402(a)/3(16) Fiduciary

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Reimagining Retirement Plan Management

Retirement plan management is broken. Employers carry all the risk, even though they’re not compliance experts. ERISA SMART changes that. Founded by a former Department of Labor investigator, we step into the employer’s shoes as your 402(a) Named Fiduciary and 3(16) Administrator. We handle the oversight, operations, and compliance working seamlessly with your advisors and delivering a clean, auditable annual report. This is retirement plan management, reimagined. Less risk. Less burden. More confidence.

Professional IT Services for Your Business

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

ERISA SMART assumes full fiduciary responsibility for the operation and oversight of your retirement plan, relieving the plan sponsor of the day-to-day compliance burden. This allows employers to focus on running their business, while only needing to make high-level decisions about the plan when necessary. With ERISA SMART in place, you gain expert oversight, risk mitigation, and peace of mind—without getting lost in the details.

The Other Fiduciary Models

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

Most fiduciary models in the retirement plan space are limited in scope and fall short when it comes to truly mitigating risk for the employer. Many providers offer “fiduciary support” or claim to share responsibility, but in reality, their roles are often narrowly defined or purely contractual. Some don’t actually serve as fiduciaries at all—they simply outline administrative services in a way that gives the impression of protection without assuming any legal liability.

The Broken Model

The Department of Labor finds violations in around 70% of the retirement plans it investigates, and that’s not because employers are acting in bad faith—it’s because the system is flawed. The traditional model places full fiduciary responsibility on the employer, someone who is typically not a retirement plan expert. Expecting business owners or HR teams to navigate complex ERISA rules while managing day-to-day operations is unrealistic and risky. Most violations stem from operational errors, like late deposits or eligibility oversights, not intentional misconduct. The truth is, making the employer personally responsible for compliance has never made sense and the high rate of DOL findings proves it’s a broken model. Plans need expert oversight, not misplaced liability.

Technology when it matters

We utilize our own proprietary software to ensure your plan remains compliant and that all tasks associated with their duties is fully documented. Developed by former Department of Labor Investigators our technology implements the same strategy of an IRS or Department of Labor Audit

Regulators Encourage Outsourcing

ERISA allows and sometimes encourages the outsourcing of fiduciary duties. By doing so you, as the employer can eliminate a substantial amount of your fiduciary risk and spend more time focusing on your business.

Boost Your Business with ERISA SMART's IT Services

Plan Document Service

Participant Plan Management Services

Plan & Participant Required Notices

Interpret Plan Document
Review and Approve Summary Plan Description
Review and Approve Material Modifications
Coordination of Plan Document Amendments
Review and Approve Summary Annual Report
Review Document Restatement
Administer Loan Policy
Review Fidelity Bond Coverage

Plan & Participant Required Notices

Participant Plan Management Services

Plan & Participant Required Notices

404(c) Participant Disclosures
Electronic Communication Notice
Qualified Default Investment Alternative Notice
Automated Contribution Arrangement Notice (ACA)
Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement Notice (QACA)
Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement Notice (EACA)
Blackout Notice
Safe Harbor Notice

Participant Plan Management Services

Loan Default Monitoring
Missing Participant Search
Vesting Verification
Hardship Documentation Review
Stale Check Analysis
Mandatory Cash Outs
Participant Fraud Monitoring
Lost Opportunity Calculations
Deemed Loan Defaults

Distribution Services

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

Participant Plan Management Services

Corrective Refund Distributions
In-service Distributions
Hardship Withdrawals
Participant Loans
Qualified Domestic Relation Order
Required Minimum Distributions
Separation from Service Distributions
Force Out Distributions

Goverment Reporting

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

Review, Approve and Sign Form 5500 Annual Report
Review, Approve and sign Form 8955-SSA
Review Annual Report
Review Plan Testing
Review and Approve Annual Employer Contributions
Large Plan Audit Review and Assistance.

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

Monitor all service providers
Represent plan during any DOL or IRS inquiry
Monitor adherence to IPS
Determination of reasonableness of fees
Provide annual fiduciary report
Ensure plan is compliant with any new regulations

Reimagining Retirement Plan Management

Site Content

Reimagining Retirement Plan Management

Professional IT Services for Your Business

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

The Other Fiduciary Models

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

The ERISA SMART Fiduciary Model

The Broken Model

Technology when it matters

Regulators Encourage Outsourcing

Boost Your Business with ERISA SMART's IT Services

Plan Document Service

Participant Plan Management Services

Plan & Participant Required Notices

Plan & Participant Required Notices

Participant Plan Management Services

Plan & Participant Required Notices

Participant Plan Management Services

Participant Plan Management Services

Participant Plan Management Services

Distribution Services

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

Participant Plan Management Services

Goverment Reporting

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

402(a) Named Fiduciay Specific

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