Vol.4, October 2025
October Benefits Rundown: What to do with your 401(k) in an M&A
Fall is in the air, and it’s taken me back to a childhood memory: playing kick the can with all the neighborhood kids. It was a mix of tag and hide-and-seek, where someone could rescue everyone from “jail” by running up and kicking the can in the middle of the street.
These days, “kicking the can” has a different meaning: it’s become a metaphor for procrastination. And it got me thinking about the things we sometimes put off in benefits work.
Whatever keeps slipping down your priority list, my challenge to you this fall is: don’t kick the can. Pick one thing you’ve been putting off, and move it forward.
‘Til next time,
Mindy Zatto, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA, MSPA
Founding Principal, SBA
This Month at SBA
A quick look at what’s new, noteworthy, or just plain useful from our team.
What happens to the 401(k)? Defined contribution decisions during M&A
When companies merge, the 401(k) plan can’t be an afterthought. In a recent article for 401(k) Specialist, my colleague David Runsick and I walk through the options employers face, the compliance and operational considerations that come into play, and how to protect participants through the transition.
Lost but not forgotten: Closing the gap on missing participants
I was honored to be invited as a guest speaker for this month’s Benefits Peer Group roundtable, where I shared practical ways plan sponsors can strengthen fiduciary practices and reconnect participants with their benefits (for a copy of my slides, just reply to this email).
The Benefits Peer Group is an invitation-only community of more than 600 employee benefits professionals who meet monthly to exchange insights and best practices. Visit the group’s LinkedIn page to learn more and request membership.
Top 10 DC plan essentials you might be overlooking
Even the most experienced plan sponsors can miss key details that keep defined contribution plans running smoothly. This quick-reference guide highlights the ten most commonly overlooked responsibilities—and what you can do to address them.
Ask the Principals
Our leadership team tackles tough questions from plan sponsors like you.
A: At SBA, our role is to be objective and data-driven at all times. We don’t sell financial or insurance products, receive commissions, or have ties to the vendors we evaluate on behalf of clients during RFP searches. That independence means our advice is guided solely by your goals. Our focus is on helping you optimize your benefits strategy, improve vendor performance, and reduce costs—all with an eye on ensuring you fulfill the required fiduciary duties to your participants.
It’s a common misconception to lump us in with brokers or investment advisors, but SBA plays a very different role. As an independent firm, we rely solely on data and our clients’ best interests, enabling us to design strategies rooted in fiduciary principles and focused on measurable outcomes. Our culture is centered on partnership, retention, and results.
In short: SBA is built to serve, not to sell. That’s why our clients get advice they can trust, grounded in data, transparency, and their best interests.
Recommended Reading
Each month, the SBA team curates a selection of standout articles from across the employee benefits landscape. Here’s what caught our attention this month:
Don’t let annuity ‘myths’ block their adoption (InsuranceNewsNet)
Gen Z leads in retirement readiness due to better DC plan design (Employee Benefit News)
Roth Compliance Tops Advisers’ Q4 To-Do List (Plan Adviser)
GLP-1, autoimmune drugs drive up benefit costs heading into 2026 (HRDive)
Nevin & Fred: Things That Should Scare Plan Fiduciaries (NAPA)