The retirement plan environment in 2026 is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Broker-dealers and wirehouses are balancing regulatory shifts, market volatility, changing client expectations, and rapid technological advancements. For firms operating in this environment, the need for scale, consistency, and high-touch service has never been greater.… Read More
Retirement plan design is entering a new phase of complexity. With changes introduced under SECURE 2.0, employers, especially multi-entity organizations, need to rethink how their plans are structured, administered, and supported. The Roth catch-up requirement for higher earners brings new operational demands across payroll, plan documents, and recordkeeping.… Read More
When Retirement Plan Design Should Start The advisor calls with a referral. A business owner, profitable, ten employees, wants to put more away this year. Solid situation on the surface. The handoff happens, the meeting gets scheduled, and somewhere in the intake process a number comes in, owner compensation of $180,000, structured as W-2.… Read More
Technology is reshaping the retirement plan industry, and at the center of it all lies data. How does data move, who is responsible for oversight, how much manual data manipulation needs to be in place, how can we protect client data… it’s all about data.… Read More
The defined contribution ecosystem is larger and more interconnected than ever. Recordkeepers, payroll providers, advisors, Retirement Plan Consultants (RPCs), DCIOs, and technology vendors all operate inside a system that now exceeds $12 trillion in assets. At that scale, infrastructure decisions are no longer operational footnotes.… Read More
the asteri collective featured image with logo
The Asteri Collective, a national alliance of independent Retirement Plan Consulting firms, announces the addition of four new member firms, continuing its rapid expansion and strengthening its influence across the retirement plan ecosystem. Building on the momentum outlined in its January announcement , the Collective continues to attract firms aligned around innovation, collaboration, and the highest caliber of plan design.… Read More
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
According to recent industry data, U.S. defined contribution plans now hold nearly $14 trillion in assets, with approximately $10 trillion in 401(k) plans alone. The majority of those assets remain in single-employer plans. This isn’t just a statistic. It’s a signal.… Read More
Why Anthony Warren Joined The Asteri Collective
A perspective on contribution, collaboration, and the future of the retirement industry The retirement plan industry is evolving. Sustainable growth is no longer driven by isolated competition or firm-by-firm scale. It is increasingly shaped by collaboration, alignment, and shared outcomes across the ecosystem.… Read More
What Multi-Entity Employers Need to Know Beginning in 2026, the SECURE 2.0 Roth catch-up requirement becomes operational. For many employers, the rule itself is familiar. The operational coordination it requires is what elevates the conversation. On paper, the mandate is straightforward.… Read More