Hardship Withdrawals and Loans: What Plan Sponsors Must Document
August 18, 2026
Hardship withdrawal documentation and participant loan records are the files auditors ask for first. Here is what plan sponsors must collect, retain and reconcile.
Plan Sponsor Year-End Compliance Calendar: The Deadlines Employers Miss
August 17, 2026
The year-end 401(k) compliance calendar is where most plan sponsors lose control of their plan. Here is the sequence, phase by phase, and who is actually accountable for each step.
Did You Review the Form 5500 Before You Signed It?
August 16, 2026
The Form 5500 signature is a personal attestation under penalty of perjury. Here’s what plan sponsors should review before signing — and how to move the signature itself off your desk.
401(k) Eligibility & Entry Dates: Where Employers Get Tripped Up
August 14, 2026
Eligibility and entry dates are where employer 401(k) errors start. Here is how sponsors read the plan document, track service correctly, and fix improper exclusions.
Not All 3(16) Providers Are the Same: 401(k) Administration With Payroll, Compliance and TPA Support
August 13, 2026
Two vendors can both call themselves 3(16) and leave you with very different liability. Here is how plan sponsors compare 3(16) providers on scope, payroll integration, compliance support and the 402(a) appointment.
Automatic Enrollment Notices: What Plan Sponsors Must Send and When
August 12, 2026
Automatic enrollment notices are one of the easiest ERISA requirements to satisfy and one of the most commonly botched. Here is what employers must send, to whom, and when.
Late Deferral Deposits: How Employers Correct the Most Common ERISA Error
August 11, 2026
Late deferral deposits are the error the DOL sees most often from plan sponsors. Here’s how employers detect, correct, and prevent them.
Texas Employers and 401(k) Administration: What Plan Sponsors Need to Know
August 10, 2026
Texas 401(k) administration runs on federal ERISA rules, but Texas employers still face state-specific practicalities: payroll timing, multi-site workforces, and no state-run retirement mandate. Here’s what sponsors must own and what can be delegated.
401(k) Plan Audit Readiness: The Employer’s Document Checklist
August 9, 2026
The documents your independent auditor will ask for, why each one exists, and how plan sponsors keep audit readiness a year-round habit instead of a spring fire drill.
Outsourcing 401(k) Administration: True Cost vs. In-House HR Time
August 8, 2026
Outsourcing 401(k) administration is not just a fee comparison. Here is how plan sponsors price in-house HR hours, compliance rework, and fiduciary risk side by side.
