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The Basics of 401(k) Nondiscrimination Testing
401(k) plans must pass nondiscrimination tests each year to confirm HCEs do not disproportionately benefit and that no IRS contribution limits are exceeded.
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401(k) Annual Administration - A Checklist for Business Owners (2022)
An important 401(k) fiduciary responsibility is ensuring plan administration tasks are completed timely each year. Our checklist makes this job easy.
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401(k) Retirement Planning – 4 Steps to Retire Faster
Some basic retirement planning can dramatically reduce the cost of retirement for 401k participants. Our 4-step plan requires no investing knowledge at all.
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The Basics of 401(k) Fiduciary Responsibilities
Meeting 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities does not need to be scary or time-consuming for small business plan sponsors. Following some simple guidance is the key.
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401(k) Withdrawal Rules – Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about when 401(k) distributions are allowed.
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401(k) Investment Basics for Employers
Stay up to date on 401(k) investments with Employee Fiduciary's Employer Resources from our free 401(k) Help Center.
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The Benefits of a 401(k) Plan for Employers and Employees
When a small business offers a 401(k) plan, it’s often a win-win for business owners and employees. Here are some of the top benefits of these plans.
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Plan Compensation - The Basis For All 401(k) Contributions
Learn how to properly apply the definition of compensation to your 401(k).
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401(k) Plan Design – An Overview
Learn everything you need to know to design a 401(k) plan that meets your company’s goals.
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Shopping For a 401(k) Plan Doesn’t Need To Be Overwhelming For Small Businesses; A Checklist Can Help
401(k) provider services can vary dramatically in breadth, depth, and price. This variability can make it difficult for small business 401(k) fiduciaries to select providers with services that match their plan’s needs at a reasonable price. A checklist can make this job easier.
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401(k) Fee Study - 75% of Small Business Plans Pay Hidden Fees
“Are my 401(k) fees too high?” is a common question asked by both plan sponsors and participants. Our small business fee study can give some perspective.
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Deadlines for 401(k) Nondiscrimination Testing
While a professional TPA usually completes 401k testing, employers must understand the deadlines that apply to test corrections and contribution deposits.
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Want to Retire Early? Three 401(k) Features That Can Help
For 401(k) participants to reach their retirement savings goal as soon as possible, they will need help from their plan. These are the features they'll need.
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401(k) Contribution Deadlines – You Don’t Want to Miss Them!
When 401(k) contributions - employee or employer - are deposited late, there are consequences for employers. With some education, they are easily avoided.
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Is Your Company Part of a Controlled Group? You Need to Know or Risk 401(k) Plan Disqualification
IRS controlled group rules often obligate 2 or more employers with common ownership to cover their employees with the same 401k plan in order to pass annual nondiscrimination testing.
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Small Business 401(k) Plan Design Study - What 4,330 401(k) Plans Are Doing
The right 401(k) plan design can help a small business meet plan goals at the lowest possible cost. Our study summarizes the designs of 4,330 401(k) plans
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Switching 401(k) Providers – What to Expect
Learn what to expect and how to avoid common pitfalls when switching 401(k) providers.
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Understanding a 401(k) Plan's Fiduciary Hierarchy
Learn how fiduciary responsibility is allocated among different agents in your retirement plan.
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401(k) Loan Rules – What Plan Participants Need to Know
Need to take a loan from your 401(k)? Learn everything you need in this guide.
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Small Business 401(k) Tax Credits – Including SECURE Act Enhancements
The SECURE Act lowered the out-of-pocket cost of starting a new small business 401(k) plan by enhancing the tax credits available to business owners.
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Options for Picking a 401(k) Investment Menu
Learn how to pick an ERISA-compliant 401(k) investment lineup in this short guide.
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401(k) Fees - What You Need to Know About The 3 Major Categories
The DOL places 401(k) fees into 3 major categories. Learn everything you need to know about each in this quick read.
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Best Practices for Avoiding 401(k) Fiduciary Liability
Picking the right low cost 401(k) plan provider can help small business retirement plans meet 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities.
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How Much Time Does Annual 401(k) Administration Take?
401(k) administration shouldn't take small businesses much time. A quality provider will do the heavy lifting, leaving an owner with basic tasks to complete.
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Roth vs. Pre-Tax 401(k) Deferrals – How to Choose
If your 401(k) plan permits Roth deferrals, it can be worth your time to decide whether they're a better choice than traditional deferrals for your account.
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Deadlines for 401(k) Adoption – Including SECURE Act Changes
The SECURE Act made it easier for businesses to adopt a new 401(k) plan or add a safe harbor feature to an existing plan by extending the deadlines to do so.
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The Coverage Test - What You Need to Know
The IRC section 410(b) coverage test ensures a 401(k) plan sufficiently covers Non-Highly Compensated Employees. Employers should understand its basics.
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Hardship Distributions – Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re a participant or a sponsor, learn everything you need to know about hardship distributions.
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Roth 401(k) Deferrals — Answers to Common Questions
66% of 401(k) participants make after-tax Roth deferrals. Learn why in this easy-to-read guide.
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Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans - Frequently Asked Questions
Safe harbor 401(k) plans are the most popular type of small business 401(k) today. Check out our FAQ to help decide whether one is right for your company.
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4 Traits of the Best Small Business 401(k) Providers
America's Best Small Business 401(k) Providers have 4 traits in common. 401(k) fiduciaries should look for these traits when shopping for 401(k) services.
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How Compound Interest and Dollar Cost Averaging Grow Savings Over Time
Saving for retirement can seem futile when you can't afford to contribute much to a 401(k) plan. Compound interest and dollar-cost averaging can help.
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'Hidden' 401(k) Fees – What Business Owners Need to Know
Hidden administration fees increase the cost of investing for 401(k) participants - reducing their returns. Here are the most common and how to uncover them.
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401(k) vs SIMPLE IRA: Which is Right for Your Business?
401(k) or SIMPLE IRA? The kind of plan you pick could have an enormous impact on the finances of everyone involved in your business. Choose wisely.
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401(k) Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) – What You Need to Know
After a certain age, participants are required to take minimum distributions to avoid tax penalties. Learn more in this FAQ.
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401(k) Matching Contributions – Are They Right For Your Plan?
Learn about the different types of 401(k) matching contributions in this quick read.
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Safe Harbor or Traditional 401(k) Plan – How to Decide
Not sure if you need a Safe Harbor 401(k)? Read this guide to learn more.
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401(k) Eligibility - When to Let Employees Join Your Plan
401(k) eligibility is an important part of a well-designed retirement plan. Learn what you need to know in this quick read.
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Don’t Let Your 401(k) Provider Hide the Cost of Your Plan
401(k) providers can charge different fees for comparable services and investments. To avoid excessive fees, employers must know the cost of their plan.
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Apathy is the #1 Source of 401(k) Liability – It’s Easy to Avoid
401(k) fiduciary responsibilities are manageable once they’re understood. The problem is many small businesses don’t make the effort.
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401(k) Investment Advice - Pros and Cons of the 3 Major Forms
401(k) participants can receive professional investment advice from a mutual fund, financial advisor, or algorithm today. Each advice form has pros and cons
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Cost Matters - How Much Lower 401(k) Fees Can Increase Savings
Cost matters a LOT when saving for retirement. Even 401(k) fee small reductions today can mean much higher account balances for participants in retirement.
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401(k) Vesting Schedules – What They Are and How They Work
Learn everything you need to know about 401(k) vesting schedules in this short guide.
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Pooled vs. Single-Employer 401(k) Plans - Are PEPs for You?
Supporters claim Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) offer lower 401k fees and greater liability protection than single-employer plans. They rarely deliver either.
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The ADP and ACP Tests - What You Need to Know
Learn about the ADP & ACP tests – the two of the three main 401(k) nondiscrimination tests.
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Form 5500 - Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Form 5500 filing requirements.
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Profit Sharing Contributions – Are They Right For Your 401(k) Plan?
Profit sharing 401(k) contributions are a great way to maximize owner contributions or reward key employees. Learn more in this short read.
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Safe Harbor vs. QACA 401(k) Plan – How to Decide
There are two basic types of safe harbor 401(k) plans available today – traditional and QACA. Business owners should understand their differences.
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401(k) Fees - Administrative vs. Settlor Plan Expenses
Only certain types of 401(k) fees are allowed to be paid from plan assets – read our short guide to learn which.
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3 Warning Signs Your 401(k) Provider is Ripping You Off
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.
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401(k) Fiduciary Outsourcing – The Roles Most Prone to Abuse
Multiple-Employer 401k Plans (MEPs) require business owners to delegate fiduciary roles to their provider. This delegation makes MEPs highly prone to abuse.
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How to Allocate 401(k) Fees Among Plan Participants
Learn rules and formulas for how you can allocate 401(k) fees amongst your plan participants.
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How to Lobby Your Employer for a Better 401(k) Plan
401(k) plans with top investments and no admin fees can help you retire years sooner by delivering much higher returns. Here's how to lobby for such a plan.
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Solo 401(k) Plans – Their Benefits to Self-Employed Workers
Solo - or individual - 401k plans cover business owners and their spouses only. They allow plan participants to make maximum deductible contributions – including “mega back door” Roth IRA contributions – up to the 415 limit.
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401(k) Fidelity Bonds – Frequently Asked Questions
An ERISA fidelity bond protects 401(k) plan participants against losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty. Employers should understand their basics.
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The Top Heavy Test - What You Need to Know
Learn everything you need to know about the Top Heavy Test – an important 401(k) nondiscrimination test.
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Contribution Limits - What You Need to Know
Stay up to date on 401(k) contributions with Employee Fiduciary's Employer Resources from our free 401(k) Help Center.
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401(k) Participant Disclosure - What Employers Need to Know
Learn your responsibilities for sending disclosures to your 401(k) participants in this quick read.
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New Comparability 401(k) Plans - Are They Right for Your Small Business?
Learn the ins and outs of new comparability 401(k) plans in this easy-to-read guide.
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Automatic Enrollment – Is It Right for Your 401(k) Plan?
Automatic enrollment is an excellent 401(k) feature, but it’s not right for everyone. Learn more in this short guide.
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Employers Should Avoid Providers That Treat 401(k) Plans Like a Product, Not a Service
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
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Reasons to Pay 401(k) Fees from Corporate Bank Account
Learn the 4 valuable benefits small business owners earn when they pay their 401k administration fees from a corporate bank account.
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Revenue Sharing - 5 Reasons for 401(k) Fiduciaries to Avoid it
Revenue sharing makes it harder than necessary to meet 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities. Employers should pay direct 401(k) fees instead.
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401(k) Earned Income – What You Need to Know
401(k) plans must allocate and test the contributions made to self-employed individuals using a special definition of plan compensation called earned income.
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403(b) vs. 401(k) Plans for Non-Financial People
These two big differences are truly all you need to know when deciding between a 403(b) or 401(k) plan – their eligibility and testing requirements.
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401(k) Distributions - What You Need to Know
401(k) plans have distribution rules that are tied to your age and employment status. If you don’t understand your plan’s rules, you can pay unnecessary taxes.
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Preventing Identity Theft in a Retirement Program as an Employer
Identity theft is a big problem with retirement plans. Learn the steps you can take to protect your participants.
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Design a 401(k) Plan Like a Pro in 6 Steps
Expert 401(k) plan design can help small business owners meet their plan goals for thousands less. The process can be completed in 30 minutes or less.
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401(k) Rollovers – What Employers Need to Know
Learn everything you need to know about allowing or managing rollovers in your retirement plan.
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The Top 4 Lies Told by 401(k) Providers
Some 401(k) providers lie to excuse excessive fees or mask inexperience. With some basic facts, 401(k) fiduciaries can easily debunk the lies.
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Ownership Attribution Rules that Apply when 401(k) Testing
Under the 401(k) family attribution rules, individuals are attributed the ownership of family members. These rules can greatly affect plan test results.
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The 5 Most Popular Small Business 401(k) Plan Features
Different 401(k) “types” (safe harbor, Roth, profit sharing, etc…) are in fact different contribution “features” that a plan can combine in numerous ways.
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Replacing SIMPLE IRAs with a 401(k) – Frequently Asked Questions
Replacing a small business SIMPLE IRA with a 401(k) is not a complicated process, but it does require planning. Our FAQ can help the process go smoothly.
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Asset-Based 401(k) Admin Fees - Keep Them to a Minimum!
When a 401(k) provider charges asset-based admin fees, plan with lots of assets can pay way more for comparable admin services than plans with fewer assets
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Lost Participants – What Employers Need to Know
One of the most frustrating issues plan sponsors run into is locating “lost” participants. Learn how to handle this issue in this quick read.
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Voluntary Contributions - Probably Not a Fit for Your 401(k) Plan
Voluntary 401k contributions are after-tax employee contributions like Roth deferrals, but subject to different ERISA rules.
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401(k) Rollovers – Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 401(k) rollover right for you? Learn what you need to know in this quick guide.
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401(k) Amendment Rules – Strict, but (Mostly) Straightforward
The Internal Revenue Service has strict rules for amending 401(k) plan documents. To stay out of trouble, employers should understand some amendment basics.
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401(k) Rollovers - How to Evaluate Your Options
401(k)s and IRAs can offer wide-ranging investments, fees, and features. Making a bad rollover decision can set your retirement back years.
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Starting a 401(k)? A Short Initial Plan Year is Probably a Bad Idea
401(k) plans must define a plan year cycle for annual administration. Most new plans should avoid a short plan year for first year administration.
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Terminating Your Plan? Here’s What You Need to Know
Terminating your plan isn’t as simple as just walking away. Learn what you need to know in this guide.
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Vesting Schedules – Everything You Need to Know
As a 401(k) participant, understanding your vesting schedule is crucial. Learn what you need to know in this short guide.
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Top 10 401(k) Mistakes Found in the IRS Voluntary Compliance Program
Severe consequences can result when a 401(k) plan fails to meet one or more of the plan qualification requirements – including IRS penalties for the employer.
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Acquisition or Merger? Don’t Overlook the Seller’s 401(k) Plan!
After acquiring a company with a 401k, there 3 options for the plan - merge it into their own plan, keep it stand-alone, or terminate it.
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Preventing Identify Theft in Your Retirement Plan
Identify theft is a big problem with retirement plans. Luckily there are steps you can take to prevent it. Learn more in this FAQ.
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What to Do When Your Retirement Plan Terminates
Is your employer terminating your retirement plan? Learn what to do in this easy-to-read guide.
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How to Select an Auditor for the Form 5500
Choosing a good 401(k) auditor is crucial for your audit. Learn how to do it in this quick
guide.
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How to Reclaim Your Retirement Plan with a Previous Employer
Have a 401(k) with an old employer? Learn what to do in this easy-to-read guide.
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Why Fee Levelization Does Not Make Revenue Sharing Okay
401(k) fee levelization is a technique providers use to justify hidden 401(k) fee practices. Learn why this practice is bad in this quick read.
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401(k) Mutual Funds - Pay Attention to Share Class!
Mutual funds are often available in multiple share classes. To serve the best interest of 401k participants, the least expensive share class should be used.
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ERISA 404(c) - DOL Fee Disclosure Rules Makes Compliance Easy
ERISA 404(c) protects 401k fiduciaries from participant investment losses. Participant fee disclosure regulations under ERISA 404a-5 make ERISA 404(c) compliance easier.
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How to Calculate Your All-In 401(k) Fee
Learn step-by-step how to calculate the total 401(k) fee in this short, easy-to-read guide.
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The SPIVA Scorecard – A Must-Read for 401(k) Fiduciaries
The SPIVA Scorecard measures the percentage of active funds that outperform their market benchmark over specific periods of time, net of fees. Most don't.
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How to Benchmark Your 401(k) Fees
Learn everything you need to know about benchmarking your 401(k) fees in this short guide.
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How to Lower Your 401(k) Fees
Get insider tips for how to lower your 401(k) investment and administration fees in this quick, easy-to-read guide.
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How to Pick a Lineup of "Prudent" Index Funds
Index funds from providers like Vanguard, Fidelity, or Schwab make it easy for employers to meet their investment-related 401(k) fiduciary responsibilities
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Thrift Savings Plan - What is it?
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement plan for Federal employees.
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401(k) Document Retention Rules
Plan sponsors are required to retain their documents for at least 6 years. Learn 401(k) document retention rules in this guide.
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Mega Back Door Roth IRA Contributions
Stay up to date on backdoor Roth IRA contributions with Employee Fiduciary's free 401(k) knowledge center.
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