Make the next decision for your company's 401(k).
Work with a small-business 401(k) plan advisor to start a new plan, compare the one you have, or coordinate a provider transition with a clear process for the sponsor and practical guidance for employees.
We have you covered.
Qmulate helps coordinate plan design, provider relationships, participant guidance, and ongoing investment-review support around the needs of your business.
Built around your plan's situation.
Support for businesses establishing, reviewing, or transitioning a retirement plan.
The timeline.
A new plan or provider conversion moves through a defined set of decisions, documents, notices, data, and launch steps. Timing varies by plan and provider.
Plan Establishment — We sit down with you to ensure you have all necessary records from your existing provider, including executed plan documents and compliance tests. If this is a new plan, we establish the nature and structure of your 401(k).
Notifications — After the new arrangement is selected, the sponsor and providers establish a conversion timeline, including when participant records and assets will move to the selected recordkeeper and custodial arrangement.
Transition — We update you to send blackout notices to your participants to freeze accounts in preparation for the asset transfer. The blackout period usually isn't long but it depends on the nature of the previous plan and how it was structured.
Set-up — Set your retirement plan up, upload your participants, and configure payroll. Any documentation that needs to be signed off will occur now and the new plan will be set forth.
Launch — Your plan is live! Each participant will receive an email guiding them on how to set up their account, change their contribution amount, and change their investment options. From there we will meet in person with each and every participant in order to provide investment advice personalized to them and their initial asset allocation.
Some FAQs
Absolutely, we can setup plans for single owners, independent contractors, small businesses and large businesses.
Qmulate Capital is a California Registered Investment Advisor. We provide personalized investment guidance intended to help participants evaluate the choices available through their plan. Our investment approach is informed by Modern Portfolio Theory, Efficient Market Theory, and Capital Asset Pricing Model.
Investment menus can be difficult for employees to evaluate on their own. We help participants understand diversification, risk, and available investment choices while they retain control over their accounts.
If employees decide that they want to make their own investment decisions, they can simply elect to manage their own portfolio via the core fund lineup or through the Self Directed Brokerage Account.
Qmulate Capital provides retirement plan services on a non-discretionary basis under ERISA 3(21) and serves in a limited-scope fiduciary capacity. The plan sponsor retains final authority over plan decisions. According to the US Department of Labor (DOL):
Fiduciaries have important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they act on behalf of participants in a retirement plan and their beneficiaries. These responsibilities include:
- Acting solely in the interest of plan participants and their beneficiaries and with the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to them;
- Carrying out their duties prudently;
- Following the plan documents (unless inconsistent with ERISA);
- Diversifying plan investments; and
- Paying only reasonable plan expenses.
As with any important task, we thoroughly analyze your needs for the business, yourself and participants. We conduct a round of conference calls or meetings to determine these needs. After everything is agreed upon, we submit documentation for signatures along with plan details. The overall turnaround to go live as a new plan or transitioning from another provider is typically between 45-60 (depending on variable) days before the plan is ready to launch.
Yes, we believe in financial literacy education and fully informing employees about their retirement plans. We conduct one-on-one enrollment meetings with the participants to learn about their goals, needs and tolerance for risk.
There are also online training and education resources via the plan provider.
Our support team is also available by e-mail: [email protected] or phone (805) 465-7370.
Qmulate is also able to facilitate 403(b) plans. A 403(b) plan is similar to a 401(k), but only available for public education organizations, some non-profit employers, cooperative hospital service organizations, and self-employed ministers in the United States. If your company falls into any one of these categories, we would be happy to assist you in setting up a 403(b).
Start by benchmarking the current plan, identifying the services and investments that should change, selecting the new provider arrangement, and building a transition calendar. Qmulate can coordinate with the plan sponsor and independent providers through the conversion process.
Yes. A benchmark can review plan fees, investment expenses and options, participant services, recordkeeping, education, and fiduciary documentation. The goal is to give the plan sponsor a clearer basis for deciding whether to retain or change the current arrangement.
Costs depend on plan design, participant count, assets, recordkeeping, administration, custody, and advisory services. Qmulate publishes its current advisory, base, and participant pricing on the 401(k) pricing page.