Sheri Fitts joins JD Carlson to break down stretch matches vs. non-elective contributions, fiduciary responsibilities, and the latest on pooled employer plans. Essential listening for 401(k) advisors staying ahead of plan design trends.

In this episode, Sheri Fitts dives deep into critical plan design strategies that every 401(k) advisor needs to master. We explore the nuances of stretch match versus non-elective contribution approaches, and when to deploy each strategy for your clients.

A major highlight: Fred Reish's breakdown of 3(38) fiduciary duties and what they mean for your advisory practice. Understanding fiduciary responsibilities under ERISA is non-negotiable, and this segment cuts through the complexity.

We also tackle the evolving landscape of target date funds and alternative assets, discussing how to position these solutions for plan sponsors. Plus, hear Sheri's perspective on personal branding in financial services, a competitive edge many advisors overlook.

Rounding out the conversation: Strong Point Partners TPA tools, advisor technology and data integration challenges, pooled employer plans (PEPs) and their role in plan innovation, and key takeaways from the Nashville conference.

Whether you're a TPA, plan sponsor, recordkeeper, or independent advisor, this episode delivers actionable insights on compliance, plan design strategy, and building your practice in a competitive market.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Cold Open and Welcome Back

6:24 Stretch Match vs. Non Elective Contributions

15:35 Fred Reish on 3(38) Fiduciary Duties

23:48 Target Date Funds and Alternative Assets

25:52 Nashville Conference Recap and Gratitude

28:07 Personal Branding in Financial Services

38:38 Strong Point Partners TPA Tools

43:12 Advisor Technology and Data Integration

56:37 Industry Updates and Conference Drops

1:01:39 Pooled Employer Plans, Innovation or Packaging

1:10:03 Wrap Up and Thanks

MORE FROM RETIREHOLICS

Full episode notes & transcript: https://retireholics.com/episodes/sheri-fitts-plan-design-fiduciary-duties-peps-retireholics/

All past episodes: https://retireholics.com/episodes/

Live every 1st & 3rd Thursday at 4:30pm PT: https://retireholics.com/live/

Get show reminders: https://retireholics.com/get-reminders/

SUBSCRIBE

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Retireholics

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retireholics/id1490618217

Podbean: https://retireholiks.podbean.com/

Retireholics is the show changing the retirement industry one beer at a time. Hosted by JD Carlson and co-hosts, covering 401(k) plan design, fiduciary responsibility, fees, investments, and industry news for retirement plan advisors and professionals.

This week's special guest is Kevin Spaeth of PenChecks Trust. Topics to include: Voya Financial partners with SinglepointAI Inc. in TPA onboarding tech play, (k)quote and 3(38) Investment Fiduciaries become FIDUCION, PLANSPONSOR Magazine's 2026 Recordkeeping Survey

Brian Danos joins JD Carlson to break down participant vs. employer-paid fee strategies, recordkeeper pricing tactics, and how AI is transforming 401(k) compliance documents. Essential insights for advisors navigating fee debates and modernizing plan administration.

In this episode of Retireholics, Brian Danos dives deep into some of the thorniest issues facing 401(k) advisors today. We start with the ongoing fee debate: should participants or employers shoulder the cost? Brian walks through real recordkeeper pricing strategies and how to benchmark fees effectively in a competitive market.

As compliance requirements evolve, we tackle the practical challenges of electronic delivery and notice requirements, plus best practices for communicating with terminated participants. But the real game-changer? Artificial intelligence's growing role in 401(k) administration. Brian explores how AI is reshaping legal documents, improving plan notices, and helping advisors create compliance materials that actually get read by participants.

We also dig into the data challenges advisors face when working with recordkeepers, what's broken, what's fixable, and how to demand better tools. Whether you're a TPA, plan sponsor, recordkeeper, or independent advisor, this conversation covers the regulatory, operational, and strategic issues that keep 401(k) professionals up at night. Grab a cold one and tune in.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Cold Open: Retireholics Intro

2:08 Welcoming Guest Brian Danos

11:22 Fee Debates: Participant vs Employer Paid

20:30 Record Keeper Pricing Strategies

26:33 Electronic Delivery and Notice Requirements

35:03 Terminated Participant Communications

46:59 Artificial Intelligence in 401k

54:12 AI's Impact on Legal Documents

1:00:16 Plan Notice: The Company Pitch

1:03:18 Data Challenges with Record Keepers

1:08:42 Making Compliance Documents Actually Useful

1:11:31 Wrap Up and Final Thoughts

MORE FROM RETIREHOLICS

Full episode notes & transcript: https://retireholics.com/episodes/brian-danos-retireholics/

All past episodes: https://retireholics.com/episodes/

Live every 1st & 3rd Thursday at 4:30pm PT: https://retireholics.com/live/

Get show reminders: https://retireholics.com/get-reminders/

SUBSCRIBE

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Retireholiks

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retireholics/id1490618217

Podbean: https://retireholiks.podbean.com/

Retireholics is the show changing the retirement industry one beer at a time. Hosted by JD Carlson and co-hosts, covering 401(k) plan design, fiduciary responsibility, fees, investments, and industry news for retirement plan advisors and professionals.

Diving deep on participant notices, missing participants, beneficiaries, hard copy vs. electronic options.

Also covering the 401k headlines/news of the week.

Super pumped to have Todd Harlow of Hero7 on the RH Show!

Topics to include: Say It Aint So BenefitsLink, Fred Reish's New Website, National Association of Plan Advisors Endorses Private Equity and Crypto?, What is the AARP and What Does It Do? Ascensus/Future Plan Launches PEP with Voya Financial and Mesirow, 401k Conversion Dos and Donts, Acrosyn and Fintoks. ChatBar Nerds Unite and get ready to battle for the Chat Bar Champion Title.

The 401k Girls are back. Hayley Porter and Jessica Porter return to talk acquisitions, target-date funds, financial literacy, vibe coding, and getting more women into financial services. Plus Fact or Fiction Thursday, a Chat Bar Champion challenge, and the usual chaos.

We dig into the Ascensus and American Trust custodian shakeup and what consolidation means for advisors and TPAs, the wave of public comments on the latest DOL rule, whether private assets belong inside target-date funds, and why retirement should maybe just be boring. The girls break down their approachable take on financial literacy, the rebrand to The 401k Girls, and how authenticity (and the occasional quarter-zip) wins on social media. We also get into AI and vibe coding for plan administration.

0:00 Validate everyone in the chat bar

1:30 Welcoming back The 401k Girls

1:57 Fact or Fiction Thursday

4:50 Ascensus and American Trust custodian shakeup

13:30 Wholesaler relationships and partner reactions

20:50 DOL rule draws 37,000 public comments

23:30 Private assets inside target-date funds

27:20 Chat Bar Champion challenge

29:30 Reading bad financial advice posts

36:30 Making financial literacy approachable

38:40 Rebranding to The 401k Girls

41:30 Authenticity wins on social media

43:50 Vibe coding and AI for plan admin

49:50 Getting more women into financial services

59:00 Setting sales goals and succession planning

1:04:00 Wrap up and shoutouts

Guests: Hayley Porter and Jessica Porter, The 401k Girls

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-401k-girls

Retireholics is a live show for the 401(k) industry. New episodes the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 4:30pm Pacific.

Join the next show live: https://plandesign.zoom.us/w/760355487

More episodes and transcripts: https://retireholics.com

Mesirow's deal to acquire LeafHouse Financial Advisors and Blue Ridge Associates' acquisition of Economic Group Pension Services. QuickBooks and Vestwell integrated 401(k) solution aimed at small and mid-sized businesses. Fred Reish's analysis of the DOL's proposal on alternative assets and how it affects plan investment menu selection, EBSA head Aronowitz's request for industry input on the DOL investment rule, and President Trump's executive order expanding workers' retirement access.

Topics: GUARANTEED INCOME: A DEEP DIVE. Really excited to do a precursor episode to NAPA 401k Summit, the idea here is to take one topic and cover all the angles.

Topics: Rollover tech company Capitalize, is Advisor compensation on a downward trend? Americans and Entrepreneurship, an Advisor Skills Challenge Contest, an update on BidMoni Inc., Tales from Texas, and an extended version of FinTok. Get em' on ice your 401k Freaks!

Special guest Hunter Hopcroft is joining on behalf of Basic Capital. We will dig into Basic Capital's concept they call a Retirement Mortgage where they put in 4 dollars for every 1 dollar the participant puts in.....crazy right? Hoping to ask all the right questions and learn more later today.

Other topics include: Morningstar's new Ai Assistant, a revisit of the whole Gusto x Guideline x Accrue x Vestwell dealio, Financial FOMO, and an update on Crypto in 401k. Fun Segments = FinTok Clips, Tales From Texas, Acrosin, and The 100% Credible and Trustworthy Wheel of Ice.