Newsroom

Admin316 Newsroom & Media Resources

Admin316 is an independent retirement plan fiduciary serving employers nationwide. We accept appointment in writing as ERISA §402(a) Named Fiduciary and §3(16) Plan Administrator — the roles most plan sponsors do not realize they still hold themselves. Journalists, editors and podcast producers will find our expert contact, comment topics, research and company boilerplate below.

Available for Comment

Russell McNorton — Founder & CEO, Admin316

Available on deadline for interviews and background on ERISA fiduciary responsibility, 401(k) fee benchmarking, Form 5500 compliance and plan-sponsor liability. Typical response time: same business day.

Email: rmcnorton@admin316.com
Phone: (361) 271-1211
Based in: Corpus Christi, Texas · serving plans nationally
Interview formats: phone, Zoom, written Q&A, podcast

Topics Russell McNorton comments on

• Who the 401(k) fiduciary really is — why the employer, not the advisor or recordkeeper, usually remains the Named Fiduciary and plan administrator of record.
• 401(k) fee benchmarking — what plans of a given size actually pay, drawn from national Form 5500 data rather than vendor surveys.
• ERISA §408(b)(2) fee disclosure — what sponsors are required to review, and what almost never gets reviewed.
• Form 5500 late and delinquent filings — per-day DOL penalties, Form 5558 extensions, and the Delinquent Filer Voluntary Compliance program.
• Personal liability of plan sponsors and trustees — where fiduciary exposure becomes personal, and how it is transferred properly.
• 3(16) vs. 3(21) vs. 3(38) — what each appointment does and does not cover, in plain language.
• PEO and MEP arrangements — which fiduciary duties leave the employer and which quietly stay behind.
• DOL correction programs — VFCP, EPCRS and self-correction for late deferrals and operational failures.

Original research

Admin316 maintains a national fee and compliance study built on the U.S. Department of Labor’s public EFAST2 Form 5500 filings, covering plans with 25 or more participants. Findings are released on a monthly schedule and are available to reporters ahead of publication on request, with methodology.

We also publish a free Form 5500 lookup that shows any plan’s filing history and days past due, and a late-filer report.

Forthcoming book: Who Is Your Named Fiduciary? The 401(k) Responsibility You Didn’t Know You Had, and What It’s Costing You by Russell McNorton. Review copies available to media on request.

Press releases and announcements

Admin316 news, data releases and research findings are posted here as they are issued. For earlier commentary and explainers, see the 401(k) Knowledge Center.

About Admin316 (boilerplate)

Admin316 is an independent retirement plan fiduciary based in Corpus Christi, Texas, serving employer-sponsored retirement plans nationwide. The firm accepts written appointment as ERISA §402(a) Named Fiduciary and §3(16) Plan Administrator, assuming administrative fiduciary responsibility that otherwise remains with the employer — including Form 5500 signature authority, participant notices, distribution and loan approvals, and compliance oversight. Admin316 works alongside a plan’s existing advisor, recordkeeper and TPA rather than replacing them. More at admin316.com.

Media contact: Russell McNorton, Founder & CEO · rmcnorton@admin316.com · (361) 271-1211

Fast facts

• Founded by: Russell McNorton, Founder & CEO
• Headquarters: Corpus Christi, Texas
• Coverage: Retirement plans nationwide
• Roles accepted in writing: ERISA §402(a) Named Fiduciary, §3(16) Plan Administrator
• Plan types served: 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, 403(b)/457, ESOP