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.

The Ideal 401(k) Plan for Employees and Employers

By: Eric Droblyen
October 11th 2022
The ideal 401(k) plan helps employees and employers meet their respective goals at the lowest cost. To achieve one, employers must understand their features.
Read More

Bundled or Unbundled 401(k) Provider – How to Choose

By: Eric Droblyen
November 10th 2021
Bundled (or full-service) 401k providers deliver all of the major plan administration services, while unbundled providers must ally with other companies to do so.
Read More

401(k) Administration Checklist for the 2020 Plan Year

By: Eric Droblyen
December 11th 2019
An important 401(k) fiduciary responsibility is ensuring plan administration tasks are completed timely each year. Our checklist makes this job easy.
Read More

3 Warning Signs Your 401(k) Provider is Ripping You Off

By: Eric Droblyen
October 16th 2019
If you’re a business owner, you must know how much your 401(k) plan costs because the consequences for paying excessive fees are high.
Read More

Switching 401(k) Providers? What to Expect and Pitfalls to Avoid

By: Eric Droblyen
June 26th 2019
To lower your 401k fees, you may need to replace your plan provider. This move can seem daunting until you understand the process and the pitfalls to avoid.
Read More

Employers Must Avoid 401(k) Providers They Can't Understand

By: Eric Droblyen
June 12th 2019
Avoiding 401k fiduciary liability can be easy. You just need a basic understanding of your fiduciary responsibilities and an easy-to-monitor plan provider.
Read More

Guidelines for Benchmarking 401(k) Admin and Investment Fees

By: Eric Droblyen
August 8th 2018
Employers have a fiduciary responsibility to pay reasonable fees for 401k plan administration and investments. This job can be easy using simple guidelines.
Read More

Four 401(k) Plan Services That Justify Higher Provider Fees

By: Eric Droblyen
May 30th 2018
To avoid 401k fiduciary liability for paying excessive fees, pay as little as possible for “commodity” 401k services and extra for “value-added” ones only.
Read More

3 Common 401(k) Provider Conflicts of Interest!

By: Eric Droblyen
May 2nd 2018
Employers have a fiduciary responsibility to evaluate their 401(k) provider's conflicts of interest. They risk personal liability when they don't.
Read More

Employers Should Avoid Providers That Treat 401(k) Plans Like a Product, Not a Service

By: Eric Droblyen
September 6th 2017
Insurance and mutual fund companies treat 401k plans like a product by restricting fund and plan design options. Plan Sponsors need impartial and consultative advice instead
Read More