Defined contribution (DC) plans are becoming the pre-eminent retirement savings vehicle for many employees. While the investment structure of a DC plan has always been important, it has taken on greater significance as more and more workers are relying on this type of retirement plan for their savings objectives.

To meet their fiduciary responsibilities, plan sponsors must provide participants with a well-designed retirement savings program with a diversified fund line-up that encourages employee participation. But in today’s environment, sponsors face many challenges, including:

• Changing legislative environment, such as the Pension Protection Act
  
  
• Heightened scrutiny by participants, regulators and other third parties concerning plan costs
  
  
• Insufficient investment knowledge among participants, which can lead to poor investment choices resulting in unmet retirement-saving goals

DC plan objectives

Our investment consulting services are designed to enhance defined contribution plans by focusing on the following objectives:

• To enable Plan participants to take advantage of wealth accumulation opportunities
  
  
• To improve participant satisfaction with the Plan’s investments
  
  
• To ensure fiduciaries – the Investment Committee, investment managers, and trustee –comply with ERISA and other applicable state and federal regulations for the administration and investment of the Plan assets, including 404(c) compliance
  
  
• To manage financial relationships with the recordkeeper, trustee, managers, etc., to help maximize relationship value