Getting the Most from Your 401(k)

This presentation will focus on the three basic areas of retirement plan improvement:

• Plan Design: Learn about 401(k) plan design and how company owners can contribute as much as $54,500/year
• Choosing 401(k) Plan Investments: Understand how to choose mutual funds and vendors for a 401(k) plan
• Creating a 401(k) Investment Plan Strategy: Learn how to apply Modern Portfolio Theory to create a "path of minimum regret"

Plan Design
Understand plan design and how to increase company owner contributions to as much as $54,500 per year, far beyond what has thought to be the $16,500 maximum (plus the $5,500 "catch-up" for those 50 and older). Learn how to fold retirement plan contributions into an overall compensation and bonus strategy so that they cease to be considered an "extra expense".

Choosing 401(k) Plan Investments
We'll focus on "open architecture", a proven performance advantage to selecting funds from an unlimited universe as opposed to choosing from a selection limited to the typical vendor's in-house proprietary funds.

• Gain an appreciation for what constitutes a reasonable fee structure for employee/participant
• See how fees are charged, how they must be reported to employees in dollars, and how they impact long-term results
• Learn how to negotiate with an existing vendor to provide a better-performing, more cost-effective investment selection
• Understand why your vendor emphasizes "target funds" and other high-profit margin products
• See through the "fiduciary scare tactic" and other self-serving industry misinformation

Creating a 401(k) Investment Plan Strategy
Learn how to identify inversely correlated investments and apply Modern Portfolio Theory to create a "path of minimum regret". Consider how qualified retirement plan investment decisions are impacted by equity in a home, potential inheritances, business assets and other factors that are often overlooked in the "silo" approach to managing personal finances.

Steve Butler is the founder and President of Pension Dynamics Corporation, a retirement plan consulting and administration company, located in the East Bay and in business since 1980.

Steve is the author of two books on 401(k) plans, and for the past 11 years has written a weekly financial column for multiple Bay Area News Group Newspapers including Contra Costa Time, Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, San Mateo Times and other related media.

Steve is the originator of the "Butler Index", an index of total costs of 401(k) plans, featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and MONEY magazine. Steve has also testified at Department of Labor and US House of Representatives cost-related hearings.

A graduate of Harvard, Steve then attended UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Business Administration.

2/2/11
Getting the Most from Your 401(k)
Steven Butler, President of Pension Dynamic Corporation, will present the three basic areas of retirement plan improvement. He will discuss 401(k) plan design, how to choose 401(k) plan investments, and how to create a 401(k) investment plan strategy.
Time: Noon - 1:00pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: 510/464-3600
Cost: None; this program is open to all. Please RSVP.
1 CES LUs

For more information: 510/464-3600