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The Frugal Fiduciary Small Business 401(k) Blog

Get the latest industry news, deadlines and tips you need to know to help tackle your fiduciary responsibility needs.
401(k) Fees: Are Traditional 401(k) Services Worth a Smaller Retirement Nest Egg?

401(k) Fees: Are Traditional 401(k) Services Worth a Smaller Retirement Nest Egg?

By: Eric Droblyen

November 16th 2016

The best small business 401k providers only charge fees for value-added 401k services. Providers with high priced superfluous services should be avoided
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How MEPs Complicate 401(k) Plan Terminations

How MEPs Complicate 401(k) Plan Terminations

By: Eric Droblyen

November 2nd 2016

Exiting a 401k plan can be an easy process, as long as you aren't part of an MEP. MEPs complicate the plan termination process and can cost you big time.
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Asset-Based 401(k) Admin Fees Are Unreasonable; Fiduciaries Should Avoid Them

Asset-Based 401(k) Admin Fees Are Unreasonable; Fiduciaries Should Avoid Them

By: Eric Droblyen

October 19th 2016

The best small business 401k providers charge low transparent fees based on participant headcount, not assets. A 401k fiduciary should not settle for less.
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3 Questions for Calculating Small Business 401(k) Provider Fees

3 Questions for Calculating Small Business 401(k) Provider Fees

By: Eric Droblyen

October 5th 2016

Small businesses have a fiduciary responsibility to keep 401k plan expenses reasonable for participants. Three questions can help find service provider fees.
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Government Shocker! The 401(k) Form 5500 May Become Useful Soon

Government Shocker! The 401(k) Form 5500 May Become Useful Soon

By: Eric Droblyen

September 21st 2016

The government is proposing substantial changes to the Form 5500 for 2019. These changes would make 401k information more accessible to stakeholders.
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Is Human 401(k) Advice More Expensive Than Robo Advice? You Might Be Surprised

Is Human 401(k) Advice More Expensive Than Robo Advice? You Might Be Surprised

By: Eric Droblyen

September 7th 2016

New robo 401k advisors use a computer algorithm, instead of a human, to construct 401k investment portfolios. Providers claim lower fees. We disagree.
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(Possibly) The Biggest Small Business 401(k) Fee Study Ever!

(Possibly) The Biggest Small Business 401(k) Fee Study Ever!

By: Eric Droblyen

August 24th 2016

Small business 401k fee data is difficult to find. Employee Fiduciary has summarized the fees of 121 401k plans with an average of $1M in plan assets
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401(k) Fiduciary Pro Tip: Uninvested Cash Can Be a Symptom of a Bad 401(k) Recordkeeper

401(k) Fiduciary Pro Tip: Uninvested Cash Can Be a Symptom of a Bad 401(k) Recordkeeper

By: Eric Droblyen

August 10th 2016

Uninvested cash can be a symptom of uncorrected 401k problems. Small business 401k fiduciaries should look for it to evaluate recordkeeper performance
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401(k) Enrollment: Is a Meeting or E-Delivery Best For Your Small Business 401(k) Plan?

401(k) Enrollment: Is a Meeting or E-Delivery Best For Your Small Business 401(k) Plan?

By: Eric Droblyen

July 27th 2016

New technology and investments are making 401k investment decisions simple for 401k participants and 401k enrollment easy for small business sponsors.
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The Myth of the 15 Minute 401(k) Plan Setup

The Myth of the 15 Minute 401(k) Plan Setup

By: Eric Droblyen

July 13th 2016

The consequences of a poorly-designed or misunderstood 401(k) plan are great. Small businesses should take more than 15 minutes to setup a new 401(k) plan.
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