The Collective Objective

From our perspective, the objective of the Asteri Collective is to create an effective directive for all of the respective players in the RPC world.  What the Asteri Collective Is Actually Trying to Do There is a difference between saying you want to “improve the industry” and being willing to reorganize how it actually functions.… Read More

Heightened Cybersecurity Concerns in Retirement Plans

Rising Security Risks in Retirement Plans A June 2025 NAPA-Net / Escalent survey shows that cybersecurity threats and data breaches are now the top concern for 401(k) plan sponsors of all sizes. NAPA.net Some of the key findings: 52% of plan sponsor respondents named cybersecurity/data breaches as their greatest fear. … Read More

Broker-Dealers + Wirehouses: Adapting & Innovating for the Future of Retirement Planning

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

Set It Up Now or Fix It Later: How Employers Should Prepare for Roth Catch-Up

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

Simplifying Retirement Plan Discussions for Advisors

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

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

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

Platform Dependency Risk in Retirement Plans: What Happens When Your Recordkeeper Controls the Roadmap

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

Press Release: The Asteri Collective Expands National Footprint with New Member Firms

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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

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

$10 Trillion and Counting: What the Dominance of Single-Employer 401(k) Plans Means for Advisors and Business Owners

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