Decumulation: Engineering a Paycheck for Life

For decades, the defined contribution (DC) system has focused almost exclusively on accumulation, how much participants save, invest, and grow their retirement assets. But as trillions of dollars now sit inside single-employer 401(k) plans, a new challenge has emerged: decumulation. How do we help participants convert those assets into sustainable, reliable income in retirement?… Read More

How Wages Determine Roth Catch-Up Contributions

What Multi-Entity Employers Need to Know The SECURE 2.0 Act introduced a major shift for high earners: beginning in 2026 (extended from 2024), employees who earn more than $145,000 in FICA wages from a single employer will be required to make catch-up contributions to a Roth account if they want to make them at all.… Read More

How Wages Determine Roth Catch-Up Contributions

What Multi-Entity Employers Need to Know The SECURE 2.0 Act introduced a major shift for high earners: beginning in 2026 (extended from 2024), employees who earn more than $145,000 in FICA wages from a single employer will be required to make catch-up contributions to a Roth account if they want to make them at all.… Read More

The Advisor’s Guide to DB/DC Client Conversations

Let’s cut to the chase. If you’re an advisor, you’re already fielding questions about DB/DC plan combinations. These are among the most powerful tax and retirement savings tools available for high-income business owners, and yet many have never heard of them.… Read More

Bundled vs. Unbundled Retirement Plans: What You Need to Know

The bundled vs. unbundled conversation is usually framed around the plan sponsor. At The Asteri Collective, we think bigger. When you put the Retirement Plan Consultant (RPC) at the center, the plan structure impacts everyone in the retirement ecosystem: advisors, recordkeepers, DCIOs, and sponsors.… Read More

The Future of Data Sharing & Technology in the Retirement Planning Industry

Technology is reshaping the retirement plan industry. At the center of it all: data. As Retirement Plan Consultants (formerly known as TPAs), we sit at the intersection of payroll, recordkeeping, compliance, and plan design. And for years, that intersection has been messy, marked by manual processes, incomplete files, and frustrating delays.… Read More

The Retirement Planning Ecosystem: Roles and Responsibilities

Why the Retirement Plan Consultant Belongs at the Center of It All When business owners set out to offer a retirement plan, they’re not just offering a benefit, they’re creating a financial system that must serve the needs of the business, the employees, and the owners themselves.… Read More

The Asteri Collective Launch – Press Release September 2025

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Asteri Collective Communications ann@astericollective.org www.astericollective.org Asteri Collective Launches to Redefine the Role of Retirement Plan Consultants August 19, 2025 A group of the nation’s top retirement plan consulting firms has officially launched The Asteri Collective, a collaboration committed to elevating the role of Retirement Plan Consultants (RPCs) across the retirement planning ecosystem.… Read More

TPA vs Retirement Plan Consultant: What’s the Difference?

In the retirement industry, the term TPA, short for Third Party Administrator, gets tossed around a lot. It’s the industry standard. But for those of us who live and breathe plan design, compliance, and strategy, the title doesn’t go far enough.… Read More

$8 Trillion and Counting: What the Dominance of Single-Employer 401(k) Plans Means for Advisors and Business Owners

According to recent survey data, single-employer 401(k) plans represent more than $8 trillion of the $12 trillion in defined contribution assets in the U.S. That’s two-thirds of the entire market, and it’s growing. This isn’t just a statistic. It’s a signal.… Read More