Plan Calculator, to show employers whether cash balance pension plans might make sense for their organizations. January 8, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Announcements psoy, cybersecurity, cash balance, plan sponsor of the year, abg, mfa Comments Read More >>
Understanding Financial Statement Audits While we hope you never have had to experience it, you’re no doubt familiar with the idea of an audit of your personal or corporate tax return. But, you may not be familiar with an audit of your qualified retirement plan. This Spectrum Employer Connect video explains the situations where a financial statement audit may be required. Understanding when and for whom these audits are required can help ease your concerns over the prospect of a plan audit. January 1, 2019 By Petros Koumantaros Employer Connect dol, irs, audit, erisa, video, bond Comments Read More >>
Maximizing a Business Owner’s Retirement Benefit It’s a common story – business owners put everything into their businesses for years before being in a financial position to put real money away for retirement. That might describe your situation. This Spectrum Employer Connect video highlights a number of very effective plan design options that can help you realize your full retirement savings potential. December 15, 2018 By Petros Koumantaros Employer Connect business, owner, defined benefit, cash balance, 401k, plan design, video, safe harbor Comments Read More >>
Understanding How Forfeitures Work in Your Retirement Plan We know that employee contributions to a 401(k) plan must always be 100% vested. However, employer contributions may have a vesting schedule attached to them. That means, when employees leave the company and plan, they may leave behind forfeitures. This Spectrum Employer Connect video highlights the advantages of using vesting for employer contributions. And we also discuss the most common methods for treating plan forfeitures. December 1, 2018 By Petros Koumantaros Employer Connect 401k, forfeiture, forfeit, vested, vesting, video Comments Read More >>