Independent

The investment advisor to a retirement plan should be free from any real (or perceived) conflicts of interest. QP Consulting’s founder worked in prior jobs on behalf of the vendors. In these roles, he was able to see the many conflicts that come into play in the brokerage world and the vendor world. There are obvious conflicts like recommending an affiliates investment manager or trust company that most plan sponsors can easily see. What is more difficult to vet are the undisclosed shelf space arrangements, exclusive sales agreements, and soft dollar revenue sharing or bonus compensation programs that brokerage firms and vendor firms participate in. QP Consulting can help plan sponsors and investors navigate this maze to provide a solution that works for you and your employees.

Fiduciary Protection

With Fiduciary being the industry buzz word of the day, it is very difficult for Plan Sponsors to analyze the many shades of gray that are being marketed. Some provide little protection while a limited few actually help to reduce Plan Fiduciaries liability. QP Consulting can be engaged as either an ERISA 3(21) fiduciary or ERISA 3(38) investment manager. While the appropriate arrangement depends on the client and their needs, many prospective clients we meet with are not served in either capacity today. If you do not have a contract with your advisor, you are not being properly served. If you have a contract with exclusionary language that simply provides fiduciary guidance, you are also likely not being served. We can go beyond guidance and provide tangible advice that can help you significantly reduce your fiduciary liability.

Prudent Investments

Plan Sponsors should seek out prudent investments that can be backed by a legally sound, academically oriented, and cost effective methodology. At QP Consulting, we can provide sound advice that gets us away from picking the four or five star fund of the year, and focus on long term investments that will provide our participants with accurate asset class exposure at a reasonable cost.

Experience

The advisor to a retirement plan should have consulted with many businesses and organizations over the course of many years in the area of qualified retirement plans. Too often, investment advisors are distracted by the allure of selling additional products and services to plan participants. These activities are a nuisance at best and, at worst, may create conflicts of interest for the plan sponsor and investment advisor. At QP Consulting, we have broad industry experience that allows us to constantly provide updated and innovative solutions to you and your plan participants.