Podcasts about retirement plan services

From witnessing his hardworking father grapple with a debilitating disease to observing his family's financial struggles amidst medical challenges, Eric's journey into the financial world was not just a career choice—it was a calling. Eric grew up seeing firsthand the gap in personalized financial advice. He realized that his parents, like many hardworking professionals, were navigating a complex financial landscape without the comprehensive guidance they desperately needed. This propelled Eric to dedicate his life to becoming the beacon of hope and expertise for those seeking to secure their financial futures. With a strong educational foundation from the University of Rhode Island, Eric embarked on his mission, initially honing his skills at Merrill Lynch in Retirement Plan Services. His dedication and passion for making a difference led him to Bloomberg, LP, where he furthered his expertise. Over the last 13 years, Eric has not only saved his clients millions in taxes but has also guided them towards achieving financial freedom, turning his personal pain into a purposeful mission. Eric stands out in the financial landscape for his unique approach: viewing each client through a lens of empathy and understanding, crafting personalized strategies that cater to their individual goals and challenges. His mission is to offer life-changing financial plans, ensuring his clients feel secure and cared for. Eric's story is not just one of financial success but of transforming lives through dedication, expertise, and a deep-seated desire to make a difference. Listen to this insightful RIA episode with Eric Mangold about empowering healthcare professionals to take control of their financial planning. Here is what to expect on this week's show: - How having a career coach can help with your self-discovery and refocusing your career goals. - Why entrepreneurs should be reaching out to their network during career transitions. - How trust is vital in financial advising, especially to overcome negative perceptions caused by high-profile financial scandals. - Why many physicians and nurse practitioners often feel neglected in financial planning. - How Argosy Wealth Management focuses on creating a supportive client culture. Connect with Eric: Links Mentioned: https://www.emangold.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Tighe is a Senior Retirement Sales Director for large market plans in the South/Central region at T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services. With financial services experience dating back to 1994, he joined T. Rowe Price in 2024. Frank has extensive experience supporting corporate retirement plans, including roles in investment consulting, recordkeeping sales, and investment advisory support at firms like Wells Fargo, Mercer, Newport Group, Hartford Funds, and American Century Investments. A graduate of the University of Houston, Frank holds Series 7 licensing and certifications as a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF).Corey Pride is a Senior Retirement Sales Executive in Core Markets of Retirement Plan Services at T. Rowe Price. With investment experience since 1996, he joined T. Rowe Price in 2023 after seven years at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, where he specialized in retirement plan services. Corey's expertise spans 401(k), 403(b), and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, enabling him to develop effective strategies for strengthening retirement plans for businesses of all sizes. Corey holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Texas A&M University and several professional designations, including CPFA, NQPA, CRPS, and Chartered Financial Consultant. Passionate about addressing the retirement readiness crisis, he collaborates with financial professionals and companies to create impactful solutions.In this episode, Eric, Frank Tighe, and Corey Pride discuss:Driving an objective evaluation process The right approach to the RFP processGuidelines on considering record keepers Encouraging better outcomes through engagement Key Takeaways:Clearly define challenges, goals, and participant needs to ensure an objective evaluation, free from biases like favoring current providers or skipping presentations. Prioritize participant experience, technology access, and clear metrics.Approach the RFP process rigorously to evaluate new technologies, services, and pricing while addressing changing plan needs. Avoid inertia from periodic reviews and use customized, goal-driven RFPs instead of generic templates.Consider record keepers with personalized, targeted communication leveraging AI for better participant engagement and outcomes. The target-date fund (TDF) search could possibly precede the record-keeper search, focusing on participants' needs for the largest plan assets first. Personalized video technology boosts engagement and outcomes. Ensure clear requirements, address committee biases, and prioritize investment analysis before selecting a record keeper.“You really have to focus on the best decision for your participants, minus all the noise and all the other bells and whistles that may come from those extraneous services.” - Corey PrideConnect with Frank Tighe:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankjtighe/ Connect with Corey Pride:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-pride/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information and content of this podcast is general in nature and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the posting date but may be subject to changeIt is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, investment advice, financial advice, tax, plan design or legal advice (unless otherwise specifically indicated). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

About Rachel Duncan: Rachel is the Vice President of Relationship Management at Retirement Plan Services, overseeing the mid/large market client relationship team and ensuring a robust client experience for Lincoln Financial Group's top clients. With 23 years in the industry, she joined Lincoln Financial in 2001 after teaching 6th grade in Virginia. Rachel holds a bachelor's degree from Duquesne University, is FINRA Series 6 and 63 registered, and has several professional designations, including AIF®, CRPS®, and CRPC®. She is based in Argyle, Texas.About James Thompson: James is the Vice President and Head of Participant Engagement at Lincoln's Retirement Plan Services. He and his team work closely with plan sponsors and intermediaries to provide personalized service for financial wellness and top retirement outcomes. With over 20 years at Lincoln, James has held various roles, including Assistant Vice President Participant Engagement and Regional Vice President Institutional Retirement Distribution. James holds a bachelor's degree from Bellarmine University, where he played baseball. He is FINRA Series 7, 66, and 24 registered, and holds CRPC and CMFC designations. Based in Louisville, KY, James enjoys outdoor activities and is a dedicated Louisville Cardinals fan. He lives with his wife, seven children, and two grandchildren.In this episode, Eric, Rachel Duncan, and James "JT" Thompson discuss:Practicing exceptional serviceExecuting targeted interventionsThe optimal retirement education standardWhat are the key aspects of a successful 401(k) plan? Key Takeaways:Exceptional service involves responding promptly, taking ownership, and being proactive from the outset, in contrast to the prevailing poor service standards. Plan sponsors being engaged, open-minded, meeting regularly, and maintaining collaboration is key for successful client relationships and outcomes.Focus on identifying gaps in participation, deferral rates, and income replacement ratios across different employee demographics to drive overall success through targeted interventions.Optimal retirement education combines recordkeeper and advisor capabilities through coordinated efforts, leveraging recordkeepers' dedicated consultants with significant expertise solely focused on retirement planning.Key aspects of a successful 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) plan include a strong corporate culture, monthly meetings, well-defined success metrics, engaged retirement consultants providing education, and a reputation for excellent service.“Nobody's perfect, but when you make a mistake, are we holding ourselves accountable? Are we owning that mistake and fixing it with urgency and making sure that we do right by our clients?” - James "JT" ThompsonConnect with Rachel Duncan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-duncan-aif-crpc-crps-63217251/ Connect with James "JT" Thompson:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-thompson-789a3517/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information contained herein is general in nature and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes.It is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, financial advice, or legal advice.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

#BRNAM #1778 | (Re) Shaping the Future of the Retirement System | Ralph Ferraro, Senior Vice President, Head of Retirement Plan Services, Lincoln Financial Group | #Tunein: broadcastretirementnetwork.com #JustTheFacts

All eyes and ears were on Jerome Powell in Jackson Hole. What did he say and what might be the impact? Learn more about planning for couples with age gaps, the scope of companies we work with for Retirement Plan Services---and the steps to selling a business. 

S&P and NASDAQ hit some headwinds this week.  We'll take a closer look during our week-in-review.  Start-ups to large companies, our Retirement Plan Services team assists with strong benefits programs. Tom Parks shares an overview, plus Ask Annex, and a closer look at fixed deferred annuities. Robert Chastain, branch director and wealth manager shares 3 things you should do BEFORE retirement and 3 things you can WAIT on. 

Here we go with a 401(k) Friday's Podcast first, three guests and a great topic. Today we dive into the recent announcement that three major recordkeepers are launching the Portability Services Network. Joining me to discuss what this means is Dave Gray from Fidelity, Greg Long from Alight and Steve Holman from Vanguard. We tackle what is an automatic rollover, the problems it solves for employees and employers, how it works and whether the DOL and others think this is a good idea. This could have been a disaster having three guests, each with a lot to say, but it turned out well. I hope you enjoy!   Guest Bios Dave Gray is a member of the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity. Dave leads Fidelity's defined contribution and multi-product platform and product development teams across sites in the US, India, and Ireland. The teams are responsible for developing and managing market-leading solutions and customer experiences and the continuous modernization of the Workplace Retirement platforms, leveraging cloud technologies. Dave also has principal responsibility for next generation defined contribution plan innovation, notably digital assets and the blockchain. In addition, Dave was appointed to the Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.  Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Charles Schwab where he served as a member of Schwab's Retirement Plan Services executive leadership team responsible for client experience, product management, and business strategy. Previously, Dave served as a Vice President at Standard Insurance Retirement Services where he built and led the client relationship management organization, and earlier as a member of Invesmart's executive team responsible for general management of the retirement plan business.  Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tennessee Temple University. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses.    401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over 225 prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode every other Friday!

Friday's jobs report caused quite a stir on Friday. That, and comments from Jerome Powell made for an interesting week. Dave Spano and Jason Cooper offer analysis and comment on the Annex Wealth Management Week-in-Review. How do emotional biases affect our attitude toward investment and retirement planning? Deanne Phillips investigates. Are Target Date Funds right for you? The head of our Retirement Plan Services team offers his insight. Robert Chastain covers the silver lining of putting off retirement and Deanne Phillips shares how Annex comes alongside widows in their time of need.

Today's episode on Legacy Listens hosted by Robert Wermuth has a conversation with Brendan Speers from Legacy Planning - Retirement Plan Services on 401 K and Qualified Retirement Services. This episode is most valuable to you if you are in need of support with structuring and managing a qualified retirement plan for your business.   For more information about Brendan Speers or Retirement Plan Services please visit www.legacy-online.com/brendan-speers.  ​​______________​​______________​​ Legacy Planning- 3440 Hamilton Blvd Allentown, PA 18103 and 228 W Gay Street West Chester, PA 19380  610-719-8600 www.legacy-online.com Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Dave Spano and Derek Felske review the week as major averages were mostly higher. What are Millionaire Myths—and why are MOST totally wrong? Beware of Fortune Hunters and Gold Diggers when situations change, we have some tips. Ask Annex covers a couple questions about adjustable-rate mortgages—along with stocks with high P/E's, and the best way to dollar-cost-average. We check in with Robert Chastain, branch director of Annex in Southwest Florida. And…with 60% of Millennials considering cashing out of retirement plans—we investigate with Tom Parks from our Retirement Plan Services department and Tom Berkholtz of our Financial Planning team (and also a Millennial).

Your host, Liz Davidson, and Kristina Keck, Vice President of Retirement Plan Services at Woodruff Sawyer, are friends, colleagues, and experts in financial wellness coaching delivered as an employee benefit. They're also borderline obsessed with helping people take control of their financial lives. In episode #1, they are joined by Julie Everett, CFP® and Financial Coach at Financial Finesse, who provides a glimpse into her everyday helping employees transform their financial lives through personalized and ongoing coaching. Key points from this episode:Insight into Julie's journey to Financial Finesse and why she became a Financial Coach.Reducing the stress of financial issues and taking action to change your circumstances.Kristina reflects on how Woodruff Sawyer is adjusting post-COVID.Why Kristina believes that financial wellness starts at work.How your mental and physical health is directly affected by financial stress.Surprising Julie with a story of the impact she had on one family's financial life.Key takeaways from this story and what listeners stand to learn from it: identify your plan!Kristina shares some tips for finding and leveraging your available resources and benefits.Another example of a positive financial change that Julie helped a Financial Finesse user make.   What you can look forward to in the Financial Wellness at Work Podcast!Quotes from this episode: “At the end of the day, your financial wellness starts at work because that's where your paycheck [comes from].” — Kristina Keck [7:17]“You've got to know where you're going and then you've got to know what resources  you have available that are going to help get you there so that you're not just grinding away like a hamster on a hamster wheel.” — Julie Everett [12:38]“No one can go through this journey of building the life they want alone and get as far as they can without support.” — Liz Davidson [24:48]Links mentioned in this episode:Julie Everett on LinkedInFinancial FinesseKristina Keck on LinkedInWoodruff SawyerLiz Davidson on LinkedIn

Today's episode on Legacy Listens hosted by Kevin Donohue has a conversation with Brendan Speers from Legacy Planning - Retirement Plan Services on 401 K and Qualified Retirement Services. This episode is most valuable to you if you run a business, are head of Human Resources, CFO, or a Controller. Brendan brings a large market approach to small to medium size businesses.  For more information about Brendan Speers or Retirement Plan Services please visit www.legacy-online.com/brendan-speers.  ​​______________​​______________​​ Legacy Planning- 3440 Hamilton Blvd Allentown, PA 18103 and 228 W Gay Street West Chester, PA 19380  610-719-8600 www.legacy-online.com Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

This week, we tackle a timely topic straight out of the headlines, Bitcoin or Digital assets and 401(k) plans. Joining me is Dave Gray, the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms & Workplace Investing for Fidelity. We cover all the topics you would expect like why Bitcoin, why 401(k) plans, how can plan sponsors evaluate the whether Bitcoin makes sense for them and a fairly detailed breakdown of the recent DOL Compliance Assistance Release or CAR addressing Bitcoin in workplace retirement plans. We covered a ton of ground, I learned a lot, hoping you do as well. If we missed something, shoot me a note on LinkedIn and we can follow-up. Enjoy! Guest Bio Dave Gray is a member of the Workplace Investing Executive Management Team and serves as the Head of Workplace Retirement Platforms, Workplace Investing for Fidelity. Dave leads Fidelity's defined contribution and multi-product platform and product development teams across sites in the US, India, and Ireland. The teams are responsible for developing and managing market-leading solutions and customer experiences and the continuous modernization of the Workplace Retirement platforms, leveraging cloud technologies. Dave also has principal responsibility for next generation defined contribution plan innovation, notably digital assets and the blockchain. In addition, Dave was appointed to the Department of Labor's ERISA Advisory Council.  Prior to joining Fidelity, he worked at Charles Schwab where he served as a member of Schwab's Retirement Plan Services executive leadership team responsible for client experience, product management, and business strategy. Previously, Dave served as a Vice President at Standard Insurance Retirement Services where he built and led the client relationship management organization, and earlier as a member of Invesmart's executive team responsible for general management of the retirement plan business.  Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tennessee Temple University. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses.    401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over 225 prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode each Friday!  

Friday's disappointing CPI report rocked the market Friday---adding to a volatile week. Dave and Derek dig through the data during our week-in-review. Also on the show, we meet Robert Chastain, branch director at Annex Wealth Management/Naples. Listen for a hear-the-difference segment from some clients, our Ask Annex segment, and how the Retirement Plan Services team at Annex helps companies build benefits programs that attract and retain employees.

Episode 24 - As Founding Managing Partner of Nth Degree Financial Solutions, Eby, with his wife and Managing Partner Joanne Eby, offer an array of services across the broad spectrum of fiduciary and non-fiduciary products provided by financial institutions, including Trust Departments, Trust Companies, Corporate Trustees, Retirement Plan Services, Custodians, Registered Investment Advisors, and Broker-Dealer Firms. When ePIC Services Company was taking shape, founder Carter Wilcoxson recognized Eby's depth and breadth and the valuable contributions he would bring to its board, revolutionizing the trust process for the modern age. “Carter and his team began building a virtual approach to trust, and estate planning and settlement well before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the industry's need for digital solutions,” Eby says. “The world has gone online, and what might have happened by 2030 happened in 2020 instead.” Eby is in a position to help insurance and financial advisors keep pace with that accelerated timeline. For more than 20 years, he educated financial professionals on the trust industry as a subject matter expert at Cannon Financial Institute, a leading professional development firm helping financial professionals gain advanced skill sets. He even designed and built certifications for the trust industry. WEALTH: Not getting enough clients? GO TO: www.CSIFG.com Book a FREE 15 minute Client Acquisition Consultation with Carter or one of his team members. HEALTH: Low on energy or overweight? Go to www.chemicalfreebody.com/enrichers and grab GREEN 85 Juice Formula or book a FREE 30-minute Health Strategy Session with Tim or one of his coaches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Providing women with a voice and a seat at the table in the leadership of advisory firms is an essential step toward the equality this industry needs. Today's guest, Leah Sylvester, knows this as well as anyone. A Partner and Director of Retirement Plan Services for Shepherd Financial, LLC., Leah joins the show today to share both her successes and failures with the kind of honesty that is incredibly powerful to hear.Listen in as she shares her thoughts on mentors and the critical role they play in the next generation's development. You will learn the benefit of being vulnerable in the workplace (regardless of how hard it is), how Leah has recalibrated her life outlook both personally and professionally, and what men can do to lift women up within their organizations.

Dave Spano and Derek Felske review Q1 2022 which had plenty of action: the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, and the inversion of the yield curve. What's the impact on markets—and are there some bright spots? We'll also feature team segments covering proper beneficiaries, ‘trying on' retirement part-time, and the unfortunate phenomenon called ‘the grey divorce'. Also, listen for a special segment on the Retirement Plan Services department at Annex—and learn about the scope of companies we work with---from start-ups to large operations.

In a special edition of Revamping Retirement, Jennifer Doss hosts live from the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) 401(k) Summit in Las Vegas, alongside Phyllis Klein, senior director of Retirement Plan Services at CAPTRUST. Joining our hosts are two of the industry's most prominent ERISA attorneys: Fred Reish, partner in the Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group, the Investment Management group, and the Financial Services ERISA Team at Faegre Drinker; and David Levine, principal and co-chair of the Plan Sponsor Practice at Groom Law Group. Following our panel's robust conversation around current plan sponsor concerns, the latest areas of industry focus, and key takeaways from the NAPA conference, Mike Webb shares his take on the most common retirement plan loan taxation misconceptions in Minute with Mike.

Episode 24 - As Founding Managing Partner of Nth Degree Financial Solutions, Eby, with his wife and Managing Partner Joanne Eby, offer an array of services across the broad spectrum of fiduciary and non-fiduciary products provided by financial institutions, including Trust Departments, Trust Companies, Corporate Trustees, Retirement Plan Services, Custodians, Registered Investment Advisors, and Broker-Dealer Firms. When ePIC Services Company was taking shape, founder Carter Wilcoxson recognized Eby's depth and breadth and the valuable contributions he would bring to its board, revolutionizing the trust process for the modern age. “Carter and his team began building a virtual approach to trust, and estate planning and settlement well before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the industry's need for digital solutions,” Eby says. “The world has gone online, and what might have happened by 2030 happened in 2020 instead.” Eby is in a position to help insurance and financial advisors keep pace with that accelerated timeline. For more than 20 years, he educated financial professionals on the trust industry as a subject matter expert at Cannon Financial Institute, a leading professional development firm helping financial professionals gain advanced skill sets. He even designed and built certifications for the trust industry. WEALTH: Not getting enough clients? GO TO: www.CSIFG.com Book a FREE 15 minute Client Acquisition Consultation with Carter or one of his team members. HEALTH: Low on energy or overweight? Go towww.chemicalfreebody.com/enrichersand grab GREEN 85 Juice Formula or book a FREE 30-minute Health Strategy Session with Tim or one of his coaches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're joined by David Kulchar, Managing Director of Retirement Plan Services with Oswald Financial. Kulchar is a pioneer in the retirement plan advisory space with a high level of ERISA expertise. As our June Top Advisor By Participant Outcomes (TAPO), he describes a recent plan sponsor case of which he's particularly proud.

Hey there, welcome back to The Motivational Intelligence Podcast. I'm Sean Johnson, and today we have a gem of an episode for you, as Dave and I sat down with Garry Spence. A quick bio of Garry: Garry Spence is Senior Vice President and Head of Client Engagement for Lincoln's Retirement Plan Services. His team is focused on boosting retirement readiness of the more than 1.5 million participants that Lincoln serves. Garry joined Lincoln Financial Group in 1992 and has served in various leadership roles over the past 27 years. He has served as a financial advisor, sales manager, and executive leader. Garry received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Georgia, where he also played tennis on a full scholarship - and has his FINRA Series 7, 24, 6, 63 and 65 licenses. Garry and his wife, Missy, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and have three children and four grandchildren. In other word's, he's incredibly qualified to be a leader of the financial world, and once you listen to this interview, you're going to be glad he is. In this conversation, we talk about living a life of contribution, the resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives honoring his mentors (which was a first on the podcast), the job he got cutting lawns that shaped his future, and much much more. Garry is just a phenomenal human being, and one of the most genuine people you'll ever meet. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Garry Spence.

In this episode Geoffrey Forcino shares how the retirement plan industry has come a long way and is improving but we still has a lot of room to improve. As the Director of Retirement Plan Services, he has a front seat to the concerns, from poorly designed plans to the communication/resource to the employees that is not done effectively or at all. So the result is expensive plans and not a lot of help for the employees.

In this unprecedented economic and market environment it is more important than ever for employers and their retirement service partners to work well together. This week I am excited to welcome back Tom Kmak, the CEO of Fiduciary Benchmarks to share his perspectives. Tom has a great message that is simple in concept but not always followed by employers or their service partners. We also delve into his forward looking thoughts around the effectiveness of workplace retirement plans, creating retirement income for employees, as well as some potential threats and obstacles for employers and the retirement industry. If you like what you hear from Tom today, be sure to check out our prior conversations on the podcast as well.    Before we get started, I would encourage you to look up and follow our guests on the podcast on LinkedIn and Twitter. They love the connections and have a lot to share. Also, if for any reason you are not following me on LinkedIn or Twitter or you are not subscribed to the podcast you can take care of that today by going to 401kfridays.com/subscribe.  Guest Bio Tom Kmak is the CEO and co-founder of Fiduciary Benchmarks, 2007 to current.  Fiduciary Benchmarks (FBi) is a financial services technology firm that helps clients protect their current revenue streams via their patented benchmarking service.  Since being founded in 2007, FBI has developed other technologies that help services providers grow their business, manage their business as well as provide research and competitive intelligence on a number of retirement related issues.  Their most recent innovation, the Business Management Dashboard, has been selected by a number of the most prestigious Advisory firms in the business. Prior to founding FBi, Tom Started the JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services business in 1990 with American Century.  Upon leaving in October 2007, that business employed 1,100 people serving 200 large plan sponsors with over 1.5 million participants and more than $115 billion in assets. During his 18 years with Retirement Plan Services, the company initiated numerous industry firsts including no blackout conversions and the innovative employee education program, Audience of One.  Tom also served on the Executive Committee for JPMorgan’s asset management business. Named by Ingram’s magazine as one of Kansas City’s inaugural class of “Forty most influential people under Forty,” Tom is a recognized expert in the retirement services industry who has been a featured speaker at various conferences and has published articles in some of the most well-known periodicals in the industry. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw University with B.A. degrees in Economics and Computational Mathematics.  First graduate of Management Fellows Program and 3 year letterman in inter-collegiate basketball. 401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over 175 prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode each Friday!

On this show, we talked about how 401(k) plans have improved over the past 20 years, what individuals and companies can do to get great results and how to position yourself for long term success with Tom Parks AIF, CRPS and Director of Retirement Plan Services at Annex Wealth Management.  Listen to learn how 30 minutes could mean millions for you! For the Difference Making Tip, scan ahead to 16:08! You can learn more about Tom at AnnexWealth.com and LinkedIn. Interested in starting your own podcast?  Click HERE Please subscribe to the show however you’re listening, leave a review and share it with someone who appreciates good ideas. You can learn more about the show at GeorgeGrombacher.com, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook or contact George at Contact@GeorgeGrombacher.com.  Check out Money Alignment Academy as well!

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about the role of advisors in the retirement plans, new tools that are helping participants prepare for retirement, and trends that are changing the retirement plan industry. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI151.pdf See John Hancock's 5th Annual Financial Stress Survey Results: http://www.jhrps.com/wellness John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about the role of advisors in the retirement plans, new tools that are helping participants prepare for retirement, and trends that are changing the retirement plan industry. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI151.pdf See John Hancock's 5th Annual Financial Stress Survey Results: http://www.jhrps.com/wellness John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about the role of advisors in the retirement plans, new tools that are helping participants prepare for retirement, and trends that are changing the retirement plan industry. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI151.pdf See John Hancock's 5th Annual Financial Stress Survey Results: http://www.jhrps.com/wellness John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about the role of financial professionals in the retirement plans, new tools that are helping participants prepare for retirement, and trends that are changing the retirement plan industry. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI151.pdf See John Hancock's 5th Annual Financial Stress Survey Results: http://www.jhrps.com/wellness John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about trends in the retirement plans industry, the latest results from their Financial Stress Survey and his thoughts about financial wellness. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI147.pdf John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about trends in the retirement plans industry, the latest results from their Financial Stress Survey and his thoughts about financial wellness. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI147.pdf John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about trends in the retirement plans industry, the latest results from their Financial Stress Survey and his thoughts about financial wellness. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI147.pdf John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

In this episode, Patrick Murphy, CEO at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, shares his thoughts about trends in the retirement plans industry, the latest results from their Financial Stress Survey and his thoughts about financial wellness. Download Transcript: https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/Podcast/MAI147.pdf John Hancock is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Hartford Funds

With so much focus on employee engagement and financial wellness, what happens when you actually get your employees attention and they use the tools they are provided to help calculate what they need to do to have a successful retirement, and they are given bad information? My guest today, Tom Kmak, CEO of Fiduciary Benchmarks has thought a great deal about it, so much so that I think he even admitted talking to retirement calculators, but in all seriousness he has some timely input and food for thought for employers.  This is the third time I have had Tom on the podcast and love when he shares his perspective from over 30 years in the retirement industry which includes running JP Morgan’s retirement business and founding Fiduciary Benchmarks a decade ago.  When Tom invests a lot of time and gets passionate about something, that usually means its important and things will change in the future.   Guest Bio CEO and co-founder of Fiduciary Benchmarks, 2007 to current. Fiduciary Benchmarks (FBi) is a premier benchmarking service for defined contribution plans that is designed to help fiduciaries determine whether the fees they are paying to their service providers are reasonable in light of the value being received. Through their construction and presentation, FBi’s patented methodology and reports give plan decision makers the context necessary to improve decisions and positively affect the measures of long-term plan success. FBi reports are available primarily through advisor/consultants, recordkeepers, TPAs and other plan service providers. Prior to founding FBi, Tom Started the JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services business in 1990 with American Century. Upon leaving in October 2007, that business employed 1,100 people serving 200 large plan sponsors with over 1.5 million participants and more than $115 billion in assets. During his 18 years with Retirement Plan Services, the company initiated numerous industry firsts including no blackout conversions and the innovative employee education program, Audience ofOne. Tom also served on the Executive Committee for JPMorgan’s asset management business. Named by Ingram’s magazine as one of Kansas City’s inaugural class of “Forty most influential people under Forty,” Tom is a recognized expert in the retirement services industry who has been afeatured speaker at various conferences and has published articles in some of the most well-known periodicals in the industry. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw University with B.A. degrees in Economics and Computational Mathematics. First graduate of Management Fellows Program and 3 year letterman in inter-collegiate basketball. 401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Struggling with a fiduciary issue, looking for strategies to improve employee retirement outcomes or curious about the impact of current events on your retirement plan? We've had conversations with retirement industry leaders to address these and other relevant topics! You can easily explore over one hundred prior on-demand audio interviews here. Don't forget to subscribe as we release a new episode each Friday!

On this month’s First Friday Feedback, Phil and Executive VP and Director of Retirement Plan Services, Larry Divers, answer questions regarding the ethical standards and expectations in the industry today. The Fiduciary Rule raised the bar for firms, demanding that the client’s best interest be understood and represented; however, not everyone chooses to follow this rule. What implications does this have and how do we tackle situations where we become aware of poor practice? Resources: Please send comments, questions, and feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com Please send First Friday Feedback submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com  “State Regulator Galvin Is Putting Teeth in DOL Fiduciary Rule” (Scottrade case mentioned by Larry Divers): https://goo.gl/mvTfUJ  

Jason Labrum CEO and President of Labrum Wealth Management welcomes Kent Colwell, Director of 401(K) and Retirement Plan Services at LWM. Topics of conversation today cover, tax reform, Fiduciary Advisors and Financial Planner as well as 401(k) and retirement plans.

Jason Labrum CEO and President of Labrum Wealth Management welcomes Kent Colwell, Director of 401(K) and Retirement Plan Services at LWM. Topics of conversation today cover, tax reform, Fiduciary Advisors and Financial Planner as well as 401(k) and retirement plans.

As a retirement plan sponsor, you are constantly bombarded with sales calls, articles, new products, updates on litigation and much more. This information overload can make it challenging to filter through the noise and bright shiny objects to focus on what’s really important to your retirement plan and your participants. With that in mind, I was excited to have Tom Kmak, CEO and co-founder of Fiduciary Benchmarks rejoin me on the podcast to offer some perspective.  By way of background, Tom is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the retirement industry, prior to founding the incredibly successful firm Fiduciary Benchmarks he was the CEO of JP Morgan Retirement Plan Service.  During our conversation, he pulls from his over three decades of experience to comment on how current “trending topics” such as financial wellness, the focus on fees, ERISA litigation, commoditization and few others can draw attention away from helping retirement plan participants retire successfully.   Also, If you missed our first conversation on the podcast be sure to check out, “401(k) Plan Fees: Benchmarking Value & Reasonableness” it was our most popular episode for 2016.    Before we get started, I have mentioned on the last few episodes that we are launching an exciting research project on February 1st.  Here’s a quick preview to get you thinking, we will be posing the following question to employers, “What have you always wanted to ask your employees about your retirement plan but have been afraid to?”  That’s it!  To be clear, we are looking for questions that you would be uncomfortable asking your own employees, but knowing the answers would help you make more informed decisions about your retirement plan and the potential human capital impact on your business.   More to come, and the only way to participate is if you’re an email subscriber, connected with me on LinkedIn or following me on twitter.  So don’t delay, go to 401kfridays.com/subscribe and you can take care of all of those in one stop.   Without further ado, i hope you enjoy my conversation with Tom!   Guest Bio CEO and co-founder of Fiduciary Benchmarks, 2007 to current.  Fiduciary Benchmarks (FBi) is a premier and patented benchmarking service (U.S. Patent 8,510,198) for defined contribution plans that uses various mathematical models to help fiduciaries determine whether the fees they are paying to their service providers are reasonable in light of the value being received.  Through their construction and presentation, FBi reports give plan decision makers the context necessary to improve decisions and positively affect the measures of long-term plan success.  FBi reports are available primarily through advisor/consultants, recordkeepers, TPAs and other plan service providers.  ​ Prior to founding FBi, Tom Started the JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services business in 1990 with American Century.  Upon leaving in October 2007, that business employed 1,100 people serving 200 large plan sponsors with over 1.5 million participants and more than $115 billion in assets. ​ During his 18 years with Retirement Plan Services, the company initiated numerous industry firsts including no blackout conversions and the innovative employee education program, Audience of One.  Tom also served on the Executive Committee for JPMorgan’s asset management business. ​ Named by Ingram’s magazine as one of Kansas City’s inaugural class of “Forty most influential people under Forty,” Tom is a recognized expert in the retirement services industry who has been a featured speaker at various conferences and has published articles in some of the most well-known periodicals in the industry. ​ Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw University with B.A. degrees in Economics and Computational Mathematics.  He is also the first graduate of the Management Fellows Program and 3 year letterman in inter-collegiate basketball.   401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview A weekly podcast where Employers, Retirement Plan Sponsors and Fiduciaries come to hear candid insights from retirement industry leaders on important trends, topics and current events. Each episode is designed to explore a specific topic and leave our listeners with concrete ideas and strategies to enhance fiduciary protection, streamline plan operations or improve participant retirement readiness.   With over 50 episodes we’ve had the good fortune chat with attorneys, authors, investment managers, professors, business leaders and fellow employers to explore a wide range of topics including fiduciary best practices, investment commentary, legal and regulatory updates, plan design trends, employee engagement strategies and much more! Be sure to check previous episodes at www.401kfridays.com/podcasts.

Episode Description It should be no surprise that 401(k) plan fees have been the hot topic of discussion amongst both plan sponsors and the industry.  With fee disclosure regulations, a growing number of lawsuits and the press all swirling around the issue the need for plan fiduciaries to have a process to both understand and evaluate plan fees for reasonableness has never been more important.  My guest, Tom Kmak, the CEO and co-founder of the firm Fiduciary Benchmarks which provides independent, comprehensive and informative fee benchmarking services is in a unique position in this conversation, over the past 9 years they have evaluated and benchmarked the fees of over 80,000 retirement plans.  During our conversation, Tom specifically shares his experience and perspective on how to create a meaningful fee benchmarking process.  As a 30 year industry veteran, he also shares great stories, analogies and opinions to help employers understand and process some of the more controversial and complex topics around 401(k) plan fees.  Be sure to listen for his thoughts on flat dollar participant fees, why the DOL did not use the word “lower” in their recent fee disclosure regulations and much more! Guest Bio CEO and co-founder of Fiduciary Benchmarks, 2007 to current.  Fiduciary Benchmarks (FBi) is a premier and patented benchmarking service (U.S. Patent 8,510,198) for defined contribution plans that uses various mathematical models to help fiduciaries determine whether the fees they are paying to their service providers are reasonable in light of the value being received.  Through their construction and presentation, FBi reports give plan decision makers the context necessary to improve decisions and positively affect the measures of long-term plan success.  FBi reports are available primarily through advisor/consultants, recordkeepers, TPAs and other plan service providers.  Prior to founding FBi, Tom Started the JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services business in 1990 with American Century.  Upon leaving in October 2007, that business employed 1,100 people serving 200 large plan sponsors with over 1.5 million participants and more than $115 billion in assets. During his 18 years with Retirement Plan Services, the company initiated numerous industry firsts including no blackout conversions and the innovative employee education program, Audience of One.  Tom also served on the Executive Committee for JPMorgan’s asset management business. Named by Ingram’s magazine as one of Kansas City’s inaugural class of “Forty most influential people under Forty,” Tom is a recognized expert in the retirement services industry who has been a featured speaker at various conferences and has published articles in some of the most well-known periodicals in the industry. Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw University with B.A. degrees in Economics and Computational Mathematics.  He is also the first graduate of the Management Fellows Program and 3 year letterman in inter-collegiate basketball. 401(k) Fridays Overview Welcome to the 401(k) Fridays Podcast, where employers come to learn and retirement industry leaders come to share their unique stories, experiences and perspectives.  My name is Rick Unser, and I am your host.  Each episode leverages my nearly two decades of experience as a retirement consultant and features a candid interview with an industry expert to help enhance fiduciary protection, streamline plan operations or improve participant retirement readiness.   For more information please visit www.401kfridays.com

In addition to volatility in the financial markets, financial advisors have to worry about other threats to their business including regulations coming out of Washington and cyber attacks. Today’s guest, Skip Schweiss, keeps a close eye on all these non-market related issues and we go through the list and discuss simple steps you can take to mitigate the risks. Skip is responsible for TD Ameritrade Institutional’s Retirement Plan Services platform. He is also the Managing Director of Advisor Advocacy & Industry Affairs. And as I’ve witnessed firsthand (more in the podcast), Skip is a skilled and avid outdoorsman. In his spare time, he climbed all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains.  

In recent years rising health care cost are impacting employer and employees. Expert are predicting that health care costs are still going to rise in the next several years. Health Reimbursement Arrangements can help you manage these costs. Learn more... Larry Stein of Retirement Plan Services of America, Inc., has worked with America's educational institutions for 38 years, helping to develop and implement retirement related programs designed specifically for the public sector employee.