401(k) Consulting Services
Regain Control of Your Company's Retirement Plan Today
We work with business owners and plan participants to help review 401(k) plan structure, identify potentially excessive fees, and support fiduciary process documentation. We do not provide legal or tax advice and do not guarantee any particular compliance outcome.
Unsure if Your Plan is Good, Bad, or Ugly?
Many business owners and employees may pay more than necessary on plan-related fees, hold sub-optimal allocations, or have gaps in ERISA-related plan administration. A documented review of your plan's fee disclosures (404(a)(5), 408(b)(2)) and investment lineup can identify areas to discuss with a qualified adviser.
Our 401(k) consulting services include:
Plan Design & Benchmarking
Fiduciary Guidance
Investment Selection
Employee Education
For Business Owners & HR Teams
Designed to help support review of plan fee efficiency, ERISA-related process documentation, and alignment with your goals. This is not legal, tax, or ERISA compliance advice.
For Individuals
Help with rollover considerations, contribution planning, and investment-lineup review (final decisions and rollovers should be made with your tax adviser and a qualified financial professional after reviewing your plan documents).
Our detailed analysis helps you understand exactly where your plan stands
Why Companies Change or Fire Their 401(k) Advisor
Understanding these common pitfalls can help you evaluate your current plan management
Lack of Communication
Clients often feel abandoned when advisors don't proactively reach out, return calls, or provide regular updates. Poor communication leads to mistrust and frustration.
High or excessive or undisclosed fees
Many investors are unaware of the fees they're paying until they dig deeper. Once they realize they're being charged excessively; often without corresponding value; they lose confidence.
Poor Investment Performance
While markets fluctuate, persistent underperformance compared to benchmarks or peers often prompts clients to question the advisor's strategy or competence.
Lack of Transparency
If advisors are vague about how they make money, what products they're recommending, or how decisions are made, clients feel like they're being taken advantage of.
Failure to Act in Client's Best Interest
Many clients assume their advisor is acting in a fiduciary capacity; but not all are. When clients find out their advisor was steering them into products for commissions, trust is broken.
Unclear or Misleading Advice
Confusing jargon, inconsistent recommendations, or advice that doesn't align with the client's goals can prompt clients to walk away.
Neglecting the 401(k)
Some advisors don't actively manage or even consider the client's 401(k) as part of the overall financial picture. That's a major oversight when it's often the largest retirement asset.
Lack of Retirement Planning credentialed (CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®)
Clients expect advisors to understand retirement planning specifics, including RMDs, tax optimization, Roth conversions, and more. A lack of credentialed (CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®) is a dealbreaker.
Better Self-Education Options
With tools like robo-advisors, low-fee index funds, and abundant financial education online, many clients fire their advisors because they feel empowered to do it themselves.
One-Size-Fits-All Advice
Clients want tailored advice based on their specific goals, risk tolerance, and life situation. Generic or cookie-cutter strategies raise red flags.
How Good is Your 401(k) Plan?
Here is our process to help you find the answer.
Enhancing a Solid 401(k) Plan
Great job, but there's always room to optimize
Your 401(k) plan is already in excellent shape! But even the best plans can benefit from ongoing review. We'll help you stay ahead of changing regulations.
What you might be doing right:
- Low investment and administrative fees
- Strong employee engagement and contributions
- Diverse, top-tier investment options
- Documented fiduciary processes and compliance coordination
Elevating an Average 401(k)
Solid foundation, but it could be better
You've got a decent plan, but some key adjustments could lead to better performance and long-term savings. We'll benchmark your plan and review fee disclosure documents to help identify potential cost-reduction areas. Results depend on data provided; some fees embedded in insurance or proprietary products may not be detectable.
Where you might be losing ground:
- Fees are higher than they should be
- Participation is average or declining
- Investment options may need updating
- Possible gaps in compliance or documentation
Turning a Weak Plan into a Winner
Let's fix this before it becomes a problem
Your 401(k) plan might be costing your business and your employees more than it should. Don't let inefficiencies or compliance risks go unnoticed.
What could be going wrong:
- Potentially high disclosed fees that may affect participant outcomes
- Poor participation or unhappy employees
- Underperforming or outdated investments
- Risk of non-compliance with ERISA rules
Recordkeepers Commonly Included in 401(k) Benchmarking
These are examples of widely used recordkeepers whose publicly available plan information may be considered during a review. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement, affiliation, or a current client relationship.
Meet Your 401(k) Advisor
Brett Henderson
AIF®, BFA™, CEPA®, CRPS®, CIMA®, CLU®, CPFA®
With over 21+ years of experience in financial services, Brett Henderson specializes in customized 401(k) plan reviews and retirement planning. Investment advisory services are offered through the firm's SEC-registered investment adviser to clients in the states where the firm is registered or qualifies for an exemption (currently CA and TX); availability in any other jurisdiction is subject to applicable registration and notice-filing requirements. Brett is passionate about simplifying retirement planning and making clear, plain-English information accessible.
- 21+ years in financial planning
- Experience advising on 401(k) plan design, fee benchmarking, and investment-lineup reviews for small and mid-size businesses
- Certified CRPS®, CPFA®, AIF® and more
Start Building Wealth With SWE 401(k) Builder in 3 Easy Steps
Crafting your ideal financial future; together
Schedule a 401(k) and Financial Review
During this call, a financial adviser will review your company's plan, assess your current finances, and discuss your future goals.
Receive Customized 401(k) Plan Analysis
We handle the hard stuff, guiding you every step of the way, from onboarding to continual account adjustments to help you avoid costly mistakes.
Let Us Do All the Heavy Lifting
We guide you every step of the way, from onboarding to continual account adjustments, to help you avoid costly mistakes and work toward building wealth.
Download the Fidelity Plan Sponsor Attitudes Survey
In this Fidelity Plan Sponsor Attitudes Survey, we look at how organizations are addressing retirement plan challenges, including:
- Juggling the administrative burdens of a 401(k)
- Desire to offload fiduciary risk
- Having more compelling investment options
- Support for plan participants
- Pressure to lower fees and costs
Enter your information to download your free summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Your 401(k) Plan Review Starts Here
Whether you're starting fresh or upgrading an outdated plan, we're here to help.
Talk to an Advisor