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Voluntary benefits are becoming the next ERISA fee battlefield

Andy ClontsThought Leadership

A new wave of ERISA litigation is calling attention to voluntary benefits—an area many employers have long viewed as low-risk. In this piece, Andy Clonts explains why voluntary programs are drawing scrutiny, how compensation structures and loss ratios can create fiduciary exposure, and why plan sponsors should revisit the governance and financial mechanics behind these offerings before regulators or plaintiffs do.

Hidden governance risk could upend retirement plans

Lynn Bullard Kennedy, ASA, EA, FCAThought Leadership

In today’s fast-paced work environment, plan sponsors often underestimate the role of institutional knowledge in retirement plan management. When key team members depart, the knowledge gap can threaten both plan compliance and the participant experience. Learn how the right governance framework canclose the succession planning gap.

Finding the right voluntary benefits broker may be trickier than clients realize

Jay Schmitt, ASAThought Leadership

When selecting a provider for voluntary benefits, small to midsize companies often turn to the same broker that serves their medical or retirement plan needs. But medical and retirement benefits brokers may lack the knowledge or impartiality required to deliver optimal service in the voluntary benefits space. An unbiased third party that neither sells insurance products nor receives commissions when its clients select insurance products can help with the broker search.