The purpose of the Retirement Committee Field Guide podcast is to educate retirement committee members and their advisors on committee composition, management, training, and best practices. Each month we interview a guest, such as a retirement plan advisor, consultant committee member, or academic, to provide insight on fiduciary basics, committee governance, emerging best practices, developing law, and related topics.

Episode 4: 401(k) Plans from the Platform Provider’s Perspective

Guest: Krista D'Aloia, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Fidelity Investments

In this episode, we speak with Krista D'Aloia, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Fidelity Investments, about the role of the 401(k) retirement plan “platform provider.” Platform providers are an indispensable part of 401(k) retirement plan maintenance and operation. They keep the plan’s records, provide access to investment vehicles, handle non-discrimination testing, assist in the reporting process, and otherwise help with overall plan compliance. In the course of our discussion, Krista offers valuable insights into the role of a platform provider generally, with an emphasis on industry challenges, the role and changing nature of participant education, and the impact of the Department of Labor’s recent focus on cybersecurity. She also assesses and speculates on the policy changes that Congress is considering in legislation commonly known as the “SECURE Act 2.0.”