In order to make plan sponsors and participants more aware of the fees, expenses, and investments in their plans, the Department of Labor issued regulations regarding these issues. We have posted a number of relevant items here to help you understand and prepare for these new regulations.
Participant Impact
Participant Fee Disclosure: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
Presentation Slide Deck (PDF)
Q&A (PDF)
Plan participants will be receiving the information mandated by the Department of Labor sometime before August 30, 2014 and on an annual basis thereafter. In addition, more specific information regarding fees and expenses will be presented on the quarterly statements. It is your responsibility, as a participant, to make sure you review and understand this information. The additional information is provided specifically for the purpose of enhancing your ability to improve your retirement outcome.
FAQs for Participants – Understanding Plan Fees and Expenses (PDF)
Employer Impact
Fee Disclosure and Fee Transparency: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
After disclosures are received from the plan service providers, employers will have enhanced responsibility to ensure that the fees and compensation paid is reasonable based on the services provided. In addition, employers will need to be ready to answer participant questions regarding the fees and expenses, and investments offered in their plans.
Preparing for Participant Questions (For Plan Sponsors) (PDF)
Articles and Whitepapers
Participant Fee Disclosure: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
The Department of Labor (DOL) regulations regarding participant fee and investment disclosures go into effect on August 30th, 2012. This new regulation creates additional fiduciary responsibility for employers to regularly distribute to all participants and beneficiaries comprehensive fee and investment disclosures about their retirement plans. [Read More]
Fee Disclosure: A Detailed Overview for Plan Sponsors and Their Advisors
The Department of Labor is implementing two new regulations regarding fees and fee transparency for retirement plans this year. Each regulation has a simple and important objective. The purpose of the first regulation is to create a clear and consistent process to ensure that plan sponsors know and understand the fees being assessed to manage their company provided retirement plans [408(b)(2)]. The purpose of the second regulation is to ensure that Plan Participants are provided with all of the costs associated with participating in their company provided retirement plan before and while they participate [404a5]. [Read More]
408(b)(2) Service Provider Fee Disclosure: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
Unless a Covered Service Provider (CSP) provides timely and very specific information to the Responsible Plan Fiduciary (RPF), the contract with the service provider will be deemed an ERISA prohibited transaction under the new regulations. If a CSP does not fulfill its obligation to provide these disclosures, the RPF will be required to terminate its relationship with the CSP. [Read More]
More Resources:
- How to Read Your Retirement Statement Guide
- Final Participant Fee Disclosure Rules (Deadlines are Fast Approaching)
- Retirement Plan Fee Disclosure Compliance Tips
- Understanding Your Retirement Plan Fees
