Fred Barstein
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Fred Barstein is Founder and Executive Director of The Retirement Advisor University (TRAU) - previously he was CEO, President and Founder of 401kExchange.
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Articles by Fred Barstein
What Plan Sponsors Really Need as the 401(k) Industry Evolves
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
11 Years of Change: What Matters Most to Retirement Plan Sponsors Today?
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Could Voluntary Benefits Become the Next Target for ERISA Lawsuits?
Retirement plan sponsors have spent years navigating lawsuits about excessive fees and fiduciary responsibilities. Now, another category of employee benefits may be attracting plaintiffs’ attorneys’ attention: voluntary insurance programs. These programs, which typically include accident, critical illness, cancer, and hospital indemnity coverage, are often funded entirely by employees and structured to fall outside the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
401(k) Real Talk Episode 214: October 28, 2026
Open, honest and candid discussion about a new Capital Group TDF, the value of DC plans, how advisors are selecting record keepers, changes coming to 401(k) plans and more. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories.
Major Changes Coming to 401(k) Plans Driven by Employers, Participants
Though they seem to be led by providers and advisors, plan sponsors ultimately decide what is good for them and how that affects their retirement plans, which in turn will drive change for those in the defined contribution industry willing to listen. After 700 half-day TPSU educational programs with over 16,000 plan sponsors in an open, interactive and safe forum, the issues that come up most often are not always where the industry focuses.
Major Changes Coming to 401(k) Plans Driven by Employers, Participants
Though they seem to be led by providers and advisors, plan sponsors ultimately decide what is good for them and how that affects their retirement plans, which in turn will drive change for those in the defined contribution industry willing to listen. After 700 half-day TPSU educational programs with over 16,000 plan sponsors in an open, interactive and safe forum, the issues that come up most often are not always where the industry focuses.
Breaking Language Barriers to Improve 401(k) Participation
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
How State Retirement Mandates Are Reshaping the 401(k) Industry
A small change can sometimes lead to much bigger consequences. That’s the idea behind the butterfly effect, and it’s playing out across the retirement industry. As more states require employers to offer retirement savings options, the number of workplace retirement plans is growing rapidly. But the impact goes well beyond creating new plans.
What Plan Sponsors Can Learn From a Financial Advisor’s YouTube Success
Who says people don’t have the attention span for long-form financial education? Kevin Lum, a certified financial planner and founder of Foundry Financial, has built an audience of more than 220,000 YouTube subscribers by explaining retirement planning concepts. Several of his videos have surpassed a million views, while a 26-minute explanation of Social Security benefits has attracted roughly 600,000 views.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 213: October 21, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories. Worth Reading: Read the full raw transcript below: Greetings & a warm welcome to this week’s edition of 401k Real Talk.
Butterfly Effect of State Mandates on 401(k) Plans
The advent of state mandates requiring employers to offer a retirement plan has sparked an explosion in plan formation. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule4 Min Read The “butterfly effect” created by MIT meteorologist Edward Lorenz postulates that small events that are part of an integrated ecosystem could have large effects.
Why Private Equity Is Betting Big on TPAs
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
A More Engaged 401(k) Committee Starts With New Voices
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Retirement Plan Advisors Face Growing Expectations as Plan Complexity Increases
As retirement plans become more complex and employees look for more financial guidance, plan sponsors are expecting more from their retirement plan advisors. In a recent HRD America article, Aaron Tallen, vice president and head of distribution operations and 401 defined contributions at Security Benefit, discussed how changing plan designs, administrative demands, and participant expectations are reshaping advisor relationships.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 212: October 14, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories. Worth Reading: Read the full raw transcript below: Greetings & a warm welcome to this week’s edition of 401k Real Talk.
Why TPAs are Suddenly Sexy
Recently, a young, well-heeled private equity veteran called to say he intends to raise funds to acquire TPAs. My first question was, “Why?” Not because there is anything wrong with TPAs, but roll-ups are hard, and there are more than a handful of competitors. “I get a call or email a week from PE firms looking to invest or buy,” stated Bob Carroll, managing partner at Map Retirement, which was acquired by a PE group in 2024 after making seven acquisitions of their own.
The Road to Wealth and Retirement Convergence Still Has Roadblocks
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Vanguard: Small 401(k) Plans Show Strong Savings Habits, With Room to Improve Access
Small businesses employ nearly half of all private-sector workers and represent the vast majority of employers offering defined contribution retirement plans. New Vanguard data suggests their employees are demonstrating some encouraging retirement savings behaviors.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 211: October 7, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories. Worth Reading: Read the full raw transcript below: Greetings & a warm welcome to this week’s edition of 401k Real Talk.
Obstacles Facing Convergence of Wealth and Retirement at Work
Data issues, tech limits and engagement challenges remain significant. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule4 Min Read While momentum behind the convergence of wealth and retirement at the workplace continues and seems unstoppable, there are still major obstacles that must be faced and overcome.
Making Retirement Real: Helping Participants Budget for the Future
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Let’s Rethink the Role of 401(k) Loans in Retirement Planning
Borrowing from a 401(k) is often treated as something participants should avoid whenever possible. Taking money out of a retirement account means less money invested for the future, right? Not necessarily. In a recent Fiduciary News article, Christopher Carosa, CTFA examines whether 401(k) loans deserve a more nuanced look, starting with an important difference between loans and withdrawals.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 210: September 30, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories. Worth Reading: Read the full raw transcript below: Greetings & a warm welcome to this week’s edition of 401k Real Talk.
Major Obstacles Inhibit Widespread Adoption of Retirement Income in DC Plans
Why the industry is still dancing in the dark and how to reach critical mass.
As the Lines Blur, the DC Market Race Heats Up
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Meeting Participants Where They Are: Making 401(k) Education Click
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
When Should Participant Preferences Shape Retirement Plan Decisions?
Participant feedback can offer valuable insight into what employees want from their retirement benefits. But translating those preferences into plan decisions requires plan sponsors and fiduciaries to first understand what kind of decision they’re making. Ask retirement plan participants what they want from their benefits and they’ll probably have plenty to say. More investment choices. Greater access to their savings. Features that help address financial needs long before retirement.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 209: September 23, 2026
Open, honest and candid discussion about Creative Planning acquiring RVK, fake letters to the DOL, SIMPLE 401(k) plans, blurred lines between RPAs and institutional consultants and more. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories.
Lines Blurring Between RPAs and Institutional Investment Consultants
The competition to win the convergence race is heating up. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule4 Min Read The distinction between defined contribution firms that identify themselves as advisors or institutional investment consultants has been blurring for the past 20 years. It had been and continues to be based to some extent on the size of plans served.
How Plan Sponsors Can Better Engage Employees in Their Financial Lives
Employee engagement continues to be one of the most persistent challenges facing retirement plan sponsors, particularly as employees juggle retirement savings alongside healthcare costs and other financial priorities. At a recent The Plan Sponsor University program at the University of Hartford, that broader financial picture became an important part of the conversation around how employers can better support and engage their workforce.
AI Can Help Run Your Plan But Fiduciaries Still Own the Mistakes
AI is showing up in more corners of plan administration: personalized communications, claims processing, investment reviews, even committee minutes. The time savings are real. But so are the risks, and ERISA fiduciaries don’t get to outsource accountability just because they’ve outsourced the work. Carol Buckmann of Cohen & Buckmann, a New York-based executive compensation and benefits law firm, walked through the risks and implications in a recent post.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 208: September 16, 2026
Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories. Worth Reading: Read the full raw transcript below: Greetings & a warm welcome to this week’s edition of 401k Real Talk.
Vanguard’s Altruist Acquisition Raises New Questions for the 401(k) Industry
Vanguard’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Altruist raises new questions about how the company plans to position itself across the retirement and wealth management markets. Altruist gives Vanguard a modern digital custody and technology platform that can support independent advisors while expanding its reach to mass-affluent investors and retirement plan participants.
PBM Transparency Gives Plan Sponsors Greater Control
There is a growing shift in the pharmacy benefit management industry toward greater transparency. A PBM, or pharmacy benefit manager, helps employers and health plans manage prescription drug benefits, including covered medications, claims, costs and pricing. Today, plan sponsors are seeking clearer information about PBM fees, rebates, drug pricing and claims data so they can better understand where their healthcare dollars are going and have greater control over their pharmacy benefit.
Healthcare Costs Are Set to Jump Again and Retirement Savings Could Feel the Squeeze
Employer healthcare costs are expected to rise 8.2% in 2027, according to Marsh Inc.’s latest national survey—the fifth straight year of increases and the largest year-over-year jump since 2003, when Marsh forecast a 13.9% increase. A recent PlanAdviser article by Edward Rueda breaks down the survey findings, which are based on responses from more than 1,800 U.S. employers. Without cost-reduction measures, employers reported that next year’s health benefit costs would climb an average of 11%.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 207: September 9, 2026
Open, honest and candid discussion about August jobs numbers, healthcare costs, the increase in 401(k) millionaires, Vanguard and the DC industry and more. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories.
Why Vanguard is Still an Enigma to the 401(k) Industry
The $4.3 billion Altruist acquisition adds to the mystery. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule3 Min Read An enigma is a person, thing or situation that is mysterious, puzzling or hard to understand, which describes how many retirement plan advisors and most of the 401(k) industry view Vanguard—the recent $4.3 billion Altruist acquisition potentially increases the riddle.
401(k) Real Talk Episode 206: September 4, 2026
Open, honest and candid discussion about World Investment Advisors for sale, DCIO and record keeper consolidation, the RIA steroid era, advisor credentials and more. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University Welcome to this week’s edition of 401(k) Real Talk, where Fred Barstein, contributing editor for Wealth Management’s RPA channel, reviews all of last week’s industry news and selects the five most important/interesting stories.
Why Plan Sponsors Are Taking a Closer Look at PEPs & MEPs
For many HR teams, retirement plan oversight is competing for attention with an already crowded list of responsibilities. That pressure is helping drive new interest in pooled employer plans (PEPs) and other group retirement arrangements that can shift some of the administrative and fiduciary workload away from the employer.
RPA Aggregators Enter the Shakeout Phase
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Switching Recordkeepers Is Always an Option. That Doesn’t Mean It’s Easy.
Anyone deep in the Apple or Android ecosystem knows the feeling. You could switch. Nothing is stopping you. But years of apps, passwords, photos, and habits have piled up, and crossing to the other side would be a hassle. The competing product would have to be a lot better—not just a little better—to justify the trouble. The same dynamic plays out in retirement plan recordkeeping. Plan sponsors retain the legal authority to change providers. The contract can be terminated. Competitors can submit bids.
RPA Aggregator Consolidation to Heat Up
The latest rumored deal by World Insurance is a sign of things to come. Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule3 Min Read Even though the days of the “buy anything that moves” mentality among many RPA aggregators have ended, with many shifting to wealth firms, the bloom may be off the rose, as another large firm is speculated to be on the market.
Making Retirement Plan Complexity Easier to Understand
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Recordkeepers Can’t Win on Products Alone Anymore
Nearly 11,000 Americans turn 65 every day. The industry knows how to help people save. Helping them spend is a different problem. Joshua Dietch, a partner at NMG Consulting, writes in Wealth Management(opens in new tab) that the defined contribution industry has spent decades rewarding specialization. Recordkeepers administered plans. Advisors served employers. Asset managers built products. Insurers provided guarantees. That worked when accumulation was the goal.
Small Businesses and Gig Workers are Redefining Workplace Savings
Can RPAs, wealth advisors and providers adapt? Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule3 Min Read A recent report by Gusto senior economist Nich Tremper analyzing administrative payroll data indicates a a 64% increase from 2019 to 2026 in retirement plans by small businesses defined as organizations with 2-99 employees. Cerulli reports that 92% of defined contribution plans will be in the micro market by 2029, and total plans will surpass one million by 2030.
Small Businesses and Gig Workers are Redefining Workplace Savings
Retirement Can RPAs, wealth advisors and providers adapt? Fred Barstein,Founder and CEO,The Retirement Adviser University schedule3 Min Read A recent report by Gusto senior economist Nich Tremper analyzing administrative payroll data indicates a a 64% increase from 2019 to 2026 in retirement plans by small businesses defined as organizations with 2-99 employees.
Why Personalized Retirement Education Matters for Employees
A 401(k) statement can feel like a foreign language — market jargon, fund names, percentages that seem to shift for no reason. For many employees, that confusion is enough to make them tune out their retirement plan entirely. Companies that get retirement education right understand this, and they treat it as an ongoing conversation rather than a once-a-year checkbox.
A Missing Detail in Your SPD Could Cost You More Than You Think
Most fiduciaries don’t think of their summary plan description as a liability risk. It’s a compliance document—something the recordkeeper drafts, maybe HR reviews, and participants file away without reading. But a recent court decision shows just how expensive an incomplete SPD can be. Carol Buckmann of Cohen & Buckmann walks through the case in a recent post. In Pederson v. Kinder Morgan Inc.
Connecting Health Benefits and 401(k) Savings
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
Financial Planning Moves Into the Workplace
TRAU, Inc. and its affiliates TPSU and 401kTV do not provide investment, legal, tax or accounting advice. 401kTV readers and viewers should consult their legal and tax advisors for guidance. All materials, including but not limited to articles, directories, photos, videos, graphics etc., on this website are the sole property of TRAU, Inc. and are intended for educational purposes only.
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