PODCAST: Williams Mullen’s Benefits Companion - Why NAPA Matters for Plan Sponsors and Benefits Professionals
How ERISA Litigators Strengthen Plan Compliance and Risk Management: One-on-One with Jeb Gerth
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Trends in Recordkeeper Consolidation and Due Diligence
Long-Term Part-Time Employee Eligibility Rules Now in Effect — Troutman Pepper Podcast
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - What the J&J Case Means for Plan Administrators
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Understanding Fees in Retirement Planning
Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation: Getting Ready for 2024 – Top-Hat Plans — Special Edition Podcast
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Auto-Portability: A New Way to Keep Retirement Savings Growing
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - IRS 2024 Health Plan Affordability Threshold May Put Some at Risk
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Partial Plan Terminations
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Plan Administrators’ 2022 Year-End Checklist
5 Key Takeaways | Establishing Tax Qualified Retirement Plans
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Helping Employers Address the Gender Gap in Retirement Savings
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Millennials, Boomers and Retirement Planning
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - What Constitutes Plan Assets Under ERISA?
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Back to the Future: SECURE Act and SECURE Act 2.0
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Payroll Integration for Plan Sponsors
IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - INTRODUCING THE MALTA FREEZE
THE ACCIDENTAL ENTREPRENEUR PART IV
At some point, without much notice, 401kHelpCenter.com disappeared. No announcement. No farewell post. No “we’re shutting down” explanation. One day it was there — the next day it wasn’t. And that’s a shame, because it...more
On January 16, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Anderson v. Intel Corp. Investment Policy Committee, No. 25-498 (U.S.), a case regarding what ERISA plaintiffs must allege at the pleading stage when they...more
For years, catch-up contributions were one of the few simple things left in the 401(k) world. If you were 50 or older, you could defer more. Payroll processed it. Providers administered it. Plan sponsors rarely thought about...more
The IRS recently issued updated “safe harbor” model disclosures that can be used by retirement plan administrators with distribution election packages that permit eligible rollover distributions....more
On this episode of Williams Mullen’s Benefits Companion, host Brydon DeWitt is joined by Lisa Drake, Managing Director at SageView Advisory Group and President of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA). Together,...more
There is no such thing as a perfect plan sponsor. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either selling something or has never actually worked inside a retirement plan....more
The retirement industry loves the phrase best practices. It sounds proactive, responsible, and professional. In reality, most “best practices” have very little to do with improving plan outcomes and everything to do with...more
Two recent National Advertising Division decisions involving competing 401(k) providers underscore that NAD’s expanding focus on financial services advertising is not limited to consumer-facing debt-relief claims. ...more
Providers often believe that being helpful will protect them if something goes wrong. It feels intuitive: strong relationships, responsive service, and goodwill should count for something....more
Most providers don’t stumble into fiduciary exposure intentionally. They do it by trying to be helpful....more
Plan sponsors are often surprised to learn that when their advisor, TPA, and recordkeeper disagree, the conflict doesn’t protect the plan sponsor—it exposes them....more
The DOL recently issued a notification (the “DOL Notice”) regarding the modification of its Delinquent Filer Voluntary Correction Program (the “DFVCP”) under ERISA for the first time since its last revision in 2013. As...more
As the new year gets underway, the landscape for alternative investments in 401(k) plans is rapidly evolving. This is a key time for asset managers to evaluate opportunities and take appropriate steps to join in the growing...more
Every retirement plan provider now talks about AI, personalization, and “smart” tools. Plan sponsors should listen — but they shouldn’t be dazzled. Technology does not replace fiduciary responsibility. It magnifies it....more
When a retirement plan error surfaces, the first reaction is almost always the same: finger-pointing. The sponsor looks to the advisor. The advisor looks to the TPA. The TPA looks to the recordkeeper. And somewhere in the...more
On January 15, 2026, the IRS and Treasury issued Notice 2026-13, which updated the guidance available to plan administrators tasked with providing rollover notices and safe harbor special tax notices designed to comply with...more
Welcome to our latest update, in which we cover: Value for money (VFM): consultation Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP): consultation on the delivery of private sector dashboards Pension Protection Fund (PPF): FAQs about...more
The recent decision in Wanek v. Russell Investments demonstrates how retaining a 3(38) investment manager--selected through a well-documented process--may help limit an employer’s liability under its 401(k) plan....more
Most plan providers are prepared for competition. They know how to differentiate fee schedules, demonstrate technology, and present fiduciary solutions. They refine their pitch decks and rehearse the perfect value statement....more
A new study examining how retirees manage annuity payouts from defined-contribution plans should make every 401(k) plan sponsor sit up and pay attention. We spend so much time focused on accumulation, deferral rates, employer...more
Welcome to your weekly update from the A&O Shearman Pensions team, covering all the latest legal and regulatory developments in the world of workplace pensions....more
Everyone in the retirement plan world claims to be “participant-centric.” It’s the industry’s version of “gluten-free”—proudly announced, poorly understood. The truth is, most providers focus on the plan sponsor relationship...more
Welcome to our quarterly pensions litigation briefing, designed to help pensions managers identify key risks in scheme administration, and trustees update their knowledge and understanding. This briefing highlights recent...more
We often are asked how to correct automatic enrollment and automatic escalation errors in 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans. The fix typically has required plan sponsors to make qualified nonelective contributions (“QNECs”)...more
Plan providers hear it all the time: “Our employees don’t care about the 401(k).” That’s usually employer-speak for “We haven’t communicated anything in three years and HR is tired.” Employees aren’t apathetic—they’re...more