• How much will it cost?
• How do government regulations affect these plans?
• Who will provide ongoing guidance and support?
• What kind of investments are available?
• Who will help employees understand the plan?
• As my needs change, where will I turn to for dependable advice?

As you might imagine, there is a wide range of costs related to the implementation of a retirement plan. This is largely dependent on the different services needed and the relative sophistication of the plan and the organizations involved. 

The first costs to consider, the contribution costs, are determined by the combination of employer-and/or employee-funding you choose. If the employer contributes at all, decisions can be made on whether to make contributions based on participants' age, service record, compensation level, or by employees' own deferrals (known as "matching"). You can also annually determine the amount that you want to contribute, or you can commit to a fixed percentage, fixed dollar amount, or fixed benefit level. 

Administrative costs are incurred by the specialized accounting and compliance work that all retirement plans require (functions not normally performed by attorneys and accountants). Also, you should consider the time and expense it will take for someone on your own staff who will act as plan liaison. 

Other typical costs include document charges, takeover charges, and annual plan administrative charges-including sub-accounting for participant statements, discrimination and top-heavy testing, allocation verification, and processing of various provisions, such as withdrawals, loans, and preparation of Form 5500. 

Because of our strong relationships with a number of local and national Plan Administration firms, JRPS can assure you that you will receive all of the services you need-at a competitive price.

Consider the social policy addressed by retirement plans: we, as Americans, have agreed to forego current tax revenue on compensation and investment income in favor of encouraging working people to save for retirement and other significant life events, such as home purchases, secondary education, disability, and death. 

Government regulations are in place to help assure that the funds we put away now are available during retirement, and that the tax benefits of the plans are reasonably allocated among all income levels of plan participants. 

The majority of retirement plans allow for participant-directed accounts. Fiduciary responsibility, which is often a concern in this case, can be reduced by complying with section 404 (c) of ERISA: Section 404(c) provides some relief from fiduciary responsibility for participant-directed accounts. Many plans, and certainly most employee-funded plans, will closely mirror the provisions of 

SECTION 404(c), the key features of which include: 

1. A broad range of at least three investment options (e.g. guaranteed, fixed income, or equity) .
2. The ability to reallocate among these options with appropriate frequency (at least quarterly). 
3. The ability to diversify within the options 
4. The ability to obtain sufficient information to make informed decisions. 

JRPS has been created for the express purpose of answering this question. Because of the many intricate aspects of retirement plans, trained professionals and support staff must be prepared to assist employers and their employees. And that's exactly what we provide. 

From the very conception of each plan through its implementation-and beyond-it is our job to organize and follow its development. You can count on JRPS to provide an accurate and timely exchange of information and to keep the plan realistic and lawfully compliant- as well as technologically up-to-date and free of unnecessary costs and confusing features. 

In short, we want to help you create a retirement plan that will benefit your employees and benefit your organization.

Essentially, almost all prudent investment options, unless specifically prohibited by law, are viable retirement plan investments. Your JRPS Financial Consultant can work with you to decide which investments and which plan structures (whether participant-directed or employer-directed) will best meet your specific goals. 

In order to offer you the latest investment options, JRPS constantly evaluates insurance companies, mutual funds, and independent money managers-many of whom have invested in the latest technology available today and have created their own customized products designed specifically for retirement plans. 

Popular and cost-effective features that JRPS can provide include plans with multiple investment options, daily valuation and switching, easy-to-understand quarterly reports for participant, and simple documentation for even the smallest and least expensive plans. If you have relatively few participants, ask about our complete self-direction plans available through Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. 

So leave the work to us. It is our job to keep informed of organizations that consistently achieve excellent investment results in a range of investment styles; it is your job to benefit from our expertise.

In order to motivate employees to create meaningful savings, each of them must understand the need to start planning for themselves. This is another area in which JRPS can help. As an added benefit, JRPS is staffed and equipped to educate plan participants on everything from investment style to asset allocation, and from tax deferral to income replacement. In addition, periodic employee meetings can be held to review the provisions and investment results of the plan. As you might expect, the stronger the participants' knowledge, the stronger the plan. And further, you can rest assured that you have done your best to empower your staff to take charge of their own financial security.

One of the most important services we can provide at JRPS is to guide you not only toward a plan that works well today, but also toward one that is flexible enough to grow and prosper in the future. 

As your needs change, JRPS will always be within easy reach. And, likewise, as new investment information comes our way, we will pass it on to you. 

We know your needs will change. That's why we invest so much in keeping you a step ahead. As a section of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, JRPS is dedicated to helping you realize your financial goals within your budgetary guidelines-and within a world of complicated investment choices.