Strategic Benefits Advisors article graphic, showing a hand placing a bright blue puzzle piece labeled "401K" into a missing slot of a white jigsaw puzzle.

The pros and cons of a PEP for larger employers

Jay Schmitt, ASAThought Leadership

Pooled employer plans (PEPs) have earned their reputation as a practical solution for smaller employers. But as adoption grows, larger, more sophisticated retirement plan sponsors have started wondering whether a PEP might work for them, too.

Hand with magnifying glass auditing a contract, representing the rise of ERISA litigation for voluntary benefits.

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.

Is your benefits committee up to par? Here’s how to be sure

Mindy Zatto, FSA, EA, FCA, CPPT and Robin PowellThought Leadership

To defend themselves against ERISA violations, plan sponsors need to understand their fiduciary obligations. As the parties generally responsible for plan oversight, benefits committees play a central role in minimizing compliance risk.

Governance basics every plan sponsor should know

Mindy Zatto, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA, MSPPA and Leslie Olds, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAAThought Leadership

How do plan sponsors operate and administer employee benefit plans in a manner that is both effective and compliant with applicable regulatory and fiduciary obligations?

Preventive maintenance is key to retirement plan health

Jay Schmitt, ASAThought Leadership

Periodic checkups can keep plans running smoothly and help plan sponsors identify issues early, before those become difficult and expensive to correct. Such audits come in two varieties—transactional audits and operational audits.