bells&whistles
Financial’s fiduciary services, which
combine monitoring and analysis of the
plan’s investment lineup with customized
training and marketing programs.
DEFINED BENEFIT
In a recent paper, “Managing Pension
Risk: Confront Your Risk/Reward
Dilemma,” State Street Global Advisors
(SSgA), the investment management
business of State Street Corporation,
offers actionable insights for pension
managers and investment committees
and boards of pension plans, foundations,
and endowments seeking different
perspectives on how to strategically and
dynamically manage pension risk.
Fidelity Investments has launched an
online video series designed to provide
defined benefit pension plan participants
with a better understanding of their
benefits. The library is accessible to all
workplace pension plan participants who
log on to Fidelity’s participant website,
NetBenefits, under a newly created
section called “Pension Tools & Learning.”
The section features up to eight new
videos that answer key questions for
participants including: What is a pension
plan versus a 401(k) plan? How do
pension benefits grow? When can a
participant initiate payments?
PLATFORM ENHANCEMENTS
Folio Institutional and unitZXchange
LLC launched a portfolio unitization
service. The service allows investment
advisers, model managers and
recordkeepers to provide customized
model portfolios, including mixed model
portfolios, to retirement plan sponsors and
participants.
Standard Retirement Services
Inc. has enhanced its core retirement
plan services with fiduciary protection
services. The company can now act as
an ERISA 3( 16) fiduciary in performing
certain plan administrative duties on
behalf of plan sponsors who delegate
these tasks. These duties can include
required compliance testing, plan eligibility
notifications, approval of participant loans
and distributions, and delivery of required
participant notifications and disclosures.
CPI Qualified Plan Consultants
released its rebranded website at cpiqpc.
com. The redesigned site is better adapted
to current Internet trends, including the
increased usage of mobile devices. It has
improved navigational features, layout,
presentation and functionality.
Inova Payroll partnered with DCM
Financial Partners Ltd. to offer
customized 401(k) plans. The new plans
are designed to help businesses reduce
or defer costs, maximize retirement
wealth and gain tax-savings advantages.
Through the plans, business owners and
participants will receive consultation
through personal meetings, webinars and
other communications.
INVESTMENTS
Invesco PowerShares Capital
Management LLC announced the listing
of two ETFs that will provide investors with
access to high-beta strategies covering
emerging and international developed
markets. The ETFs are expected to
begin trading February 24 on the NYSE
Arca. The new portfolio names are
EEHB PowerShares S&P Emerging
Markets High Beta Portfolio and IDHB
PowerShares S&P International Developed
High Beta Portfolio.
ProShares launched ProShares UltraPro
10 Year TIPS/ TSY Spread (UINF) and
ProShares UltraPro Short 10 Year TIPS/
TSY Spread (SINF). These exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are linked to 10-year
breakeven inflation (BEI).
MISCELLANEOUS
A report from Broadridge Financial
Solutions provides insights designed
to help firms successfully navigate the
new fee disclosure regulation being
implemented by the Department of
Labor. The report, “A Look at the New
Department of Labor Disclosure and
Reporting Rules and Their Impact on Plan
Fiduciaries,” provides an overview of Rule
404(a)( 5), what plan fiduciaries should be
aware of when evaluating the information
contained in the disclosures and potential
consequences when plan fiduciaries make
disclosures this spring.
The Principal released a free guide based
on the best practices of The Principal 10
Best Companies for Employee Financial
Security—2011. “Making it Personal”
shows how a tailored approach can
help employers make the most of their
investments in employee benefits.
DALBAR has introduced a Fee Disclosure
Certification program for the evaluation of
plan provider services. The Certification
values the intangibles of services,
provides an independent evaluation to
plan sponsors and creates a critical role
for advisers and third-party administrators
(TPAs). Service providers with successful
plans, high-quality service and active
investment management are evaluated
on these factors, not just the cost of the
offering.
The 403(b) Transparency Taskforce
launched the 403(b) Model Disclosure
Form—transparency standards for
disclosure of fees and services in the
public school 403(b) marketplace. The
taskforce includes the National Education
Association (NEA), the National Tax
Sheltered Accounts Association (NTSAA)
and the American Society of Pension
Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA).
IRA Financial Group has launched a free,
online Solo 401(k) contribution calculator.
The tool will allow an individual to calculate
the maximum annual contribution to a
solo 401(k) plan based on the individual’s
age, as well as the type of entity the
individual has (i.e., sole proprietorship, LLC,
partnership or corporation).
