While the industry axiom is that changes in the DC market start with the largest plans and move down market, there may be some outside forces that will affect smaller DC plans outside of larger plan changes.Smaller companies have less time, resources and interest to focus on their retirement plan.... READ MORE

One of the big issues for plan advisors, and perhaps an unintended consequence of the DOL’s proposed conflict of interest rule, is that advisors that work on a DC plan will not be able to charge participants who want help with their IRA rollovers more than they charge the plan.Arguably, there’s... READ MORE

At almost every meeting I attend with DC plan advisors, the question of whether their fees will continue to decline comes up. Unfortunately, the answer is usually the same.Advisory fees continue to decline, which has led some advisors to look to custom funds for revenue. But are there fiduciary... READ MORE

For a regulation that has not even been finalized, the DOL’s conflict-of-interest rule is already causing significant changes in the market.This impact was highlighted by the recent sale of MetLife’s advisor network to MassMutual. While the primary motivation for the sale was probably to escape the... READ MORE

It looks like the DOL’s conflict-of-interest rule may be claiming another broker dealer victim — or at least it may get partial credit.The two organizations announced Feb. 29 that they had entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition by MassMutual of MetLife’s U.S. Retail advisor force... READ MORE

Collective investment trusts, or CITs, are making a strong push into DC plans — and not just larger ones. Research shows that CITs have increased 68% in DC plans since 2008, topping $1.5 trillion. What’s driving their popularity? According to a Pensions & Investments report, it’s not just lower... READ MORE

Another possible byproduct of the Labor Department’s conflict of interest rule, along with facilitating mergers among insurance BDs, is that banks may be exiting the mutual fund business. According to a recent article, Huntington Bank in Ohio sold off its mutual fund subsidiary in 2015 not just... READ MORE

Do advisors that too often tout the fact that they are a fiduciary which requires them to act in the best interests of their clients actually create doubt and hurt themselves?I once had a partner who was fond of saying that he was the most honest person in the world. Of course, my partner, like... READ MORE

Should all DC plans of a certain size go through an advisor RFP process periodically? Or can they just rely on benchmarking using industry averages or databases?Ask most advisors and the answer might differ depending on whether it relates to their clients or not. So what’s the right answer?If you... READ MORE