WWK Investments


Member SIPC		 Articles of Interest

Institutional Services
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Plan Design

Over the past few years, the retirement plan landscape has evolved dramatically. This is largely due to the passage of the Economic Growth & Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) and the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Defined Benefit plans, commonly known as pension plans, are becoming rare, and Money Purchase plans are practically extinct. Now more than ever, it is important to hire an expert in the field of retirement plans to monitor changes and industry trends.

WWK currently services over 40 corporate plans ranging from sole proprietors to large corporations. We take the time with each client to determine their true goals for offering a plan. Whether the goal is simply to offer an employee benefit or to maximize key employees' deferrals, we illustrate the best possible options available to the plan sponsor, assisting them in weighing the pros and cons.

The field of retirement plans is extremely complex. There are a variety of plans including:

  • SEP
  • SAR-SEP
  • SIMPLE
  • 401(k)
  • 403(b)
  • 457
  • Money Purchase
  • Straight Profit Sharing
  • Cross Tested Profit Sharing
  • Age-Weighted
  • New Comparability
  • Super Comparability
  • Straight Defined Benefit
  • Cash Balance Defined Benefit
  • Single 401(k)
  • Single Defined Benefit

In addition, it is possible to combine some, but not all, of the above. Company matches, safe harbor contributions, discrimination testing, employee loans, and hardship withdrawals complicate matters even more. It is crucial to implement the right strategy for each corporation in order to efficiently accomplish the client's objectives. It's additionally important to align the plan with the appropriate administrator. WWK works directly with the country’s most respected administrators in order to match the necessary capabilities with the plan, while keeping costs in check.

Fiduciary Assistance

Although there is no way in which to eliminate a plan sponsor's fiduciary duties to the plan, WWK assists the plan sponsors to fulfill these obligations and reduce their liability. These services include:

  • Drafting an Investment Policy Statement
  • Monitor & Document Investment Performance
  • Monitor & Document Ongoing Costs
  • Providing Reprints of Relevant News Articles
  • Updating plan sponsors on legislative changes
  • Enrollment Meetings
  • Annual Overall Review
  • Acting as an Independent Intermediary between the Trustee, investment managers, administrators and the retirement committee of your firm.

Employee Education

Group Presentations

A retirement plan sponsor's biggest challenge is to provide their employees with extensive education. Through semiannual or annual enrollment meetings, WWK representatives conduct group presentations with the employees. We review the basics of investing, including defining stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. We also discuss, in depth, the importance of diversification, international investing, market volatility, and realistic expectations. We explain the importance of pre-tax investing, the advantages of saving today instead of tomorrow, and the benefits of employer sponsored programs. We tailor our group presentations and enrollment meetings to accommodate the varying degrees of investment experience among our clientele's employee base.

Individual Consultations

In addition to the group meetings, we provide one-on-one consultations to employees who may want personalized information. We can produce personalized hypothetical illustrations on site. Although past performance is not a guarantee of future results, we can estimate the amount of contributions necessary to reach retirement, using historical assumptions and personal goals. Our goal is to ensure that our clients understand how their money is being invested.

Educational Materials

We provide employees with comprehensive educational materials. We include easy-to-read brochures that discuss basic market information and details on the funds offered. These brochures use hypothetical examples along with charts and graphs. We also use technology such as PowerPoint, multi-media, and video presentations.

Website

WWKInvestments.com is a convenient website making it easier for plan sponsors and their participants to access information and necessary forms.

Plan Sponsors & Participants will find:

  • Account values & history
  • Ability to make changes
  • Current Stock Market activity
  • Financial Calculators
  • Employer-sponsored 529 information
  • Plan History & Financial Data (sponsor only)