Author Archives for hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com
February 25, 2026 9:06 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com One of the most common questions we receive is simple: “How is a 402(a) different from a 3(16)?” Many plan sponsors have heard of a 3(38) investment fiduciary. Some are familiar with 3(16) administrative fiduciary services. But far fewer understand the role of the 402(a) Named Fiduciary — even though every single 401(k) plan has [...]
February 11, 2026 10:40 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com By Fiduciary Wise An Independent ERISA 402(a) Named Fiduciary — Not a Competitor When Fiduciary Wise joins a retirement plan, some service providers assume we are there to replace someone. We’re not. We do not serve as a TPA. We do not provide recordkeeping. We do not custody assets. We do not act as an [...]
January 28, 2026 8:07 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com By Fiduciary Wise Based on The Wise Fiduciary Podcast, Season 4, Episode 4 Featuring Marta Hurst and Isaac Wood Introduction: Why This Debate Matters More Than Ever For years, the distinction between ERISA 3(21) and ERISA 3(38) investment fiduciaries felt like a technical nuance—important, but not urgent. That has changed. In today’s retirement plan environment, [...]
November 12, 2025 6:47 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com Understanding the True Meaning of “Reasonable” Under ERISA When it comes to 401(k) plan management, “reasonable fees” is one of the most misunderstood phrases in the ERISA world. Too often, plan sponsors assume that keeping costs as low as possible fulfills their fiduciary duty. But ERISA doesn’t say lowest. It says reasonable—and that distinction matters. [...]
October 15, 2025 6:13 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com By Don Jones, Fiduciary Wise Introduction A new executive order, “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors,” has sparked renewed interest in the idea of allowing private equity in participant-directed retirement plans. For many plan sponsors, this raises an important question: should private equity play a role in 401(k) and 403(b) plans? At Fiduciary [...]
September 25, 2025 8:41 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com By Fiduciary Wise · Published Sep 25, 2025 · Primary keyword: ERISA 402(a) fiduciary Retirement plan sponsors face increasing scrutiny under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The Department of Labor (DOL), evolving case law, and recent court decisions have raised the bar for fiduciary conduct and documentation. For many sponsors, the challenge isn’t [...]
April 17, 2025 9:25 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com Fiduciary Wise Helps Retirement Plan Sponsors Navigate Post-Ruling Compliance Challenges In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University, which clarified and reinforced legal responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Fiduciary Wise, a national leader in outsourced fiduciary services, is stepping forward to guide retirement plan [...]
August 20, 2024 7:25 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com We are excited to announce the newest addition to our Fiduciary Wise team: Isaac Wood, AIF, AIFA®. With 13 years of experience in the financial industry, including 7 years dedicated specifically to ERISA plans, Isaac brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep passion for 401k optimization to his new role as our ERISA 402(a) [...]
August 7, 2024 3:22 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com By Trevor Merrill, AIFA, BCF™ The Complexity of Managing Retirement Plans As a business owner, your responsibilities are diverse and demanding. From managing employees to staying ahead of industry trends, your time is stretched thin. Amidst these pressures, the importance of an independent professional named fiduciary in your retirement plan often gets overlooked. However, this [...]
July 10, 2024 4:48 pm Published by hailey.blank@fiduciarywise.com Employers Sponsoring a Retirement Plan: Understanding Your Fiduciary Responsibilities By Kathleen McBride, AIFA, CEFEX Analyst Employers sponsoring a retirement plan for their employees may be surprised to learn that they can delegate some of their fiduciary risks, tasks, and legal and financial liabilities to professional ERISA fiduciaries. And, if it’s done correctly, this will improve [...]
