Pensionmark Retirement Group announced on Monday a new retirement plan solution that offers small businesses the combined benefits of a cost-effective retirement plan with 3(38) investment fiduciary services, 3(21) named non-investment fiduciary services and administrative outsourcing.

“An outsourced solution for employers is especially timely given the federal government’s initiatives to mandate employers to offer retirement plans. While those initiatives move slowly on a federal level, there are several states that are currently pushing those proposals through today,” said Troy Hammond, president and CEO of Pensionmark Retirement Group. “This innovative retirement plan allows employers a strategy that has virtually the same employer involvement as a simple payroll-deducted IRA program, but with the benefits of a comprehensive 401(k) plan.”

The Retirement Plan Exchange is designed so that small-market retirement plan sponsors can enjoy the protections and convenience of fiduciary support along with total retirement outsourcing in a cost-efficient retirement plan. The advantages of participating in the Retirement Plan Exchange include:

» Cost-efficiency — Participating employers enjoy advantages through asset pooling, fee reductions as plan assets increase, and reduced audit fees for participating employers with more than 100 eligible employees.

» Comprehensive Professional Fiduciary Platform — Employers who participate in the Retirement Plan Exchange can enjoy the benefits, guidance and protections offered by the professional services of the 3(38) investment fiduciary and the 3(21) named non-investment fiduciary.

» Administrative Ease — Small businesses will now be able to take advantage of a retirement plan solution that allows retirement outsourcing by delegating duties and certain responsibilities to the 3(16) plan administrator, and the third-party administrator. Every participating employer in the Retirement Plan Exchange will have access to a retirement specialist, financial advisor and investment analytics provided by Pensionmark.

» Plan Design Flexibility — Plan sponsors can choose from many plan design provisions that meet their unique needs, while outsourcing tasks such as managing the plan document, preparing or signing the plan’s Form 5500, and ensuring that legal notices are disseminated to employees.

» Automatic Enrollment and Deferral Increase — To help plan participants save for retirement, the Retirement Plan Exchange offers default auto enrollment at a 6 percent initial contribution rate with a 2 percent automatic increase in each of the next two years. Additionally, a Roth 401(k) provision will be automatically available to all participants who desire to save in an after-tax environment.

Pensionmark Retirement Group offers the Retirement Plan Exchange in conjunction with TAG Resources, Sunwest Pensions, Transamerica Retirement Solutions and other select partners.

— Kristine Miller is a communications and public relations manager for Pensionmark Retirement Group.