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Today’s savers expect digital experiences that are clear, intuitive, and easy to act on—yet many retirement interactions still feel overly complex. In this episode of Tech.FWD, Ascensus leaders explore how simplifying the digital retirement experience can provide clarity and increase engagement without overwhelming participants.

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In retirement planning, timing is everything—but generic messaging rarely delivers. And while early AI usage in the industry focused on operational efficiency, it’s now shifting from output to outcomes by using participant behavior to power more personalized participant communications that determine what to say, when to say it, and who needs to hear it. The result: a tailored approach where advisors and plan sponsors deliver timely, targeted, and AI assisted messaging that drives more meaningful engagement and better reflects the individuals their plans serve.

Filing Form 5500 accurately is one of the most critical compliance responsibilities plan sponsors face each year. Even small mistakes can trigger scrutiny, lead to costly penalties, or delay processing. The good news is that most Form 5500 filing errors are preventable, with the right preparation, tools, and advisor support.

Starting the Form 5500 process ahead of the deadline gives you and your clients time to catch discrepancies early and address them before they become bigger issues. Keeping thorough, up‑to‑date records—such as participant counts, financial reconciliations, and internal review procedures—strengthen fiduciary oversight and make the process more manageable. It also helps to understand where retirement plan compliance errors most often occur, and the steps that make the filing season smoother and more predictable for your clients.

As retirement plan compliance grows more complex, advisors are turning to technology to reduce risk and streamline processes. Hear how Ascensus experts are leading the way in our latest Tech.FWD podcast episode.

Insights from Ascensus Executive Chairman David Musto

Artificial intelligence is reshaping retirement plan administration by improving data accuracy, streamlining operations, and delivering better outcomes for savers. In this video, Ascensus Executive Chairman David Musto shares how predictive analytics and intelligent automation are changing how retirement plans are designed, managed, and delivered. 

Technology developed in a vacuum rarely works in the retirement space.

Real progress happens when the people who use the tools — advisors, sponsors, and participants — shape them. That’s why Ascensus’ development approach and post launch assessment begin not with features, but with your feedback. 

Learn more about this year’s SECURE 2.0 changes and how to use them to differentiate your practice and deliver better client outcomes. 

Even as we settle into a new year, the retirement planning landscape continues to shift in response to a changing regulatory and policy environment, market volatility, inflation pressures, and numerous other factors. These changes can bring more complexity—and more opportunities—for advisors and their clients. And while advisors can’t control the markets or changing demographics, they can understand and navigate policy shifts in a way that helps drive the best possible outcomes for their clients.

The first step toward leveraging these policy shifts is understanding what’s changed. Enhanced contribution limits, a Roth-only catch-up requirement, evolving withdrawal strategies, and expanded incentives for small businesses are all redefining how advisors can support clients through this tax season and beyond. 

Guiding clients through Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) plan enrollment requires a careful review of several important factors. As an advisor, you can add significant value by helping plan sponsors and participants understand the complexities of these plans, including recent regulatory changes.

This guide provides key considerations to help you support your clients during this critical period, ensuring they can make informed decisions that align with their financial goals.

Financial advisors seeking to deliver more value to plan sponsors while diversifying their own business can leverage COLI as a financing solution for nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans, without disrupting their existing recordkeeping relationship. 

Advisors play a key role during NQDC plan enrollment, which can be a critical time for plan sponsors. Despite their many benefits, participation rates in NQDC plans remain low (typically 20–25%*), often due to limited employee understanding. This creates a valuable opportunity for you to support your clients by educating employees and helping drive stronger engagement.

Grow your advisory business by learning how to guide clients in selecting and optimizing nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans for retention and growth.

Discover how providing a free plan diagnostic for employers offering nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans can help grow your business.  NQDC plan reviews can identify issues with the sponsor’s current plan and help them decide to change providers.

Learn the truth behind common myths about nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans and how advisors can use them to grow their business.

Help clients navigate tax burdens and enhance their retirement savings with nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans, which complement traditional 401(k) offerings by providing higher-earning employees with competitive retirement packages. Discover the advantages of pairing NQDC plans with safe harbor 401(k) plans to meet your clients' unique needs.

In an uncertain economic landscape, balancing compensation, retirement, and benefits programs is crucial for clients looking to attract and retain talent. Leverage insights from Ascensus' annual Compensation, Retirement, and Benefits Trends Report to guide your clients in understanding their program’s competitive position and making informed decisions for the year ahead.

Discover how Corporate-Owned Life Insurance (COLI) can enhance nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Learn how COLI offers tax advantages, reduces plan costs, and supports long-term financial security for your clients. 

Discover how integrating retirement plans into your practice can enhance client relationships, capitalize on growing demand, and protect your business from competitors

Help your clients navigate nondiscrimination testing issues with their 401(k) plans by recommending Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) plans and guiding them through the benefits of these plans.

For financial advisors, recommending sophisticated retirement plans beyond the standard 401(k) can unlock significant growth for your practice and provide superior value to your clients.

Proactively recommending options beyond the 401(k) helps you build stronger, long-term client relationships and defend against competitors. This guide explores four powerful retirement plan solutions to expand the possibilities for your small business clients.

Help clients understand the power of targeted messaging to improve retirement savings outcomes. Guide clients through the use of behavioral finance principles and A/B testing to create effective participant communications.

Help your clients understand how behavioral interventions can prompt smarter financial decisions among retirement plan participants.