As pooled employer plans continue to expand the retirement landscape, preparing clients for PEP adoption is becoming an increasingly important part of an advisor's role. After determining that a PEP may be a good fit, advisors can help clients navigate key decisions around plan design, fiduciary responsibilities, participant impact, and transition planning. Addressing these topics early can set expectations, uncover potential challenges, and support more informed decisions.

So, whether your client is actively considering PEP implementation or simply exploring the pooled plan structure, understanding what to consider before PEP adoption can help create a more informed and smoother path forward.

Imagine your next plan review. Before the meeting even starts, your client has likely already seen the participation rates, contribution activity, and pending tasks from various retirement planning tools. The question now is what deserves their attention. One advisor may spend the next hour reviewing every page. Another starts with: “Here are the things I think we should talk about.” That conversation already feels different.

As data becomes easier to access through dashboards, plan-health tools, and AI-assisted experiences, simply delivering information becomes less distinctive. Today, retirement plan advisor differentiation depends on helping clients understand what's changing, what's worth asking, and what deserves attention. Because while retirement technology can show what's happening to a plan, a trusted advisor can help clients understand why it matters.

Driving Better Financial Outcomes for Key Employees: 2026 Newport/PLANSPONSOR NQDC Plan Trends Survey features nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) benchmarking data, plus in-depth analysis of the issues that matter most to plan sponsors—and the implications for advisors supporting them.

The report examines how NQDC plans can contribute to participants’ longer-term financial wellness and where you as an advisor can guide client strategy, strengthen plan design, and deliver more competitive executive benefits solutions.

Retirement plan users don't need more information; they need greater clarity. In this episode of Tech.FWD, Ascensus digital experience leaders Rose McGroarty and Trevor Calabro discuss how research-driven user experiences help advisors, plan sponsors, and other stakeholders find answers faster, prioritize what matters most, and navigate retirement plan responsibilities with confidence.

From dashboard design to personalization, the conversation explores how retirement technology is evolving to better support the people who rely on it every day.

Watch the Episode