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Consulting Services
As a benefit plan sponsor or administrator, you need to keep your administration procedures up to date in order to comply with regulations, especially when it comes to oversight of your investment program. And now this need is more urgent than ever.
Recent regulations such as the Pension Protection Act of 2006 have introduced a series of new requirements in the areas of plan administration, compliance and plan investments. These requirements, as well as the recent focus on Defined Contribution (DC) plan market-related fees and transparency, make now a good time to take a fresh, intensive look at your plan architecture. DC-Assessment, a combined service offered by Segal Advisors and Sibson Consulting, can help.
DC-Assessment provides independent consulting advice that addresses the implications of new and emerging plan requirements, helps you develop an action plan for enhancing current processes and procedures, and assists with ongoing plan compliance. In particular, the consultants at Segal Advisors can help ensure that your plan’s investment offerings meet the needs of your participants and are in compliance with all regulations.
As part of the DC-Assessment process, Segal Advisors will identify strengths and weaknesses of your investment program by:
- Reviewing or creating investment policies and guidelines
- Analyzing each investment option in terms of asset class, return, objective, risk profile, investment style, consistency with other options being offered, and popularity among plan participants
- Ensuring that the current investment lineup is consistent with the established goals and objectives of the plan
- Reviewing performance of existing funds
- Reviewing the procedure for monitoring investments
- Ensuring that vendor contracts meet industry standards for clear language, fees at risk, service guarantees, handling of special issues, etc.
- Uncovering all administrative and investment fees and expenses associated with the plan
In addition to Segal Advisors’ review of your investment strategies and processes, Sibson Consulting can provide a review of the three other key aspects of DC plan management: Administration, Compliance and Communication. To learn more about Sibson Consulting’s offerings, click here.
Read the November 2007 Spotlight, "Post-PPA '06 Reviews of DC Plan Investments to Ensure Safe Harbor Fiduciary Protection".
For more information, please contact your Segal Advisors consultant or click here to request a brief telephone conference to see how DC-Assessment can serve you and your business.
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