Larry Heller & Associates 401(k)

Fiduciary Roles

As prescribed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), you, the plan sponsor, take on fiduciary obligation to your plan participants - including a professional and personal duty - to act in their highest interests when selecting and overseeing: (1) your plan's investment management and (2) your plan's investments. That's the challenge.

The opportunity is to select a Registered Investment Advisor firm advisor who will sign a written agreement with you to be your ERISA 3(38) investment manager. By serving as a 3(38) fiduciary, we offer the highest level of protection to you, taking on full responsibility and liability for investment selection. In contrast, advisors or brokers serving in ERISA 3(21) or non-fiduciary roles offer lesser levels of service - and often charge equal or higher total fees.

Exposing Hidden Fees

When all plan fees are accounted for, including those that are bundled into an investment's share price, it's common for them to total 2–3 percent — an amount that few plan participants are aware they are incurring. With a new U.S. Department of Labor ruling scheduled to take effect in 2012, plan service providers will be required to fully disclose all fees, which could result in a rude awakening (and potential demand for reckoning) if those fees are revealed to be excessive.

Do you know what fees you and your plan participants are currently paying, in their entirety? We can help you answer that question fully and objectively, in advance of the regulatory requirements. The results may surprise you — and forewarned is forearmed.

Investment Experience

Just as a well-worn pair of hiking boots is its own measure of success, you can assess the success of your 401(k) retirement plan by how comfortably employees are able to move toward their desired retirement – with minimal guidance from you.

To strengthen employee participation, we offer intuitive enrollment materials and model portfolios with optional rebalancing.

To enhance participants' investment experience, we construct our model portfolios according to the American Law Institute definitions on prudent investing for trustees and other fiduciaries – the same definitions we apply in our investment management services for individual wealth clients.

To ease your administrative burdens, we are your independent advisor. We take on full investment selection obligations (and fiduciary liability for the same).

Education

As a plan sponsor, you don't want or need vast information; you just need the right information. By selecting Larry Heller & Associates as your plan's 3(38) investment manager, you'll receive upfront education and understanding as well as ongoing reports, so you can fulfill your plan sponsor role efficiently and effectively ... and get on with your business.