I always say a retirement plan provider needs to find its niche to stand out in the retirement plan marketplace.

A new firm, Annuity Research & Consulting, has been created to help 401(k) retirement plan sponsors and their record keepers evaluate annuity/lifetime income options for the plans. The firm will operate on a fee-only basis.

The new firm is an RIA and has 3(38) and 3(21) fiduciary capabilities.

I wish them luck, but I haven’t come across that many plan sponsors that are interested in lifetime income options, especially since they aren’t required to offer them.