Your retirement plan may have an outside third party administrator (TPA) to assist with plan administration. However, a TPA typically is not a fiduciary to the plan and does not act as “plan administrator” (that’s usually the employer itself as provided in a typical TPA services agreement). This leaves the employer ultimately responsible for the plan’s compliance with all applicable legal requirements. So, even if your TPA makes a mistake, the employer is likely on the hook for any resulting liability because the TPA’s services agreement usually imposes damage limits and employer indemnities that protect the TPA.

An independent service provider (maybe your current TPA) can be engaged to act as the “plan administrator” pursuant to Section 3(16) of ERISA. As a 3(16) fiduciary, the service provider assumes fiduciary responsibilities in administering the plan. The 3(16) fiduciary is responsible for all compliance activities, including the following:

  • Determining employee eligibility
  • Retaining plan service providers
  • Preparing and filing annual reports
  • Maintaining fidelity bond coverage for employees who handle plan assets
  • Interpreting and applying plan provisions
  • Distributing summary plan descriptions and supplements on a timely basis
  • Preparing an investment policy statement
  • Administration of participant loans, hardship withdrawals, as well as benefit computations and distributions
  • Distributing participant notes such as summary annual reports and, as applicable, annual qualified default investment alternative (QDIA) notices, safe harbor notices and investment fee disclosures
  • Reviewing and acting on reports of plan investment advisors and any private auditor
  • Reviewing and implementing qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs)

Are your bases covered on all of the above? If your TPA is not involved in these compliance functions, are they adequately performed by your own employees? If not, your plan may need help from an outside service provider or even a 3(16) fiduciary.

Takeaway:

Engaging a competent 3(16) fiduciary should provide any retirement plan the maximum compliance protection available. Just bear in mind that the employer still retains a legal obligation to prudently select the 3(16) fiduciary and to monitor the fiduciary’s ongoing performance of its duties.

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