Fred Barstein

Fred Barstein, founder and CEO of The Retirement Advisor University and The Plan Sponsor University, offers insights on the business of retirement plan advisers.

Fred Barstein
Displaying 158 results
Covid, convergence, consolidation and the 2021 RPA roundtables
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING JAN 13, 2022
Covid, convergence, consolidation and the 2021 RPA roundtables

Aggregators realize that in-plan retirement income solutions are needed, while CIOs understand that advisers need to be able to help participants navigate the myriad of benefits offered at work.

Chief investment officers critical to success of DC plans, participants
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 15, 2021
Chief investment officers critical to success of DC plans, participants

CIOs from the leading DC record keepers, aggregators and broker-dealers discussed their greatest opportunities and challenges.

RPAs need a new name to reach the next level
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 08, 2021
RPAs need a new name to reach the next level

While 'retirement plan adviser' has been a good description of those who serve ERISA retirement plans, it's actually quite limiting to focus on the plan, rather than the participant.

Who will win the 401(k) battle in the 2020s?
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING DEC 01, 2021
Who will win the 401(k) battle in the 2020s?

The start of the 2020s has been dominated by the three Cs — Covid, convergence and consolidation. Government mandates could cause the small and startup plan market to explode, and RPA consolidation has blown up.

RPA aggregators focused on convergence, consolidation and cooperation
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING NOV 22, 2021
RPA aggregators focused on convergence, consolidation and cooperation

Unlike any other industry event, the RPA Aggregator event had no agenda. All participants were focused on the defined-contribution industry’s biggest opportunities and challenges.

What Creative Planning’s deal for Lockton’s retirement unit means for RPAs
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING NOV 15, 2021
What Creative Planning’s deal for Lockton’s retirement unit means for RPAs

The transaction marks the first time a top-five RIA has acquired a top-five retirement plan adviser firm, which could send Creative Planning's rivals scrambling to find larger RPAs.

What Ascensus purchase of Newport Group means for advisers
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING NOV 08, 2021
What Ascensus purchase of Newport Group means for advisers

Last week’s announced purchase of Newport Group by Ascensus comes on the heels of Empower’s purchases of MassMutual’s and Prudential’s record-keeping divisions.

'Next best dollar,' a benefits application for retirement plan advisers
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING NOV 03, 2021
'Next best dollar,' a benefits application for retirement plan advisers

There's a war for talent heating up, fueled by the Great Resignation and more workers retiring as a result of the pandemic, which makes benefits more important than ever.

Broker-dealers critical to expand 401(k) coverage and help participants
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 27, 2021
Broker-dealers critical to expand 401(k) coverage and help participants

The RPA Broker-Dealer Roundtable and Think Tank covered getting data, providing plan access and helping participants with low balances.

Dangers advisers may face due to record-keeper consolidation
RETIREMENT RETIREMENT PLANNING OCT 20, 2021
Dangers advisers may face due to record-keeper consolidation

The larger providers produced by consolidation will cater to larger RPA groups like aggregators and major broker-dealers at the expense of smaller, independent RPAs.