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PITTSBURGH – Effective June 3rd, 2019 Dunbar, Bender & Zapf to acquire New Jersey TPA firm Dunbar, Bender & Zapf, Inc. (DBZ), the largest independent regional retirement plan consulting and actuarial firm in the Pittsburgh area, announced that they are expanding their operations with the acquisition of the TPA firm Advanced Pension Designs (APD) LLC.

  As of 2018, the National Center for Employee Ownership estimates that there are almost 7,000 employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) covering more than 14 million employees. 

  When choosing how to manage a 401(k) plan, the employer has two primary choices: bundled plan management services, or they can choose to utilize services from an independent Third-Party Administrator (TPA).

  As retirement plan practitioners, every day we tell young people it is increasingly important to start saving toward retirement. Each year we are seeing increases in the number of high school graduates that are choosing to attend college and each year we are seeing increases in tuition costs.

  The IRS requires that contributions or benefits provided under a plan must not discriminate in favor of Highly Compensated Employees (HCEs).

  Fraudulent distribution request from participant 401(k) accounts is a fast growing trend in identity theft.

  Under the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), tax rates are the lowest they have ever been. Some say that tax rates may never be this low again, providing employers with a unique opportunity to use plan design to take advantage of these lower rates. 

Dunbar, Bender & Zapf, Inc. (DBZ), the largest regional retirement plan consulting and actuarial firm in the Pittsburgh area, announced that they are now offering 3(16) Fiduciary Services to assist clients with the day to day responsibilities of their retirement plan operations.

  We communicate every day with texts, emails, and phone calls to clients, advisors, and other professionals. Our days are filled with communications. Far too often, though, little or no attention is given to the way we communicate. 

  While the establishment of a cash balance plan is an easy sell for certain small employers, traditional defined benefit plans also present a great sales opportunity.