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Dear Fiduciary, Why Fiduciary Focus Conference?
Last Updated: February 26, 2020
A Message from the Fiduciary Focus Team
After careful consideration and a comprehensive review of the situation relating to Covid-19, we have made the decision to reschedule the 2021 Fiduciary Focus Conference. Be sure to mark your calendars and save the NEW dates!
The conference will be held on August 19-20, 2021 at the Chateau on the Lake in Branson, Missouri. Visit www.fiduciaryfocusconference.org to learn more.
Fiduciary Focus Conference (previously Pension Focus) has been held annually in Branson, Missouri since 1996. It was created specifically to provide the specialized education fiduciaries need, not just to fulfill their obligations, but to achieve their maximum positive impact. Many attendees return year after year, having come to expect a quality event with timely information and good speakers. But, for those who haven’t attended before, I would like to share why Fiduciary Focus Conference is a good investment of time and money.
Fiduciaries Are Vital to Employees and Companies
We have all seen 401(k) and 403(b) plans become the primary retirement savings vehicle for most Americans. These plans are managed by a group of often unseen and unsung individuals, their fiduciary committee members. As a fiduciary, you are responsible for making the decisions that impact millions of peoples’ lives. If you do your job well, a good plan will contribute positively to the lives of employees, their families, and their community. A poorly managed plan will not. Whether a corporate retirement plan is good or not is a direct result of the skill of the fiduciary committee members.
For employees, a good plan will put them on a path to retire at their accustomed lifestyle at an expected retirement age. A rewarding retirement is the ultimate desire of most employees after a lifetime of work. However, retirement is not an employee’s only benefit from a good corporate retirement plan. During their accumulation years, the build-up of savings contributes significantly to their feeling of financial security.
Employers benefit from a good plan, too. As employees build financial security, they frequently become more productive at work. Financial stress is a leading cause of distraction at work. A study by the consulting firm Mercer pegged the cost of employee financial insecurity at $250 billion annually in terms of lost productivity. A good retirement plan can go a long way toward reversing that damage.
Additionally, employers benefit when workers are able to retire on time. As older employees leave the workforce, younger employees have more advancement opportunities. The employer will benefit as the younger worker is often lower on the pay scale. Also, with greater advancement opportunities, younger workers are more likely to stay with their employer. This can reduce turnover and save the employer more money.
Specialized Information from Experts
Fiduciary Focus Conference is specifically designed for fiduciary committee members. It is a time to receive training that can ultimately produce the desired results for your plan’s participants. Since all plan fiduciaries are responsible for duties at work aside from their plan committee duties, it is a unique time to focus on this important work.
Each year, the conference board and facilitators arrange for speakers and topics that are relevant and impactful. The conference is held over two days (from noon to noon) at the beautiful Chateau on the Lake, in Branson, Missouri. The environment is professional but relaxed.
One thing you won’t find at Fiduciary Focus Conference is exhibitors. In fact, the conference only has one sponsor, Pension Consultants, Inc. (PCI). PCI helped launch the conference in 1996 and has been sponsoring it each year since.
As a result of PCI’s approach to business integrity, no other money is solicited from plan service providers or investment companies. Therefore, you will not be encouraged to walk by booths or talk to sales people. In fact, speakers are not allowed to make pitches either.
It’s why so many people that attend Fiduciary Focus Conference return each year. I hope you will make plans to join us. I look forward to seeing you there.
Brian Allen, CFP®
Brian Allen is the Founder and Chairman of Pension Consultants Inc. (PCI), based in Springfield, Missouri. He has been advocating for transparency and results-based management for defined contribution plans since founding PCI in 1994.
PCI’s archived blog entries are dated, the rules and statutes referenced may have changed. The analysis or guidance within these blog entries may have become stale, dated, or no longer accurate. PCI will not update or change these entries to reflect the latest analysis or development.
